Originator: FBI
From: LADD
To: HQ
Document date: 08/20/1947
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/13/201

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-90143-10290

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

100-370750-119

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM: LADD

TO:

HQ

TITLE :

DATE: 08/20/1947

'PAGES:

142

SUBJECTS :

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Secret

RESTRICTIONS: 1B; 1C; 4

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 10/09/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

MEMO

Released under the John F.

Kennedy Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC

2107 Note]. Case#:NW 64578

v9.1

NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 1

27

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## Page 2

TANDARD FORM NO.

Office Memb, andum • UNITED SLATES GOVERNMENT

TO

The Director

DATE:

8/20/47

FROM

SUBJECT:

D. M. Ladd

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

Tolson

JOLR

Herbo

penn Tann

Quinn

Tele.

100

Holmes

Candy

Pursuant to your request, there is attached hereto a

memorandum summarizing the pertinent information contained in the

Bureau's files relative to the subject, a leading playwright in

holLywood, california, and for the past several years the leader

of all activities of the Commnists in the intellectual and cultural fields

in the Hollywood area.

OOHN HOWARD LAWSON

this

as a complete a

chick of all refereed one

v

EuP smae

Attachment

AMARY

1/1/815A65j2,

INFORMATION CONTAINED

+6259414

HEREIN IS UNCLASSINIED

DATE - lesle BY9145,

5468540 md 60/22/95 (TR'

altot

+00-320150-119

1-14

01.37

INDEXED

177

EX-37

32

SEP 191947

1803

81 SEP 291947

NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 2

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## Page 3

II. EVIDENCE OF ,LAWSON'S COMUNIST PARTY MEMBERSHIP

SECREF

A: Direct Evidence of Membership

Testifying before the Joint Fact-Finding Comnittee, California

• Legislature, in the fall of 1944, Lawson, under oath, denied that he was

a member of the Communist Party.

However, a highly reliable and delicate

confidential source, whose reliability has been well established, but

whose admissibility in Court may be somewhat doubtful, has definitely

identified Lawson as a member of the Communist Party for the last twelve

years. According:to

this source, Lawson was first a member of Branch K

of the North West Section of the los Angeles County Communist Party until

that branch was reorganized in June, 1943, at which time he was transferred

to Branch A-3 (writers' branch) of the North West Section and held 1943

Communist Party Book #30198.

This very reliable source also stated that Lawson enrolled in

the Communist Political Association and was assigned 1944 CPA Card 41850,

and on December 10, 1944, according to the source, was again registered

for the CPA and vas issued 1945 CPA Card 47275. In the Communist Political

Association, Lawson reportedly was assigned to the special group which

was also known as Group #9 and was a member of the commission which was

the governing body of the Communist movement in the motion picture industry.

which replaced the North West Section's Executive Committee. Lawson,

according to the source, served on the commission for three years.

It was further stated by this source that when the Communist

Party, USA, was reorganized to replace the Communist. Political Association,,

Lawson was assigned to the Davis Club and was issued 1946 Communist Party

Book #35392.

• This source made available Lawson's 1946 registration card

which reflects that he was 50 years of age, a writer in the motion picture

industry, of American-Jewish descent, and that he had been in the Communist

Party for twelve years.

This source has also identified lawson's wife,

Sue lawson, as a member of the Communist Party and is in a position to

document the branches to which she has belonged.

William Hynes (IA-3), a discontinued paid confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office, has identified Lawson as a member of the Communist.

Party in 1941 and has stated that Lawson is a "CP member, a playwright, and

the leader of the CP fraction among the artists of all varieties in Holly-

wood".

In a sworn statement which Rena Vale gave to the Joint Fact-

Finding Committee, California Legislature, more commonly known as the. Tenney

SECRET

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SECRET

Committee, she identified John Howard Lawson as a member of the Communist

Party:

She stated that he was active in Communist circles in Hollywood

when she was in the Communist Party and that in fommunist meetings, Lawson

had stated that Communist propaganda must be integrated into. all screen.

plays.

On August 3, 1944, Walter Wanger, a Movie. Producer, stated that

he definitely knew that John Howard Lawson was a Communist. This source

stated that a few days before he had contacted Lawson to see if he was

available to write a screen play to which Lawson replied he was hesitant

to work for Wanger for fear it might cast some reflectión on him.

source quoted Lawson as stating, "I am a Communist".

