Evening star., 1954-01-13

often I co-operated with him
for the general social aims of
the New Deal. During the war,
the movement I headed, includ-
ing in its influence a broad Sec
tion of labor, was most en-
phatically in support of the
President. 1t is this war period
that is now being given public
attention.
When America entered the
war, l was in a Federal prison
on an old paSsport-irregularity
charge. and in May. 1912. PreSi-
dent Roosevelt ordered my re-
lease Ito strengthen national
unity"
Scene in Mystery Drama.
This action is made the OPEN
ing scene of the mystery drama
in Washington. in which the
Government sponsors the wit
neSSes Frank Meyer. John Laut-
ner and Louis Budenz. These
witnesses testify as fact the con-
tents of gossip stories they have
picked up, beginning with the
tale that Miss Josephine Adams
negotiated" some sort of deal
which brought about my release.
The fact is I did not then
know Miss Adams. and she could
not possibly have negotiated for
me. Later. however, Miss Adams
told me she spoke to Mr.. Roose-
welt about my case and found him
already convinced that I should
be released.
Mr.. Roosevelt had read the
Governments brief in the Su-
preme Court. which admitted
there was no moral turpitude on
my part and that the charges
aaginst me were purely technical.
which made him think my i'm
priSonment had been unneceS-
sarily savage. He was doubtful
only as to the moment for my
release.
ASNSOANNu ny An O01h NA0s
This doubt was resolved not
by Miss Adams. but by Fiorello
La Guardia who told the Presi-
dent not to fear that his right
wing opponents could make any
political capital out of it. Another
one who advised Mr.. Roosevelt
to release me at that time was
Ebert Thomas, chairman Of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. as l learned from him
later when he gave me the orig
inal letter from Mr.. Roosevelt
acknowledging this advice.
In the fall of 1912, I received
from Mao Tse-tung in China
some information showing that
the Kuomintang armies were di-
verted from the anti-Japanese
front in order to blockade the
Communist areas. This I sent
on to Mr.. Roosevelt, and then
made a public speech charging
that American influences had
caused this weakening of the
war against Japan.
I was then invited to meet
Sumner Welles at the State De-
partment; he, saying he spoke
at the request of the President.
read to me a statement dec!ar-
ing American policy in China
was to avoid armed conflicts be-
tween Chinese forces. and to
unity them for the war against
Japan. With the consent of Mr..
Welles, I cabled his statement
to China, where it exerted big
influence in postponing the Chi
nese civil war. In 1850 testi-
fed at length concerning these
facts before a Senate committee.
Exchanged Letters.
In 1943 my only exchange OF
written communications with
Mr.. Roosevelt took place. Shortly
after the dissolution of the
Comintern, a member of its
executive committee for Argen-
tina was seized by the Argentine
government for deportation to
Spain where he faced certain
execution.
I was fearful that this would
be interpreted by Communist
leaders, especially the Russians.
as due to American influence and
as sign that this country re-
jected that improvement OF re-
lations which the Comintern dis
solution was designed, among
other things. to achieve.
1 communicated my worry to
Mr. Roosevelt by word of mouth
and then 1 sent him public
telegram asking his intervention.
! Immediately received personal
letter from Mr.. Roosevelt saying
he had no confirmation of the
the facts, that I would under
stand the issue was under ex-
elusive Argentine jurisdiction,
but that he was asking AmbasSa-
dor Norman Armour to keep him
Informed on developments.
Reports From Armour.
A few days later came another
letter from the President saying
that Mr.. Armour reported that
the Argentine government would
not deport the Communist leader
to Spain but would hold him in
his own country. I thanked the
President for his generous in
tervention. That closed my only
written correspondence with Mr..
Roosevelt.
During 1943, American-Soviet
relations were severely strained
by the delay in opening the
second front through France.
made several public speeches
giving an American interpreta-
tlOn of the Soviet attitude on this