[RESTRICTED]
Originator: FBI
From: [RESTRICTED]
Document date: 05/07/1970
Document type: Paper

## Page 1

Heleased under the John F.

ennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of

992(44 USC 2107 Note].

Case#:Ny 64954 Date:

11-14-2022

Date :

Page :

08/25/98

1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY

: INSCOM/CSF

RECORD NUMBER : 194-10002-10212

RECORDS SERIES : DOD-AFFILIATED PERSONNEL AND INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : PAGES 1483-1499

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM

: [ RESTRICTED ]

TO :

TITLE

: [ RESTRICTED ]

DATE

05/07/70

PAGES

17

SUBJECTS

SCHEER, ROBERT

BLACK PANTHER PARTY.

SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE

PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY

"RAMPARTS" MAGAZINE

STUDENT MOBILIZATION COMMITTEE

TO END THE WAR IN

VIETNAM

SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY

YOUNG SOCIALIST ALLIANCE

REPORT

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : SECRET

• RESTRICTIONS : 3, 4

CURRENT STATUS

RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 11/02/97

OPENING CRITERIA : COMPLETION OF REVIEW BY FBI

COMMENTS : COORDINATION WITH FBI HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND

DETERMINED TO BE RELEASABLE WITH

RESTRICTIONS,

PER LTR

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UNI

SECRET

D STATES DEPARTMENT OF J!

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

TICEL

Copy to:

Report of:

Date:

Field Office File #:

Title:

1 - SECRET SERVICE, SAN FRANCISCO (CLASS 3) (RM)

DARWIN B. GREEN

5/7/70

100-46832

ROBERT SCHEER

Office: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Bureau File #:

105-106720

Character:

SECURITY MATTER - MISCELLANEOUS

Synopsis:

ROBERT SCHEER is self employed as a free-lance writer or

author for various national magazines.

• SCHEER's residence

is 3016 Bateman Street, Berkeley, California. He has been

traveling extensively in the United States and abroad giving

anti-war speeches and supporting the New Left and the Black

He is known to have been in Paris, France,

in January, 1970. On 2/22/70, SCHEER was in Eugene, Oregon,

where he spoke at a rock festival.

In the February, 1970,

issue of "Ramparts" Magazine, SCHEER was billed to travel with

the San Francisco Mime Troupe throughout the Southwestern

United States during March and April, 1970.

SCHEER addressed

students at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, on

4/15/70, and appeared with the San Francisco Mime Troupe.

He spoke at the Third Annual Art Festival, University of

Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, on 4/17/70. SCHEER appeared at

his residence in Berkeley, California, on 4/23/70, where he

was interviewed by Buagents on another matter.

SCHEER was

endorsed to run for U.S. Senator by the Peace and Freedom

Party at their convention held 2/21/70, and

2/22/70. "He filed

for this office by mail on 3/20/70.

SECRE™

REVIEWEO BY FBUJFK TASK FORCE

ON

in property of the FRI ani lo loaned 10

AULCAGE IN PART

TOTAL DENIAL

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FB!. It is

your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed

outside your agency.

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SECRET

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DETAILS:

I. BACKGROUND

A.

Residence

ROBERT SCHEER is currently residing at 3016 Bateman

Street, Berkeley, California.

Person who will always know

his whereabouts is his ex-wife, ANNE WEILLS, 3073 Bateman

Street, Berkeley, California.

SF T-1

April 23, 1970

SCHEER has an unlisted telephone number at his

residence, 845-6961.

SE T-11

April 24, 1970

B.

Employment

SCHEER is a self-employed free-lance writer or

author and editor for various national magazines, including

a national magazine described by WARREN

HINCLE, former president of "Ramparts Magazine," as a "New

Muckraking Monthly" with the San Francisco office known as

Scanlons Liberty House, located at 451 Pacific, telephone

number 392-1101.