Joseph Nathaniel Earl, Confidential Informant of the Los Angeles

office, advised that he talked to John Howard Lawson on July 25, 1945, at

which time Lawson stated that if he were called as a witness before the

State Un-American Activities Committee, he believed he would admito them

that he was a member of the communist Political Association. (C

On March 1, 1947, Ben Kadish, a confidential source

of the Los

• Angeles Office, and a former member of the Communist Party, advised that

he recalled John Howard Lawson's attending Communist meetings. This

source was in the Communist Party from September, 1943, through December,

1945, and for a time was in Branch A-3, which was the same branch to

which Lawson belonged.

B.

Attendance at Communist Party Meetings

During the time that Lawson has been in Los Angeles, he has been

identifiéd as having attended numerous meetings at which all of those

identified as being present were known Communists, according to a highly

reliable and delicate confidential source. In those cases where the highly

reliable and delicate confidential source was not, in a position to iden-

tify the particular person as a Communist, the source that can so identify

the person is mentioned.

There are set forth hereinafter several examples

of this character of meetings which Lawson attended.

On February 7, 1943, Agents of the Bureau observed Alexander

Trachtenberg, head of International Publishers and a member of the National

Committee, Conmunist Party, USA, net with John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz

ánd Jane Wallace,

Educational Director of the Los Angeles County Communist

Party, at the Melody Lane Restaurant, Wilshire Boulevard and Detroit Avenue,

at 12:45 p.m.

Trachtenberg is known to be a member of the Communist Party

through official publications of that organization.

1- 4-

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On April 12, 1943, Agents of the Bureau observed John Howard

Lawson; Philip M. Connelley, CIO Official and Carl Winter, Chairman of

the Los Angeles County Communist Party, enter the home of Max Silver,

organizational secretary of the Los Angeles County Communist Party,

5138 Maplewood Avenue, Los Angeles. Elsie Monjar, a member of the Com-

munist Party and a paid confidential Informant of the los Angeles Office, @S U

has identified Connelley, Winter and Silver as being members of the

Los Angeles County Communist Party.

On October 4, 1943, Special Agents of the Bureau observed Max

Silver, Organizational Secretary of the los Angeles County Communist Party,

pick up John Howard Lawson at Sunset and, Cahuenga in Los Angeles, and

proceed to the home of David Grant, 827 Last 21st. Street. Carl Winter,

head of the Communist Party in Los Angeles, was observed in attendance at

his. meeting.

a someting To condicated a one mantee Monter ve to rant is a Lu

known Communist, by virtue of information furnished by former confidential

paid informant Al. Katz, a former member of the Communist Party.

on March 14, 1944, Special Agents of the Bureau observed Lawson,

accompanied bỳ Max Silver, then Administrative Secretary of the CP, enter

the home of David Grant, 827 East 21st Street, Los Angeles, California.

These Agents also noted that Carl Winter, Executive Secretary of the Party:

Jane Wallace, County Educational Director of the Party; Fettis Perry,.

County Chairman and Helen Allison, County Membership Director of the Party,

were also in attendance. Silver,

Grant and Winter have previously

been identified as known Communists.

Wallace; Perry and Allison have

been identified as being members of the Communist Party by former

confidential informant Al Katz, a former member of the Communist Party.

Special Agents of the Bureau on May 2, 1944, observed John

Howard Lawson, Elizabeth Leach and Marjorie Fiske, Organizer and Executive

Secretary respectively, enter the home of Sam Moore, 314 South Murfield

Road, to attend a reception given for James Ford, Negro, of the National

Committee of the Communist Party, U.S.A.

Pettis Perry,

Negro, Chairman of

the Los Angeles County Communist Party was also observed in attendance at

this reception.

Leach, Fiske and Perry have been identified as being

functionaries of the Communist Party by former confidential informant Al

Katz. Literature publicly disseminated by the Communist Party has identified

James Ford with that organization.

On September 24, 1944, Agents of the Bureau observed Lawson

enter the home of Carl Winter and also observed Elizabeth Leach and Jane

Wallace, both of whom are Communist functionaries, in attendance at this

surprise birthday party for Carl Winter.

Testifying before the California

Un-American Activities Committee, Lawson admitted attending this affair

given in honor of Carl Winter, who was then the head of the Los Angeles

County Communist Party. Winter, Leach and Wallace have previously been

identified as functionaries of the Communist farty.

