Evening star., 1953-09-12
OCIergymen
Called Secret
Communists
House Committee
Testimony Tells
Of Church Cells
BY the Associafed Press

BY the Associatsd Press
Testimony about a plot to in
Nitrate Americas churches
successful beyond even Com
ti1unist expectations" pro-
eide the basis for further con-
gressional probings for Reds in
betgion.
The House Un-American Ac-
HSities Committee, which re-
sun1es its sessions late this year
Or early in 1854, made public the
detailed testimony yesterday.
1t came from former active
Communist leaders and told of
how the Reds, unable to destroy
religion by frontal assaults,
bored from within to seek their
goal with the aid of unwilling
6Hpes and pawns.
Accused BY Three Ex-RedS.
One witness, Manning John
son Of New York, said not even
The Reds themselves expected to
hcf1feEe the success he said they
Eealized.
Another, Benjamin Gitlow of
New York, testified: "In the in
filtration of the Methodist
Church, the Communists were
6ighly successful"
"A third, Joseph Zack Korn-
EedeP of New York, called the
ffth column plan rather effec-
Eve"
Johnson was described as
Communist from 1880 to 1910
and a member of the party's
rational committee from 1886 to
1885, Gitlow as a top United
States Communist leader from
1919 to 1929, and Kornfeder as
B Communist from 1919 to 1884.
They testified last July at
committee meetings in New
York. However, the hearing
transcript disclosed the subject
Of communism in religion was
considered exclusively.
600 CIergymen Called Reds.
KoKnfeder estimated there are
800 Clergymen in the United
States who are "secret" mem
beFs Of the Communist Party.
ne said between three and four
thousand others are among the
fellow-traveling category" Many
more. he said, were duped into
gliding Communist fronts, but
Gthe temporary sympathizers
WM fade out"
F1e boring from within was
noA aimed at any particular
church group, the witnesses said,
and was Spearheaded by un-
official movements which sought
10 identify themselves with
chuFches.
N the Catholic church, Korn-
teder said, the inf1ltration us
61ainly among laymen." He COM
toented that Communists had
some experience trying to line
up the Catholic priests and, well,
something usually happened
pretty quickly :"
Chairman Jenner of the Sem
ate internal Security Subcom-
fnittse revealed yesterday that
bis group had information of
Tan effort to establish a Com
pnunfSt cell in Catholic organi-
cations" ="
Catholic SubversiOn Failed.
Senator Jenner cited testimony
given here in June by two wit
oesses described as "active par
tactpanss" in such an attempt.
Senate sources indicated the try
GO Catholic Subversion was made
some 20 or Is years ago and
eailed.
Che two witnesses before Sem
E6oP Jenner'S group were named
eS Harold King and Thomas
DAWN. both of New York City.
King was listed as a high school
teacher and DAWN said he re-
Signed as a magazine editor be-
cause II considered that it gave
ecanda1 for me to be called before
fhis committee"
Both men, asked whether they
&aed to penetrate Catholic
etpapS in q Communist con-
SpWacy, refused to answer on
grounds the Constitution guar
en6eed their right to avoid giving
possibly self-incriminating testi-
tnony.
However, King testified he had
been @ member of the Catholic
Committee for Human Rights,
an organization now defunct.
Ward Denies Charges.
IN testimony before the House
group, Kornfeder named Harry
E. Ward, former professor at
Union Theological Seminary,
Blew York, as leader of a plan
10 communize clergymen through
the Methodist Federation for
Social Service. This is an un-
official organization not con-
ISee CLERGY, Page A-5.)