Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-25
Scientist X
Was Red in Al,
U. 5. Charges
Weinberg Perjury
Trial Opens With
Prosecutors Attack

SAASNV A$As OOoNRA W.
was a member of an extremely
important" cell Of the Com
munist Party from 1899 to 1871.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney William Hitz, in his opening
statement to the jury in the per-
jury trial Of DR.. Weinberg, said
the defendant attended several
meetings Of this cell, along with
other scientists who were work.
ing on the Governments top
secret atomic bomb project.
DR.. Weinberg has been identi-
ned as the mysterious "Scien-
fist K" who was accused by the
House Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities of passing atomic
secrets to American agents of
Russia.
Indicted Last March.
The grand jury which indicted
him last March charged he lied
when he said he had never been
a Communist. that he had at
tended only one Communist
meeting, and that he did not
know Steve Nelson prior to fac
ing him before the committee in
1949.
Mr.. Hitz portrayed DR.. Vein
berg as a man with "one of the
most brilliant minds in the
country" He was described as
far outclaSSing his colleagues in
his knowledge Of music and art
and on a level with the best in
the field Of theoretical physics.
In speaking of the Communist
cell to which he said DR.. Wein-
berg belonged, Mr.. Hitz said:
1T was important for the rea-
son that it was composed mostly
Of members of the graduate stu
dent body of the University of
California and scientists engaged
in the field of physics and math-
ematicS at the university.
Accusations Called False.
"At this time the University
OF California had a very impor-
tant and very secret operation
called the Radiation Laboratory.
One Of its purposes was research
necessary for the ultimate de-
velopment of the atomic bomb"
Joseph Fanelli, attorney for
DR.. Weinberg, called the Govern
ment'S accusations false.
In his opening statement,
which Judge Alexander Holtzoff
Of the U. S. Court for the District
Of Columbia repeatedly inter-
rupted as argumentative, Mr..
Fanell1 indicated he would call
as a defense witness DR.. j. Robert
Oppenheimer, one of the Nations
top physicists. He said DR.. OPP
penheimer would refute the
claim that the two physicists at
tended a Communist meeting to-
gether.
- Witness Is Attacked.
Mr.. Fanelli attacked, the re-
liability of an expected Govern
ment witness, Paul Crouch, iden-
tifled as a former Soviet army
colonel. Mr.. Crouch has teSti-
fed in various Government 10y
atty cases.
Mr.. Fanelli said Mr.. Crouch
had devoted most of his life to
the teachings of communism.
had attended party organization
schools in Russia and had be-
longed to Communist groups
since he was 10 years old.
After Statf officers of the
House identified papers in. con-
nection with the May IS, 1949,
hearing, at which Dr.. Weinberg
is accused of committing per-
jury, the Government called
Joseph Biskind, q private music
teacher and former Communist.
Mr.. Biskind testified briefly
about his background as a mem
Der Of the Young Communist
League and the Communist
Party and said he knew DR..
Weinberg at the University of
California. He was to take the
stand again when the court re-
convened for the afternoon Ses-
sion.
Jury Chosen.
A jury of eight men and four
women was picked yesterday
after unsuccessful attempts by
defense attorneys to have GER
tain questions asked of pros
pective jurors.
Judge Holtzof ruled out Ques-
tons about the Jurors attitude
toward Jews, and whether, in the
light of the great Communist
menace" they could dispaSsfon-
ately consider the case.
At the outset of the case yes
terday, Mr.. Hitz read a list of
names He said these persons
would either appear as wit
nesses or be prominently men,
toned during the trial.
On his list were Nelson and
DR.. Oppenheimer. The Govern
ment has been trying to obtain
Nelson's appearance as a wit
ness. He is serving 20 years in
q Pennsylvania prison for vio-
lating that States anti-Sedition
laws.
Others on List,
Among others he mentioned
were:
Erie Loran. identified as
owner of a house rented to DR.
Oppenheimer. and at which DR..
Weinberg allegedly attended
Communist meetings.
Charles William Dickinson, at
whose farm DR.. Weinberg al
legedly attended a meeting of
the Young Communist League.
Harry PeaSe, a reporter for the
Milwaukee Journal.
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Cloke,
at whose home in Berkeley,
Calf, DR.. Weinberg is alleged
to have attended Communist
meetings.
DR.. Kenneth o. May, of Carl
ton Tollnon MinnaoT0lic NHinY