SEERF

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On January 8, 1945, a Special Agent of the Bureau observed

was thet each Che met it any in designed enter meer nat

the home of John Howard Lawson, 4245 Coldwater Canyon, Los Angeles.

On April 11, 1945, Special Agents of the Bureau observed Carl

Winter; William Schneiderman, California State Communist Political

Association President; John Howard Lawson; Mirian. Brooks, Communist Party

functionary; Jane Wallace, Connunist Party functionary; Pettis Perry,

Communist Party functionary; and Wyndham Mortimer in attendance at a

County Board meeting of the Communist Party which was held at the home

of County Labor Chairman, F. Kadish, 938 South Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles.

Brooks, Mortimer ard Kadish have been identified as Communist Party

functionaries by former confidential informant Al Katz.

on May 30, 1945;

Special Agents of the Bureau conducted a surveillance at the home of

John Howard Lawson, 4245 Coldwater Canyon, and observed Elizabeth Leach,

Communist Party functionary, Ned Sparks, head of the Communist Party in

Los Angeles and Max Silver, formerly the Administrative Secretary of the

informant of the Los

Party in Los Angeles, enter lawson's home identified Ned Sparks as a Come

Angeles Office, has

munist functionary.

On March 30, 1946, Samuel Davenport Russell, an active paid

of the Los Angeles County Communist Party was to be held at the home of

Hannah. Schwartz, 2076 Paramount Avenue in Los Angeles on the evening of •

the same date.

Special

Agents of the Bureau conducted a surveillance at

this address and observed John Howard Lawson in attendance at this meeting.

On September 9, 1946, Special Agents of the Bureau identified

John Howard Lawson, Max Weiss, National Eduçational Director of the Communist

Party, Frank Carlson, State Educational Director of the Communist Party,

Stape, Communist Party functionary and Charles Glean, Communist Party

functionary as having entered the home of Abe Polonsky at 8071 Selma,

Los Angeles, on this date.

SECRET

6

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III. OTHER EVIDENCE OF LAWSON'S COMMUNIST AFFILIATION

In July, 1941, a memorandum was furnished to the Chicago Field.

Office by Colonel Walter L. Furbershaw, a representative of the Carnegie

Illinois Steel Company, which cited meetings of the National Committee

Plenary Sessions öf the Communist Party on June 28 and 29, 1941, in New

York City.. It was stated in the memorandum that those definitely known to

have been present were William Z. Foster; James W. Ford; Alexander Bittel-

man and numerous other high ranking Communist leaders.

The memo further

related that John Howard Lawson attended these national meetings as a dele-

gate from California and there is a notation to the effect that Lawson had

been in New York for the previous few months in connection with theater work.

• In October, 1941, Howard Emmett Rogers, c/o Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

Studios, Culver City, California, a temporary confidential national defense

informant of the Los Angeles Office, advised that John Howard Lawson

of the leading Communists in the United States. He stated that on an occasion•

approximately four years previous, when he was

at the Clover, Club in Holly-

wood, he met Lawson and drank with him during the evening.

He said on this

occasion Lawson talked of the purge that took place in Russia and the mass

slaughter of the Kulacks.

The source advised that Lawson stated to him that

he hoped the revolution would come here without bloodshed, but that it would

come "even with bloodshed if necessary". The same source stated that two

years following this

incident, he attended a debate at the Roosevelt Hotel

in Hollywood where Lawson stated publicly that everything should be done to

avoid bloodshed and that under no circumstances should this country get into

Rogers related that he got on his feet at this meeting and recalled

to Lawson his conversation concerning the, revolution referred to heretofor

and asked Lawson how he could justify such an inconsistercy. Lawson, accord-

ing to the informant, turned to the audience and stated that this was a

typical example of Hollywood red-baiting and refused to answer the question

put to him.

On November 15, 1941, former confidential informant Harry J.

Pfalsgraff of the Chicago Office, advised the Communist Party was in the

process of realigning its Districts throughout the country as well as

reorganizing its structúral set-up. He said that District #13 was to

include all of the States of California and of Nevada.

According to the

source it was to have centralized offices at 121 Haight Street, San Francisco,

and another at Los Angeles.

The San Francisco Office was to be headed by

Steve Nelson. Further, Betty Gannett is the Organizational Secretary of

District #13 and John Howard Lawson and Herbert Biberman will control the

organizational work in the Hollywood Area, according to the informant.

