Evening star., 1951-06-21
By w. H. Shippen

here today In an effort to deter
mine IL Communists have infil-
Itrated labor unions in vital de-
lfense industries.
The House Committee on Un-
american Activities, however. re-
ceived only refusals to answer in
questioning of Joseph Henderson,
colored, a former resident OF
Washington, who declined to say
if he was a member Of the Com
munist Party's governing body for
Baltimore and the District.
Mr.. Henderson described him.
self as common laborer at the
big steel fabricating plant at
Sparrows Point. He would not say
| If he was or had been an inter-
national representative of the
Longshoreman's and Warehouse
mems Union. The witness ex-
planned his refusal by saying he
feared it was IAN attack on the
union"
Declines to Identify Letter.
The witness was shown the
lphotostatic copy of a letter from
Dorothy Rose Blumberg, said to
have been secretary y-treasurer of
the District and Maryland Com
munist Pa...y during 1946. He de-
clined to identify the letter on the
grounds that any answer he might
make could tend to incriminate
him.
The letter, as read into the rec
ord, called a meeting of party
members Of the District and Bal
timore to discuss plans for a
May Day rally in 1g46. The Sec
retary-treasurer pointed out that
the Communists had been active
in furthering the ends of strikers
and that the time had come to
recruit party members from the
unions.
The committee counsel read a
list of some 40 persons said to
have attended the meeting and
asked Mr.. Henderson If he knew
them. After consulting with his
attorney, Howard Bucklin of
Baltimore, Mr.. Henderson refused
to answer in each case.
Silent About Past Jobs.
He rejected inquiries as to his
Ipresent or past affiliation with the
Communist Party, declined to say
what he did in Washington before
moving to Baltimore in 1945 and
even refused at first to say if he
is still employed at Bethlehem.
Three other employees Of the
Bethlehem plant were to appear
before the committee today. Yes
terday a fourth, Mike Howard,
SO, rejected the committees .ef-
forts to draw him out on the SUBJ
lject by pleading fear Of self-in-
Termination.
Today's witnesses were listed by
the committee staff as William H.
Wood, Levy Williamson and Rob-
ert w. Lee. Mr.. Howard refused
to answer yesterday when asked
If he knew the men, or if he was
member of a Communist cell or
club within the plant.
Attorneys Maurice Braverman
OF Baltimore and Joseph Forer of
Washington were in continuous
consultation with their clients as
they repeated over and over:
II refuse to answer on grounds
it may tend to incriminate me-"
Mr.. Howard even declined to
give the name of his immediate
superior in the plant, or to say If
he knew if various men named by
committee counsel were employed
at Sparrows Point.
The witness told the committee
he probably will be out of a Job
as a result Of the committees ac-
tion in subpoenaing him, although
1t had taken him 10 years to work
up to his present position.
Explains Work.
Mr.. Howard said he measured
and prepared the alloys and fed
them into the molten steel to meet
various customer specifications. In
response to questions, he said he
would report any sabotage he dis
covered In the plant.
do you consider q Communist