SF T-1

April 23, 1970

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"RAMPARTS" MAGAZINE

"Pamparts" in a letter to subscribers dated

May 1, 1968, announced that beginning June 1,

1968, it would be published biweekly at a

yearly subscription price of $15.

In this

letter "Ramparts" described itself as follows:

...the first national publication to consis-

tently reveal the ribbon of lies supporting

America's involvement in Vietnam; we stripped

the curtain from America's

'invisible government'

by exposing CIA's unlicensed intrusion into our

domestic lives; we dared to write about the

applications of the Catholic Church's political

power; we warned, vears before the Kerner

report, that white racism was the base of

America's racial problems;we blasted away at

the corroded institutions

of Cold War liberalism.

" 'Ramparts' is now the largest left-of-center

commercial magazine in the history of the United

States.:

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C.

Finances

The "San Francisco Examiner," a daily paper, San

Francisco, California, in its January 22, 1970, issue, placed

an article stating:

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"A suit for $150,000 damages was filed against

Bast Bay authorities today by Robert Scheer, editor

and writer for Ramparts Magazine.

"The action in federal court named Sheriff Frank

Madigan, the County of Alameda, and the City of

Berkeley as defendants.

"It grew out of Scheer's arrest--among 391

others--during the People's Park demonstrations in

Berkeley last May 22, an arrest which he claimed

violated his rights under the Ist, 4th, 5th, 6th,

8th, and 14th Amendments.

"Scheer, saying he was present as a member

of the working press, charged that he was held at

the Santa Rita prison farm, denied the right to

counsel or access to bail,

and physically

mentally harassed, assaulted and punished.

"Subsequently, all the charges on which he

was arrested were dismissed by the Berkeley-Albany

municipal court, he added."

• The results of this suit are unknown at this time.

A confidential source advised a check in the amount

of $2,500 on the closed account of ROBERT SCHEER, Bank of

america, South Berkeley Branch, Berkeley, Califorthis check, account

cashed in Beirute, Lebanon, on January 25, 1970.

number 5544-2336, was closed on September 22, 1967.

The

invalid check has been returned to the Chemical Bank of

New York, Collection Department, Post Office Box 5006, New

York, New York.

Above source also advised this was the

second such check cashed in the past year of so, both for the

same amount, and both cashed in Beirute, Lebanon.

SF T-3

March 13, 1970

The only known open bank account for ROBERT SCHEER

is an account at the Bank of America, Fisherman's Wharf Branch,

330 Bay Street, San Francisco, California. However, this

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account has been inactive for several months and has a current

balance of $124.01.

SF T-4

January 10, 1970

SF T-5

April 30, 1970

II. MISCELLANEOUS

A. Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (SMC)

The SMC

sponsored an address by ROBERT SCHEER at Arizona

State University on April 15, 1970. Approximately 500 students

were in attendance, as reported under the section of this re-

port entitled "Speeches."

SF T-6

April 15, 1970

A characterization of

SMC is contained in

the Appendix of this

report.

B.

Speeches

A confidential source abroad advised ROBERT SCHEER

addressed the English Speaking Group of the Movement for

Disarmament, Peace and Liberty

, (MDPL) of Paris on January

23, 1970.

Source also advised SCHEER was at that time

residing in Paris. (S

SF T-7

January 27, 1970

On February 22, 1970, a "rock

Festival," billed as

a "benefit for the Chicago Conspiracy 8" was held in MacArthur

Court (gymnasium) on the campus of the University of Oregon

(VO), Lugene, Oregon, from 5

p.m., to 11 p.m. The function

was produced

by "Praxis," a "lefty media corporation," and

was organized by RONNIE DAVIS, who is affiliated with the

"Praxis" organization.

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One of the speakers was ROBERT SCHEER, former

editor of "Ramparts" Magazine.

SCHEER spoke in opposition

to the conspiracy law under which the "Chicago 7" were tried,

and at one point stated that he had crossed state lines twice

Ine starea tha

with the intent to incite riots in the sense that some of the

members of the "Conspiracy 7" had done so.

