Evening star., 1953-07-30
Minister Wrang|es
With House Probers
Hits Agents Report
RY Allen Drury

N4lCIIdSl dLlQ UIlC I1OuoC OIl~
American Activities Committee
wrangled bitterly today over
whether he did or did not at
tend a meeting of the Ohio
Youth Congress held at the
Southern Hotel in Columbus,
Ohio. in May or June of 1910.
Mr.. McMichael, a former Of
fetal of the Methodist Fedora
ton for Social Action and now
pastor in Upper Lake, Calf,
went before the committee to
deny charges by previous wit
nesses that he once was a Com
munist. Secret testimony heard
in New York two weeks ago was
made public last week during
the questioning of Methodist
Bishop G. Bromley Oman.
Committee Counsel Robert
Kunzig touched off the dispute
today when Representative Wal
ter, Democrat, of Pennsylvania,
asked him to refresh Mr.. Nc
Michael'S memory as to where
he was the summer of 1910.
Previously. the 36-year-old
clergyman had told the COM
mittee he was doing church
charitable work among the share
choppers in Arkansas.
Undercover Agents Report.
Mr.. Kunzig read into the rec
ord an affidavit signed in jan
uary of this year by Martha
and John Edmiston, of Wayne
Township, Warren County, Ohio,
who described themselves as un-
dercover agents for the FBI dur
ing 1910 and 1941.
The affidavit asserted that the
Ohio Youth Congress was
Communist dominated" and
opposed to the draft and aid
to the allies. The affidavit said
Mr.. McMichael was one of the
principal speakers, appearing in
The capacity of chairman of
the American Youth Congress,
which Mr.. Kunzig said has been
cited as a Communist front Or
ganization.
The Edmistons, in their affi-
davit. also asserted that Mr.. Nc
Michael addressed an Emer-
gency Peace Mobilization held
in the Chicago Stadium in Au-
gust, 1910. This meeting also
denounced the draft and aid
to the allies, the Edmiston af-
fidaVit said.
In 1941, the affidavit said, after
Germany attacked Russia, Mr..
McMichael was again the prin-
cipal speaker at a National
Youth Congress meeting held in
Town Hall. Philadelphia, were he
strongly urged intervention by
the United States and all-out aid
to Russia.
Saw Him at Wilberforce.
In 1850, the Edmistons said,
they again saw Mr.. McMichael
at the annual conference of the
Methodist Federation for Social
Action at Wilberforce University
At that time he was executive
secretary of the federation.
The Edmistons said he blamed
the United States for aggression
in Korea and absolved the Rus
SLAMS from blame. They also as
! serted that he caught Mr.. Edmis-
tons eye and hurried from the
room. Delegates to the meeting
subsequently voted overWhelm-
ingly for resolution Of support
for Mr.. McMichael.
Questioned on the Ohio meet
ing after Mr.. Kunzig finished
reading the affidavit, Mr.. Nc
Michael said fatty:
Il have my diary for 1910 be-
fore me. On the basis of my
diary and my memory am con-
f1dent 1 did not attend any such
meeting in Ohio in May or June,
194O."
After Mr.. McMichael had
given the same answer several
times to the same question, Mr..
Kunzig finally demanded:
Did you attend any such con-
ferences in Ohio in 1940?"
Just a minute" Mr.. McMi-
chael said. again turning to his
diary, small black book which
he insisted on consulting to "re-
fresh my memroy" over frequent
protests by committee members.
AS he turned to the diary, he &C
cldently pushed his chair too
close to the edge of the witness
stand and tipped himself par
TALLY over.
II certainly apologize, Chair
man Velde. Republican, of Illinois
told him as Mr.. McMichael re-
covered his balance.
Perfectly all right, Mr.. Chair
man" Mr.. McMichael said. "I
appreciate your courtesy-on
that"
Mr.. McMichael told Represen-
70