Evening star., 1951-07-06
By [. Edaor Primo

nearly seven years kept the Gov
informed of Red activities
in the Nations Capital, The Star
learned today.
She is Mary Sra1cup Markward.
20, now a happily married house.
wife in Chesterbrook, Va. She
joined the District Communist
Party in May. 1943, and left be-
cause of illness in October, 1919
During this period, she rose to
the post of treasurer and became
a member of the city committee,
the party's policy-making unit.
AS treasurer, Mrs. Markward kept
a complete list of open" party
members, collected dues, assigned
party books and handled trans
ferS and new registrations.
Kept FBI Well Posted.
She was thus able to keep the
FBI exceedingly well posted on the
strength and aims of the local
Reds.
The Daily Worker itself made
the first public disclosure of Mrs.
Markward's role last February 7.
In a bitter denunciation, it said
she had been expelled as an
"FBI stoolpigeon." Neither the
FBI nor Mrs. Markward would
comment at the time.
The House Committee on Un-
Activities recently heard
her story in closed session. The
testimony is expected to be made
public soon. Meanwhile, The Star
has learned that these are some
of the top facts she reported at
that session:
l. At least two Communist un-
derground groups composed of
Federal employes) were function
ing here while she was in the par
ty. She apparently was unable to
penetrate the tight security sur
these units and could
give few details.
Cell in Naval Gun Factory.
Q. A secret Communist cell of
Naval Gun Factory workers was
during the war. These
belonged to club des-
ignated W-37.
8. William Rosen, alleged buyer
of the famous Ford roadster once
owned by Alger Hiss and which
figured so prominently in the lat
ter's perjury trial, was a Commu-
mist Party member, along with his
wife. Addie.
RoSen. who once owned dry
cleaning shop at 2009 Bunker Hill
road NE, refused to answer Ell
ther House committee or Federal
grand jury questions concerning
the Hiss automobile. He was SEN
fenced to six months in Jail by
Federal District Court for con-
tempt, but the Court of Appeals
reversed the decision and the Su-
preme Court upheld the reversal.
4. Communist Party member
ship in Washington usually num-
bered about 230-"a conservative
estimate" She supplied all names
of the city membership and many
of those from the higher dis
trict" organization, which included
Maryland and the District.
20 Clubs Set Up in City.
S. The Communist Party set up
some 20 "clubs" throughout the
city from 1945 to 1949. From II
to IA functioned at any one time.
6. Chief targets of Red re-
cruiters were the AFL Building
Trades workers and the food
workers. This was because of the
great number of persons employed
in these groups and the fact that
the Communists already had es-
tablished roots there.
7. "The most serious step for
ward taken (by the Reds) was
the movement among the youth. p"
This referred specifically to &C
tivities on local university cam
puses.
Mrs. Markward, a graduate OF
Central High School and the
Modern School of Beauty Culture.
worked for Mrs. Ethel Meyer in
her beauty shop, 1907 Massachu-
sets avenue NV. 1t was there
the story began.
Mrs. Markward's Story.
But let Mrs. Markward tell it:
While I was employed at the
beauty shop on Massachusetts,
avenue, I was approached by an
agent of the FBI, and he dis