At the peak of the evening, the size of the crowd

in attendance of this festival was estimated to be 1,200 by

the "Oregon Daily Emerald," student newspaper, UO, although

other sources estimated the crowd to be not more than 600

not more

at any time during the evening.

SF T-8

February 22, 1970

ROBERT SCHEER delivered a speech in the Great Hall

Auditorium of the Law School at Arizona State University (ASU),

Tempe, Arizona, on April 15, 1970. SCHEER spoke before an

audience estimated at 500 persons.

The audience appeared to

be composed mostly of students from ASU. He was scheduled

to deliver an anti-war speech, but instead, his remarks were

devoted to local issues on the ASU campus. He was sponsored

by the SMC.

SE T-6

April 15, 1970

The "Arizona Republic," a daily newspaper, Phoenix,

Arizona, printed an article in its April 16 edition stating:

"Robert Scheer, a former editor of Ramparts magazine,

bounced onto the ASU campus yesterday morning with a news

conference in the Memorial Union. He blasted ASU adminis-

trators for allegedly cancelling payment of his speaker's

fee and for disapproving the appearance with him of a 15-

member San Francisco mime troupe.

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The San Francisco Mime Troupe is a radical

theater

„group which performs in satire and

farce,

to expose to laughter a whole

range of myths, fears, and prejudices on

both sides of the color bar.

The San

Francisco Mime Troupe has recently been

active in performing at anti-war demonstra-

tions throughout the nation.

"The subsequent appearance of Scheer and his un-

authorized troupe at a student" Anti-War Day workshop

resulted in obscene chantings by Scheer's group and

by student supporters during the five hours the

group was on campus.

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"Scheer asserted that he and the mime troupe

had been invited by the ASU student government to

take part in the campus workshop and that they

had subsequently been cancelled out by the ASU

administration.

"At the unauthorized appearance of the mime

troupe in the College of Law Great Hall, where

Scheer was permitted to speak, numerous visual and

audible references to sexual organs were made by

the troupe.

In addition, one of the male mime

troupe members, in enacting a protest against

ecological pollution, fondled the breast of a

female member as 300

students watched.

"The troupe's performance used the references

to sex to illustrate their contention that govern-

ment and big business are raping and exploiting

the earth."

The Third Annual Art Festival, University of

Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, was scheduled to run for 12

days, commencing April 15, 1970•

ROBERT SCHEER was

scheduled to be one of the speakers on April 17, 1970, at

8:15 p.m.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe also performed

at the Art Festival on April 17, 1970.

SE T-9

April 17, 1970

C. Extent of Travel

A source abroad advised on January 27, 1970, that

ROBERT SCHEER, active on behalf of the Black Panthers, arrived

in Paris on January 23, 1970, and lodged at the Hotel Michelet-

odeon, 6 Place de l'Odeon, Paris 6. ts

SF T-2

..

January 27, 1970

The Black Panther Party

is characterized in the

Appendix of this report.

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C SECRET

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ROBERT SCHEER appeared

as a speaker at a rock

festival sponsored by the Associated Students, University

of Oregon (ASUO) , Eugene, Oregon, February 22, 1970, as

reported in Speeches Division of this report.

SF T-10

February 19, 1970

In the February, 1970, issue of "Ramparts" Magazine,

ROBERT SCHEER was scheduled to talk in the Southwestern part

of the United States in March and April with the San Francisco

Mime Troupe.

As reported in the Speeches Division of this report,

SCHEER traveled to Tempe, Arizona, and addressed students at

the Arizona State University on April 15, 1970.

SF T-6

April 15, 1970

Also reported in the Speeches Division of this

report, ROBERT SCHEER traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada, and

delivered a speech at the Third Annual Art Festival,

University of Nevada, Las

Vegas, Nevada, April 17, 1970.

