Evening star., 1955-01-29
Motusow Confession He Lied
May Affect Other Red Cases
FBl informant Gave
Testimony in Five
Other Hearings
By |. Edgar Primo

Speculation grew today over
what effect the confession of
Harvey MatusoW would have on
six cases in which he has testi-
fed for the Government.
Matusow, a former Communist
turned FBI informant, yester-
day confessed that he had lied
in Federal court about a man
who subsequently was convicted
Of falsely filing a non-C Commu-
mist AFFIDAVIT under the Taft
Hartley law. Besides the case
in which he admitted he had
testified falsely. there were five
others at which he testified.
.yeMatusow also has been a FREE
quent witness before congress
sional committees investigating
subversive activities.
Yesterday attorneys for Clin-
ton e. Jencks. convicted official
of the left-wing international
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers.
filed an affidavit signed by the
28-year-oId New York writer
in Federal District Court in El
Paso, Tex, as part of motion
for a new trial. In the affidavit
Matusow also admitted he had
lied to congressional committees,
in court and before a grand
jury.
Federal Judge r. e. Thomason
set a hearing on the motion
for a new trial for March z.
The Justice Departments only
comment on the Matusow switch
was Naturally, we are looking
into it,"
Matusow presumably Is liable
for perjury prosecution. A con-
troversial figure for several
years. he has been publicly
branded as a perjurer on several
occasions. He repeatedly is fin
ishing a book in which he con-
fesses to bearing false witness
against many persons, including
Owen baltimore.
MatuSow was a Government
witness in one other jury case
the Smith Act trial of Eliza
beth Gurley Flynn, ct. al. in
New York in 1852, in which IS
second-string Communist lead
ers we're convicted for advocat-
ing overthrow of the Govern
sment by force and violence. He
gave testimony concerning sew
eral of the defendants.
The Supreme Court on jan
uary 10 rejected a Communist
Party petition for a review of
the Flynn case. The party may
now ask the high court for a
reconsideration of its decision or
seek a new trial in the lower
court.
But. as one observer noted,
Matusow was only one of many
Government witnesses and the
courts treat such situations
"realizNpAllnU and weigh the
wealth of evidence"
Recent Case.
This source recalled rthat -the
Circuit Court recently turned
down the Communist Party's re-
quest that the court send back
to the Subversive Activities Com
troll Board for q new hearing
the case in which the Govern.
ment branded the party as'Com-
munist action group under the
Internal Security Act The
party is now asking the Supreme
Court to review the Appeals
Court decision to uphold the
SACB findings.
The Reds based their request
for q new SACB hearing on
charges that Matusow and Paul
Crouch Government witnesses,
were sperjurers." professional
Witnesses and paid inform
Eers.
The Government prosecutors
then invited the court to strike
out every finding based on the
testimony OF Matusow and
Crouch. pointing out that they
were but two Of 23 Government
witnesses In the case.
Matusow testified in three
other eases before the SACB.
The board han mot reached q
decision In asiy oras of them.
Thex involve TIE Attorney Gen-