Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-17

out Communists.
In panel discussion broad
cast, Mrs. Stevenson labeled the
secret committee as a myth"
Mr.. BereS, the post COM
mander, in fitting CONVERSE
ton with this correspondent,
likewise denied that a secret
screening group existed, and
blamed the ADA for stirring up
the controversy. Mr.. Beres
summed up his position in one
succinct sentence: II don't
know nothing at ALL"
If no secret committee ever
existed, however. Mr.. Beres and
his associates in the VFW were
a little slow, if not downright
lax. in putting contrary reports
to rest.
Closed Meeting of Post.
The whole issue was discussed
by the post at closed meeting
January % with about a fourth
Of the posts 300-odd members
present. Next day, the Norwalk
Hour quoted from a statement
issued after meeting by the
VFW officials, as follows:
1.-THE names of the members
of the post working on the COM
mittee on Americanism were not
disclosed at the specific direc-
ton of the membership"
The issue seemed to reach an
ironic climax when a group of
journalists representing North
Atlantic Treaty Organization
Countries came to visit Norwalk
as typical American city. One
of the journalists was puzzled
by all the furore. and asked
Mayor Freese for an explanation
of the VIEW policy "since we
have scant means of knowing
whether it is right or wrong"
The mayor replied by saying
he was sorry this had come up,
detracting from glamour of the
visit, he added:
II can only say that just about
100 per cent of the people of
Norwalk agree that the methods
employed by the veterans were
not well chosen"
One hundred per cent might
be too high an estimate, but the
fact was that by then most of
the city's responsible elements
had taken a similar stand. The
Norwalk Ministers Association.
without mentioning the VFW.
adopted a resolution declaring
that the FBI is capable of deal
ing with any acts of subversion
in it's slime tested ways" and
calling upon Our fellow citizens
to employ open and democratic
methods in our struggle against
communism"
The Rev. Harold E. Martin.
pastor of the Congregational
Church on the Green. discussed
the matter in a sermon.
I'm quite sure" he said. that
the purpose of the local post of
the VFW was intended to do
good and be helpful in protect
ing our city. State and Nation
against Communist infiltration.
But I am equally sure that
the method used-that of setting
up secret screening committee
. is dangerous and un-Ameri-
can. 1t is the type of vigilante
activity which in the past in
America has been the source of
great evil. Such a system of re-
porting can become a witch
hunt"
Others Express Concern.
$ The Rev. Mr.. Martin said he
was led to discuss the matter.
not because he believed there
was any serious community ten
sion over it. but because some
of his parishioners had expressed
concern. One, he reported. was
a woman of an old New England
family who said to him after
reading about the VIEW action:
What an outrageous thing!"
Others. included a German and
an Austrian refugee who were
disturbed because they had ex-
perienced what they considered
similar pattern under the Nazls
in their countries.
There was some. talk about
town of organizing a group to
counter the VFW's Red-hunting
activities, if they continued. Mrs.
Gilmore M. Herrick. personnel
labor relations director of the
New York Herald Tribune. and
a Norwalk resident, said she
had talked with a number OF
people on what should be done.
1--WE decided that this thing
was dying" she says. $50 we de-
cided to keep quiet and give it a
chance to die"
What effect has the contro-
versy had on Norwalk itself? AS
best one can gather. there has
been surprisingly little i'll effect.
And there are few, if any, YES
tiges of lingering resentment.
Some said they had heard that
Mr.. Beres' gas station was losing
some business as a result of it.
II hope that isn't So" said
one. I'VE wouldn't want to see
that happen"
Some community leaders be-
lieve the overall effect will be
one of good. They think that
out of the controversy there has
emerged in Norwalk a better
understanding and a greater ap-
probation of this country'S fun
damental liberties.