Evening star., 1952-02-20
Ex-6oyernlnent Clerk
Was a Communist,
Former Red Testifies

Former Red Tesfifies
| A Washington labor leader
once prominent in Communis,
lcircles, told a District Court jury
today that Mrs. Marie L. Rich.
ardSon, a former clerk at the Ii.
brary Of Congress, was a member
|of the Communist Party.
The testimony was given by
Henry Thomas. colored, president
Iof the Hod Carriers and Common
ILaborers' Union of America
(AFL). Local "A.
Mr.. Thomas, who resigned from
the Communist Party in 1949
said he never saw any party iden.
tif1cation for Mrs. Richardson
but that she had been active IL
the Young Communist League
and had to work with many ma.
tional leaders of the party. HI
testified that she frequently re.
ceived them at her home fol
party conferences.
False Statements Charged.
Mrs. Richardson, who is col.
ored, is on trial on charges o1
making false statements to the
Government to conceal Commu.
mist affiliations.
An eight-count indictment states
the violation occurred in 194s
and 1949. Conviction on thu
charges could result in a maxi.
mum sentence of 40 years impris.
onment and an $50, 900 fine.
The Government contends thai
Mrs. Richardson faisified two sets
of applications and affidavits filed
for employment at the Library OF
Congress. In the first instance
she was appointed a clerk for 90
days. Subsequently. she applied
for a probationary appointment
which required a loyalty check.
In each case she swore she did
not belong to the Communist
Party.
Party Leaders Named.
Mr.. Thomas testified that the
defendant had attended CLOSED
Injecting of the Communist City
COMMITTEE and that on a number
OF occasions she conferred in hel
home with party leaders. Among
those named by the witness were
John Gates, editor of the Daily
Worker; Pettis Perry, chairman
of the National Negro Commis-
sion Of the Communist Party;
James Jackson, secretary of the
Michigan district of the party;
Henry Winston, an official of the
national party, and Claudia Jones
Ia leader in the women's division
The Government prosecutors
said they hoped to call Mrs. Mary
is. Markward, a former under
cover agent for the FBI, as a wit
ness later today.
Prosecutors Statement.
In his opening statement to the
jury of nine men and three
women, yesterday, Prosecutor
William E. Hitz declared the
Government would show that Mrs
Richardson was high in the coun-
ellis of the Communist Party Dis
trict 4. covering Washington and
Maryland.
He said he would show "she
was a member of the Commu-
nists' underground group" and
promoted the aims Of the party
while she was a member of the
National Negro Congress. The de-
fense battery OF i've attorneys re-
served Its opening Ktatement.
Mrs. Markward, a Ehesterbrook,
(Va.) housewife Vi1o inf1ltered
the Communist Party as Gov
ernment agent, last year outlined
party Vaccinations in testimony
before the House Committee on
Un-American Activities.
Star Witnesses.
She, together with, several for
mer Communists, are expected to
be the prosecutions star witnesses.
Others to testify today include
several employees Of the Library
of Congress, who will identify
documents allegedly signed by
Mrs. Richardson.
Mrs. Richardson, who now is a
resident of New York City, Is a
former student Of Howard Univer-
sity and at one time was employed
in the Office Of the university dean.