In December, 1941, Mr. Verne Tompkins, 71 Eggert Avenue, Metuchen,

New versey, publisher

of the Daily farmers' Ligest, stated that Kathryn Burke,

Shier Director of Courier operations, was the contact for the communist

Party in Mexico City and that she reported directly to Gale Sondergaard,

-7 -

, NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 7

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"July 22, 1943

SEGREZ

"Northwest Section

Communist Party

Los Angeles, California

Att:

Jack (John Howard Lawson)

- NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 8

"Dear Comrade:

"On behalf of our County Committee, and I am sure of our whole

membership, I wish to express enthusiastic appreciation of the '

contribution to, the success of the July 18th Foster meeting by

the cultural workers who made possible the dramatic presentation

that evening:

"Te wish, through the Section Committee, to convey these senti-

ments to all who participated, expecially to the authors.

rades Maurice (Clark) and Adrian (Scott), and to Comrades Herbert

(Biberman) and Elliot (Sullivan, also known as Eli Solomon)

whose creative effort and tireless work helped so much to put

across the message of the entire rally - to hold the home front

and strengthen national unity for victory.

"Comradely yours,

Carl Winter, Secretary

Los Angeles County Committee

Communist Party"

In a report of the Military. Intelligence Division dated February. 24,

1944,

a. list of delegated to the enlarged National Committee sessions of the

Communist Party held at the Stuyvesant Casino, 9th Street and 2nd Avenue,

New York City, appeared, as shown in the official minutes, the name of John

Howard Lavison, playwright appeared in this list.

tinued to pay the salary of Marjorie J. Potts, a full-time paid functionary

Organizational Secretary and Membership Director thereof. Lawson paid her,

äccording to the source, $32.50 per week.

It is noted that Marjorie Potts

admitted to Al katz, a former confidential informant of the Los Angeles

office, that Lawson paid her salary as if

she were his secretary although

she did nothing but Communist Party work.

(eXU

Ón July 25, 1945, Joseph Nathaniel Earl, former confidential in-

formant of the Los Angeles Office, advised. that John Howard Lawson told him

*Technical Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Lawson.

- 9'

SECRET

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SECRET

on March 26, 1946, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office pointed out that the Rankin Committee had announced

it would discontinue its investigation of Communism in the motion picture.

industry and that he had learned that as a result of this, Lawson was again'

planning to assume active leadership of the Communist movement in the motion

picture industry. This informant stated that he felt Lawson had been "laying

low' during the time Rankin's investigators had been in Hollywood, but that

in discussing Lawson with members of the Communist Party, he had ascertained

that Lawson was scheduled to reappear as leader of the Communist movement in

the industry.

On July 24, 1946, " R. Wilkerson, Editor of the Hollywood Reporter,

bitterly criticized Lawson as a' member of the Communist Party and stated that

John Leech, former Secretary of the Communist Party for Los Angeles County,

testified before the Los Angeles County Grand Jury that Lawson was

sent to

Hollywood to organize and lead the Communist movement in the motión picture

industry by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of' New York.

-FRE

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-

IV. GENERAL COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES

Hugo Speier, a confidential informant of the Denver Field Office,

advised that John Howard Lawson in 1941 was appointed co-leader with Herbert'

Biberman of the Communists in the intellectual.

and motion picture industry:

in the Hollywood area.

The November 9, 1943, issue of "New Masses" contained a full page

article announcing that John Howard Lawson had been made a member, of the

Board of Contributing Editors of New Masses.

This article quotes lawson

as saying the following with regard to this publication:

"I, read New Masses for two reasons:

first,

because it is a

valuable source of information; second, because it is equally

valuable for its editorial comment and

analysis.

Almost every

issue offers vital factual material which cannot be found, else-

where.

loday, as never before,

the American people want facts--

because they realize that the knowledge of facts is indispens-

able for winning

the war.

They are heartily sick of the corrup-

tion and distortion in much of the commercial press., New Masses

gives us facts, and it interprets facts in terms of a consistent

philosophy of democratic action and purpose.

I hope the magazine

can reach a much wider circle of readers because I am convinced

that a bigger circulation for this periodical will help us win

the war."