SF T-9

April 17, 1970

On April 23, 1970, ROBERT SCHEER was at his residence,

3016 Bateman Street, Berkeley, California.

He was interviewed

by Special Agents of the FBI on a civil rights matter.

SF T-1

April 23, 1970

D. Political Activities

The "People's World" newspaper of San Francisco,

in its February 28, 1970, edition, ran an article stating

ROBERT SCHEER was urged to run for U.S. Senator on the

Peace and

Freedom Party ticket. Filing deadline was March

20, 1970.

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REAPP

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The "People's World" is a West Coast communist

newspaper published weekly in San Francisco.

The "San Francisco Chronicle," San Francisco,

California, dated March 26, 1970,

issued an article entitled,

"Scheer Beats the Deadline

for Filing."

The article went on

to state:

"Robert Scheer beat the last Friday deadline for

filing papers to appear on the June 2 primary ballot,

it was disclosed yesterday. His papers arrived five

minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline at the Alameda

county courthouse by air from Paris.

"Scheer, a former editor of Ramparts magazine,

seeks the Peace

and Freedon party nomination for

United States Senator.

He is in Paris meeting with

representatives of the Viet Cong and the North

Vietnan.

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SECRET

BLACK PANTHER PARTY, aka

Black Panther Party

for

Self Defense

According to its official newspaper, the Black Panther

Party (BPP) was started during December, 1966, in Oakland,

California, to organize black people so they can take control

of the life, politics, and the destiny of the black community.

It was organized by Bobby George Seale, BPP Chairman, and

Huey P. Newton, BPP Minister of Defense..

Newton is presently

serving a sentence of 2 to 15 years on a conviction of manslaughter

in connection with the killing of an Oakland police officer.

further describes itself as the

The official newspaperiblack Community News

"The Black Panther," which

Service,"

states that the BPP advocates the use of guns and guerrilla

actics in its revolutionary program to end oppression of the

black people.

residents of the black community are urged t

arm themselves against the police who are consistently referred

to in the publication as "pigs" who should be killed.

"The Black Panther" issue, of September 7, 1968, contains

an editorial by BPP Minister of Education, George

Mason Murray,

which ends with the following:

"Black men. Black people, colored persons of America,

revolt everywhere!

Arm yourselves.

The only culture

worth

keeping is a revolutionary culture. Change.

Freedom everywhere.

Dynamite! Black Power. Use the gun. Kill the pigs everywhere."

Included in the introduction to an article appearing

in the October 5, 1968, edition of "The Black Panther"

is the

statement, "

...we will

not dissent from American Government.

We will overthrow it."

Issues of "The Black Panther" regularly contain quotations

from the writings of Chairman MAO Tse-tung of the People's

Republic of China and feature MAO's statement that "political

power grows out of the barrel of a

gun."

The national headquarters of the BPP is located at

3106 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, California. Branches have

been established at various locations throughout the United

States:

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C

SOCTALIST MOPKERS PARTY

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

A source

advised on August 1, 1960, the San

Francisco Pranch of the socialist Workers

Party (SNP) was

formed

annroximately in the carly part of 1938, and the

Pakland Branch of the SWP was

formed in the latter mart of

1938.

A second source advised on retober 26, 1959, that

the name of the Oakland Pranch of the SW was changed to the

Dakland - Berkeley Branch of the SWP.

A third

source advised on April 17, 1969, that

the san Francisco Branch and

the Oakland - Berkcley Branch

of the swP follow the nolicies and directives of the National

SiP with which they are affiliated.

The Sup has been designated pursuant

In Executive Order 10450.

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APPENDIX

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SF 100-46832

SECRET

STUDENT MOBILIZATION COMMITTEE,

Also Known As

Stadent Mobilization Committee-to

End the War in Viet Nam;

National Student Mobilization Committee

A source advised on May 16, 1969, that the Student

Mobilization Committee originally grew out of the National

Student Strike for Peace conference held in Chicago, Illinois

on December 28-29, 1966, which resulted in a call for massive

antiwar demonstrations in New York City and San Francisco,

California, on April 15, 1967.

