Evening star., 1953-02-26
Reluctant Witness
Says Weinberg Went
To Red Meetings.
By Jack Jonas

titled he had a visual image"
of DR.. Joseph w. Weinberg at
tending a meeting of the Com
munist Party In Berkeley, Calf.
The witness. John G. Backus,
said he couldn't be too sure
whether he himself had ever
been a member of the Commu-
mist Party, although he had
filled out an application card.
He testified during the perjury
trial of DR.. Weinberg in U. S.
District Court for the District of
Columbia. A former atomic
physicist, DR.. Weinberg is ac-
cuSed of lying to the House Un-
American Activities Committee
about former Communist activ-
tiles.
Memory Fading"
Mr.. Backus told the court his
memory had faded since his
association IL years ago with
DR.. Weinberg, and that he
couldn't recall exactly whether
the physicist had actually at
tended any meetings.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney William Hitz, obviously irri-
tated by the replies, pointed out
the witness previously had told
him and a grand jury that he
had had a visual image" of such |
q meeting.
Mr.. Backus agreed, but said
the image had become confused
because of repeated questioning
by Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton agents, lawyers and grand
iuries.
Eventually Mr.. BackuS became
a defense witness. Judge Alex
ander NJ, Holtzoff permitted the
defense lawyers to question him
as a character witness.
Witness Refuses to Testify.
Before Mr.. Backus testified, the
testimony of James Blamis, who
answered only one question,
brought from the defense a mo-
ton for a mistrial Mr. Blamis |
refused to say whether he knew
DR.. Weinberg on grounds of self
determination.
The judge upheld his refusal
to testify. Defense attorneys
later said their motion was based
on their belief the prosecution
knew that Mr.. Blamis would not
testify.
A former Communist testi-
fed earlier he once lied to the !
Federal Bureau of investigation
and was treated for a nervous
disorder for four YEARS, but
steadfastly insisted he was tell
in gthe truth about DR.. Vein
berg's attendance at Communist |
meetings.
The witness, Joseph Biskind, |
made the admission under cross |
examination.
Asked by Defense Attorney
Harry I. Rand if he had ever lied
to Federal agents about his Com
munist connection. Mr.. Biskind |
replied:
IT think did, about a year
ago January. About a year. ago
realized my membership had |
become very well known not only
in Berkeley, Calf, but else
where, and there was no point
in denying something that was
very well known"
Saw Weinberg at Meetings..
Mr.. Biskind testified this was
the only instance in which he
had concealed his membership
from the Federal Government.
He testified yesterday that he
attended at least 20 meetings of
the University of California
campus branch of the Commu-
mist Party. at which DR.. Vein
berg was present.
DR.. Weinberg-deScribed by
the prosecution as one of the !
most brilliant men in the Ma
tion-iS charged with lying when
he told the House Un-American
Activities Committee he was
never a Communist and had at
tended only one Communist
Party meeting "out of curiosity"
Mr.. Biskind told the jury he
had known Mr.. Backus and
Mr.. BlamiS IL years ago as
members of the Communist
Party in Alameda County, Calf,
where the university is located.
-, Mr.. Biskind could not recall,
however, who directed the party
during his membership from
1899 to 1941.
II never had any occasion to
know who the leader was" he
said.
The name of Steve Nelson,
one-time West Coast Communist |
organizer now in prison for vio-
1ating Pennsylvania anti-Sedition