On January 13, 1944, an article appeared in the "Daily Worker" beneath

the photograph of John Howard Lawson in which he is quoted as stating:

"Greetings to the Daily Worker on your 20th Anniversary. As

I look back over the years,' it seems to me that the Daily

Worker has been consistently invalute as a source There rate

news and a journal of progressive informed opinion.

no other American newspaper which has done such a fine job in

effective news coverage and editorial service to the American

people and

the American nation.

"I hope the Daily Worker's circulation and influence will in-

crease tremendously. If it increases in proportion to its merit,

it will reach millions of people"

A highly confidential source (technical surveillance. or Carl

Winter, Executive Secretary of the Communist Political Association, Los

Angeles County) advised that on July 22, 1944, Robert W. Kenny, former

Attorney General. of the State of California and then Chairman of the Cal-:

ifornia delegation to the National Democratic Convention in Chicago,.com-

municated with Ellenore Abowitz, Assistant State Cio Legislative Director

and a known Communist Party member in the los Anseles área, Kenny, who (@) U)

-GRET

-

12

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was in Chicago at this time, advised Abowitz that he would arrive in

Los Angeles by plane the following day and requested that she arrange

a conference for him with about five of the "right people". Abowitz,

according to the source, inmediately conferred with Carl Winter,

Executive Secretary of the Communist Political Association of Los Angeles

County, concerning this matter.

Subsequently a surveillance by Agents

Los Angeles Office reflected that this meeting was actually held

on sunday, July 23, 1944, at the home of Ellenore Abowitz with six

people in

attendance.

These persons included, in addition to R. W. Kenny,

carl Winter, previously identifled; Paul cline, ex-secretary of the

Communist Party in Los Angeles County; Joseph Aidlin, member of the

State Central Cornittee of the Democratic Party in Los Angeles, and

John Howard Lawson. (4)(U)

It was also reported.by this highly reliable sourced that in

June, 1945, Doretta Tarnon, field representative of the New Masses, known

Communist publication, and Joe Foster, film critic for the New Masses, came

to Los Angeles from New York City to organize New Masses Benefit Rallies.

It was stated that both of these individuals held conferences with John

Howard Lawson. According to the source, an invitational benefit for the

New Masses was held at the home of Frank luttle, Movie Director, 6217

Rock Cliff Drive, Hollywood, on June 9, 1945, it being pointed out by

Manuel Seff, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, that the

meeting was by invitation only; that over $3,000 was raised at the meeting

and that John Howard Lawson was one of those he recognized in attendance.

In August, 1945, a highly reliable confidential sourcer reported

that Lawson has been working on a book of American history for the past

couple of years.

The source stated that the book was in its final stages

and had been typed. into script and had been criticized by various people

including leaders of the Communist Political Association in Los Angeles,

among them, Carl Winter, head. of the Los Angeles OPA. The source also

said that inquiries concerning it had also been made by Alex Trachtenberg,

former National Educational Director of the Communist Party, and currently

a member of the National Committee of the Communist Party.

The source in-,

dicated that since the change in the CP Line as a result of the Duclos

article, Lawson has indicated that he was going to take six months off

from his studio to revise the book. He also told the informant that the

evaion of the books serpent Clu)

change in the Communist Party Line necessitated practically a complete

if cmical Surveillance on the residence of John Hoard Kanson. I (Ul

-13-

SEGRET

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future expulsion at this time on controversial issues; this is

factional, rather than my response to published and broadcast

material. However I am also convinced that this was merely a

loose way of talking to impress me with your seriousness, of

which I was already impressed.

"Adding my personal regards, and the hope that not long from

now we shall all be members of a functioning, militant, Marxist-

Leninist vanguard party devoted to the interests of our nation,

the peace of the world, and the liberation of mankind.

"Yours sincerely."

Subsequently, a highly confidential source (technical surveillance.

on residence of Bruce Minton) advised that Minton was very. bitter against

Lawson and had made it known that he was "out to get Lawson". This source

indicated that Minton was of the opinion that the CPA in Hollywood was a

closed corporation and that he had referred to Lawson as the "rabbi" of

this group who ran it as a "tin god and in a dictatorial fashion". Similar

repercussions regarding Lawson were reported by Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a

confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office.

Wolf advised that on

August 1, 1945

he had occasion to talk with a friend who was a member of

one of the cultural groups over which Lawson presided.