The National Student Strike

for Peace was originally called by the Communist Party®

Divisions arose between elements of the Communist Party and the

Socialist Workers

Party (SWP), culminating in a take over by

the sWelement in the Summer of 1968 and the Communist Party

he Surren oe it and

element withdrawing.

Source further advised the Student

Mobilization Committee locally and nationally is controlled

by the SWP and its youth arm, Young Socialist Alliance (YSA) ,

as evidenced by their participation in Student Mobilization

Committee functions and their leadership role played in the

Student Mobilization Committee.

The SWP has been designated pursuant to Executive

Order 10450.

A report by the Committee on Un-American Activities,

House of Representatives, Ninetiech Congress, First Session,

dated March 31, 1967, entitled "Communist Origin And Manipulation

of Viet Nam Week (April 8-15 1967) " stated that the Student

Mobilization Committee and the April 15, 1967, antiwar

demonstrations were communist dominated

and inspired.

A second source on April 3, 1969, made available

a copy of "The Student Mobilizer"

dated April 5,

1969, which

was self-described as being published by the National Office

of the Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in

Viet Nam, 857 Broadway, Room 307, New YOrk, New York 10003.

In this issue the aims of the Student Mobilization Committee

were set forth as: Bring the GIs home from Viet Nam now; end

Beh the war and ven

campus complicity with the war; and win self-determination

for Viet Nam and Black America.

In this issue of the publication, the Student

Mobilization Committee pledged itself to organize high school

students, college students, future draftees, GIs and all young

people to fight until every last GI is brought home.

A third source on August 5, 1969, advised that the

Student Mobilization Committee currently occupies Room

307 at

857 Broadway, New York, New York.

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1

SECRE

YOUNG SOCIALIST ALLIANCE

(Known in the San Francisco Bay Area

as Bay Area Young Socialist Alliance,

Also Known As Bay Area Committee of

the Young Socialist Alliance,

Bay Area Committee for the Young Socialist)

A source advised on May 16, 1960, that the Bay Area

Young Socialist Alliance (BAYSA) was

formed in February, 1958,

as the Bay Area Conmittee for the Young Socialist (BACYS) • At

a later stage in its development prior to adoption of the name

BAYSA, the organization was known as the Bay Area Committee of

the Young Socialist Alliance (BACYSA) •

The source advised that as a result of a national

convention held April 15-17, 1960, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

the BAYSA became a branch of the national organization to be

known as the Young Socialist Alliance fYSA) and will carry out

in the Northern California area the policies of the YSA.

The source advised April 10, 1969, that the BAlsA

is currently active and is composed of two

locals: The Sar

Francisco YSA and the Berkeley YSA.

The source advised on April 10, 1969, that the

BAYSA, although ostensibly an independent organization, is in

reality controlled by the San Francisco Branch, Socialist Workers

Party (SWP) and the Oakland Branch, SWP.

The SWP has been designated pursuant to Executive

Order 10450.

APPENDIX

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YOUNG SOCIALIST ALLIANCE

A source advised on May 15, 1969, that the Young

Socialist Alliance (YSA) maintains its national headquarters

at 41 Union Square West, New York, New York, and has as its

official publication the

"Young

Socialist."

The YSA is the

youth organization of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and

has been described by the SWP as the main recruiting ground

for the SWP.

The SWP has been designated pursuant to Executive

Order 10450•

SECRET

APPENDIX

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SECRET

TED STATES DEPARTMENT O JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

SF 100-46832

Title

ROBERT SCHEER

Character

Reference

SECURITY MATTER - MISCELLANEOUS

San Francisco report dated

and captioned as above.

All sources (except any listed below) whose identities

are concealed in referenced communication have furnished reliable

information in the past.

1.

Mrs. EVELYN DONALDSON

Operations Manager

Bank of America

330 Bay Street

San Francisco, California

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property

of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside

your agency.

$ 4.39

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