Evening star., 1950-01-29
l Spied for StuIin-'
(SeUenth OF a Series.J
By Hede Messing
As Told 70 Eugene Lyons
(CopYriaht. 1880. by hede Mussino

As Told 70 Eugene Lyons
Copyright, 1880, by Hede Massine)
NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-In the
course Of the recent trial that
ended with the conviction of
Alger Hiss as perjurer, a num-
Der Of confidential State Depart
ment memoranda, based on dis
closures by Whitaker Chambers,
were spread on the record for the
first time.
One of these, by the depart
ment's security officer, Raymond
Murphy, referred to Noel H. Field
and Laurence Duggan-efhcials of
the department in the middle
1930's-as Communist contacts
and to myself as their special
laiSon."
Testimony on Fields Red affilia-
tions was presented to the House
Committee on Un-American Ac-
tivities as far back as 1888, and
he has been an object of special
interest to American security
agencies ever since. In recent
years, he has been named re-
peatedly in the press and before
Congress as member of a
Soviet underground ring. A new
dimension of mystery was added
to his story last September with
the disappearance of himself, his
wife and his brother, Hermann,
somewhere behind the Iron
Curtain.
Cultivated" Duggan in 1884.
Laurence Duggan was men
toned in connection with alleged
pro-Soviet activities before the
House committee and then before
q Federal grand jury. The tragedy
OF his death in a plunge from
his sixteenth-story window in
midtown Manhattan on December
40. 1948, drew a black veil over
his career. It was lifted by Hiss
himself. through his defense
counsel. when he introduced those
State Department memoranda.
Whatever roles these former
officials may have played, I must
shoulder my share of RESPONSE
bility for drawing them into the
swamps Of Communist intrigue.
For about year, beginning with
late 1884. the cultivation" of
Field and Duggan was my main
assignment. Every step in the
process was reported to my ap-
paratus superiors who thereupon
prescribed the next step.
How deeply they were sucked
into those swamps after that
cannot tell. The essence of Soviet
underground techniques is to al
low no agent to know more than
is absolutely necessary. The less
any one person understood about
how his own pieces fitted into
the larger patterns, obviously, the
safer for the ring.
Acted as Recruiting Sergeant.
Mine was simply the part Of
q recruiting sergeant, operating
under continuous supervision of
Russian officers. Having brought
the two men to the point of con-
senting in principle to Coop
crate" with the cause, arranged
for them to meet other members
OF my apparatus, whose identity
was not supposed to know.
My assignment was then at an
end. At least with reference to
Duggan, I have no direct reason
to believe that he actually en-
listed IN our service after he had
met the network agent in a care
fully secretive rendezvous.
Noel Field took the initiative
for our first meeting. I He had
been stirred by my husbands
articles on the New Masses on his
ordeal IN Nazi torture chambers.
Discovering that their friend Mar
guerite Young, Daily Worker cor
respondent, knew the writer's
wife. both Noel and his wife.
Hertha, expressed eagerness to
make my acquaintance.
Field Was Biggest Prize,
I went to Washington expressly
Tor this purpose. Field was the
biggest fish to swim within reach
OF my net. He had served as sec
retary of the American deIega-
tlon in the London naval nego-
tlatlons and was rated among the
rising young men in the State
Department.
We became friends almost at
once. after a night of political
discussion at Comrade Young's
home. I arranged for the Fields
TO meet my husband and within a
1eW weeks we were all on a foot
Ing OF intimacy. Early in 1885
the Fields introduced me to their
close friends. Larry and Helen Dug
gan.
1 spent a week end at the Dug
gan home on the outskirts of the
Capital. AS the only guest, had
q good chance to push my anti
Fasclst line, with particular en-
phasis on Communist leadership
In the fight on Hitlerism. A num-
Der OF other meetings followed.
usually without Mrs. Duggan.
Fields Wife Was Practical.
l had no need to propagandize
Noel. He was already too passion
ately sold on the Soviet and eager
to "do something" to help. He
mad sought out Earl Browder, he
told me. to clear up doubts on
communist tactics and certainly