He said that this

person stated that the rank and file of the cultural groups were not

satisfied with the revisionistic policies which Lawson and Elizabeth Glenn

had followed during the previous year under the CPA set-up, and were

desi rous of getting rid of Lawson and Glenn as leaders. Wolf further

revéaled that his informant definitely stated that Lawson was the leader

of the Communists in the cultural field and that he obtained the impression

that Elizabeth Glenn was Lawson's underling in an organizational capacity.

Wolf, a former member of the CPA, stated his informant was very bitter

against Lawson and Glenn, not from a personal standpoint but from a Marxist

standpoint inasmuch as Wolf's informant thought that Lawson and Glenn had

misled the rank and file CPA members by their leadership and adherence to

the theory of revisionism. A practical example of what might have indicated

a tendency toward change of Communist leadership in the motion picture industry

was reported by a highly confidential source* who reported on July 19, 1945,

that Lawson had just returned from San Francisco and admittedly had not been

included in ary inter-Party discussions of the motion picture strike, it

being noted that the Communists, prior to the strike, had adhered to a

position of not aiding the strike and had urged its workers to keep the no-

strike policy of their unions.

It is to be observed that in 1946 Richard

¿ransten and its wiie, ith do any, were expalled iran the commist Party Jel

[eni cal SurveilLance on the residence of Join lovard lansor Ul

SEBRET

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VIII.

ORGANTZATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Ao

HOLLYWOOD DEVOCRATIC COMMITTEE, later known as the HOLLYWOOD

INDEPENDENT CITIZENS COMMITTEE OF THE ARTS, SCIENCES AND

PROFESSIONS (HICCASP), succeeded by the PROGRESSIVE CITIZENS

OF AMERICA

Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the los Angeles

office, advised that the Hollywood Democratic Committee was launched in

January, 1943, by persons engagea in the motion picture industry, to obtain

national, state and local legislation essential to victory; to clarily

political issues and support candidates best fitted to serve the nation in

wartime and to cooperate with other organizations "whose aims are similar

to our own"; housing for defense workers, protection of labor's rights,

child care, humane treatment of juvenile delinquents and the end of negro

discrimination.

The same source stated on February 15, 1944, that the aims

and purposes and program of the Hollywood Democratic.Committee had changed

very materially. He indicated that its purposes had formerly been exclusively

political, but that now through speeches, public advertisements and sham

Americanism, it was attempting to enlist the support of non-suspecting

citizens, under the guidance of the Committee, to exploit names of important

individuals in the furtherance of the Commnist Party line.

This informant

further stated that the program of the Hollywood Democratic Committee was

not only parallel with that of the Communist Party Line but that the organ-

ization was dominated and inspired by persons of a Communist character.

It is observed that in June, 1945, the Hollywood Democratic

Committee became a section of the Independent Citizens Committee of the

Arts, Sciences and Professions and that in 1946, it became known as the

Progressive Citizens of America. It should also be noted that this organ-

ization was not connected with the Democratic Party.

The following information with respect to the activities of

John Howard Lawson relative to the Hollywood Democratic Committee is set

forth to illustrate the direction and control exerted over this organiza-

tion by Lawson. The most pertinent information in this regard was re-

ported to the Bureau by a highly confidentiäl and reliable sources.

On March 4, 1943, it was ascertained by a confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office,

Harvey Gilbert Wolf, that the Hollywood Democratic

Cormittee was in its formative stages and a meeting of the group was scheduled

at the Hollymood Roosevelt Hotel for that evening. This informant attended (AUl

Precind cal Surveillance on residenide of John Hoard Larson. J@(ul

- 29 -

SEGRET

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the meeting and a written report stated "before the meeting began; the

following known Communists circulated among those present.

They were

acknowledged by the audience generally which for the most part,

gathered

around them, chatted and passed remarks which would indicate that they

were well-known and

in a sense looked up to." - Among those named by the

informant as being in this category were: John Howard Lawson and Herbert

Biberman, together with other Hollywood Communists. The purpose of the

meeting reportedly was to elect officers for the ensuing year and to adopt

• a constitution.

According to the source, the Hollywood Democratic Com-

mittee "will undoubtedly develop into a powerful Communist Party pressure

group in the near future. Using the war effort and he influence of power-

ful figures in the motion picture industry, this organization will have a

tremendous influence in putting over the Cormunist Party Line in California."

