Evening star., 1953-09-13
Ministers Denounce
And Deny Charges
They Served Reds
BY the Assoeiotsd Press


testimony of a highly success
full" plot to plant hundreds of
Reds among the U. S. Clergy has
brought flow of denials from
ministers named as Communist
agents, dupes and pawns.
Not all of the clergymen were
reached for comment on the
testimony, taken at secret hear
ings in New York last July and
made public yesterday by the
House Un-American Activities
Committee.
But Harry F. Ward, described
in the hearing transcript as "the
Red Dean of the Communist
Party in the religious field" said
in New York:
Il am not and never have been
o member of any political party"
Ward. Accuses Committee.
Mr.. Ward. former professor at
Union Theological Seminary, ac-
cused the committee of afousing
resentment by its actions from
all persons concerned with main
tanning the freedom of speech,
press, assembly and the exercise
of religion set down in the Bill
of Rights"
The Red dean" description of
Mr.. Ward was made by Manning
johnson of New York, one OF
three witnesses who said they
were former Communists who
had seen successful examples of
Red infiltration of the clergy.
Mr.. johnson was a member of
the National Negro Commission
of the Communist Party's Ma
tional Committee for about five
years ending in 1910. The two
other witnesses were Benjamin
Gitlow and Joseph Zack Korn-
feder, both also from New York.
Mr.. johnson said the scheme
to switch from frontal assaults
to boring from within against
religion was successful beyond
even Communist expectations.
Mr.. Gitlow swore that in the
infiltration of the Methodist
Church, the Communists were
highly successful. Among others,
he named as involved in such
a plot the Rev. Jack r. Nc
Michael. the Rev. Charles C.
Webber, the Rev. Alison j. Smith,
DR.. Willard Uphaus, Margaret
Forsyth, the Rev. Lee H. Ball
and Prof. Walter Rautenstrauch.
Mr.. Smith emphatically denied
Mr.. GitloW's testimony. In a
statement in Chicago he said
that "as far as Gitlow'S teSti-
mony pertains to me it is I'M
qualifiedly false. I am not now,
never have been and never ex-
pect to be in any way, shape or
manner connected with the Com
munist Party or communism as
a philosophy. I am an anti
Communist and always have
been"
Mr.. McMichael had previously
denied under oath in a Wash
ington hearing that he was
Communist. DR.. Uphaus. in
Conway, N. H, called the charge
against him silly, unfounded."
Longtime Republican" Named.
Others named included the
Rev. Irwin St. John Tucker, who
commented at Chicago that he
was a longtime Republican and
a bitter foe of Communism, and
DR.. William B. Stofford, ST., who
declared at Tunkhannock. Pa,
that he is Christian minister
and has never been a Communist
Party member.
Still another named. the Rev.
Claude Williams, said at Helena,
Ala, he is no Communist but
Democrat who has worked for
labor union organization, civil
rights and racial equality.
Mr.. Kornfeder. in his testi-
mony. estimated \ 600 United
States clergymen are secret
members of the Communist
Party and as many as 1000 more
are fellow travellers. Many others.
he contended, have been duped
into aiding the Communist
cause.
Mr.. johnson testified that, in
its early stages. the plan con-
centrated on setting up Com
muniSt cells among students in
seminarieS and divinity schools.
He said recruits were picked up
as the plan progressed.
1t was so successful. he said,
that It provided "a religious cover
for the overall Communist op-
Grafton ranging from immediate
demands to actually furnishing
aid IN espionage and outright
treason"
No Particular Group.
Mr.. Kornfeder said no par
ticular church group was Sc
lected for the program. which
he said was spearheaded by un-
otf1ctal movements which sought