Further,

the source continued; the Hollywood Democratic Committee is definitely

a Communist "front" organization, and he asserted that John Howard Lawson

was among those proposed at this meeting to be considered for the Executive

Board:

Lawson, according to the source, also was one of the eight persons

who donated $25 at the collection auring

the evening

1(U)

On February 10, 1944, the same sourcé was present at a conference

between John Howard Lawson and

Revels Cayton, Negro Vice President of the

California State CIO.

According to the source, Cayton wanted Lawson to

get Walter Wanger, Motion Picture Producer, to approach Helen Gahagan, wife

of Melvyn Douglas, screen actor, to run for Congress in the 15th C. D.

Lawson said he could not approach Wanger on it but that. George Pepper this

through the Hollywood Democratic Committee, could make the contact.

was only one of many conferences held concerning possible Congressional and

State Legislature candidates, and on numerous occasions Lawson's direction

and advice was sought by Hollywood Communists relative to possible candidates.

In 1944, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a contidential informant of the

Los Angeles Office, advised that the entire organizational strength of the

Communist Party was being thrown into the local and national election cam-

paigns and that the Hollywood Communists, Party line followers and sympathizers

were engaged in this type of activity. He submitted the following report

with

respect to

the Hollywood Democratic Committee:

"The Hollywood Democratic Committee, which has no official con-

nection with the Democratic Party, but is the Communist front

organization which attempts to speak for the industry politically

and also for the Hollywood section generally, is raising the sum

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Hollywood Reporter for June I1, 1945, contained a full page advertise-

ment listing the Executive Council of this new Committee, it being noted

that Jon Howard Larson was named as a member of the Council. (YU)

In August, 1945, a highly reliable informants advised that

Lawson was continuing his leadership in the Hollywood Independent Citizens

Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions.

It was stated that

George Pepper, Executive Secretary of the organization, continually obtained

direction and, counsel from Lawson concerning the strategy and policy of the

group.. The source further remarked that Lawson had been very active at this

time in building up the late General Evans F. Carlson, USMC, as a possible

candidate for U.S. Senator on the Democratic Ticket to fill the seat vacated.

by the late Senator Hiram Johnson.

On August 11, 1945, the same reliable source advised that there

was some interest in having a State-wide meeting to announce Carlson's

candidacy or at least to discuss it with the Democratic politicians from

all over California. However, Lawson, according to the source, said that

Philip Connelly, forner President of the California State Industrial Union

Council, CID, and a known Comnuni st according to Elsie Monjar, a confidential

informant of

the Los Angeles Office,

was of the opinion that it was not time

yet as Ed Pauley, National Treasurer of the Democratic Party and other

forces would try to maneuver to get control of this meeting. On August 11,

1945, the same highly reliable source advised that Lawson was to handle a

reception for Carlson to be given by Edward G. Robinson. It was indicated

that the Warner Brothers, Motion Picture magnets and other "big wigs" were

to be in attendance at this reception. It was also indicated by this source

at the time that Orson Welles discussed with Lawson the chances of Carlson's

winning the election. It was said that Welles promised Lawson all he could

would be defeated. liday, although of the personal opinion t he carlsor

On August 8, 1945, the highly reliable sourced reported that the

New York City organization of the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts,

Sciences and Professions had continually sought a closer knit organization

throughout the United States with a constitution, by-laws, in addition to

representatives from various cities where branches were located. Lawson,

according to the source, subtly fought a close knit organization and desired

instead only the use of. the Independent Citizens Comnittee's name, being

of the opinion that the Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee should

otherwise remain autonomous. In a conference with Pete Lyons, an employee

of the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions

of New York City, according to the source, Lawson stated that a close knit

(8)4

Frechnical Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Jason. AS

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organization was premature and could not be done without discussion which

discussion should be held at some time after the war. Lyon said the New

Jork Office needed more money and Lawson reiterated the Hollywood Committee

was very poor and did not desire to make any further comnittments at the

time. Lyon was anxious that the HICCASP send someone to Washington or New

York to give Congressional leaders some tangible evidence of union between

the National organization and the Hollywood Committee

The source indicated

that Lawson agreed that this might be a good thing.

On December 4, 1945, according to a highly reliable source*

the HICCASP held a rally, the theme of which was "Atomic Power and Foreign

Policy". The official announcements described this affair as an attempt to

make a realistic approach to the tremendous potentialities of atomic weapons

and atomic energy.

This rally called for international use and inter-

national control of atomic energy, and in this connection, the reliable

intormant pointed out that Lawson, through leorge fepper, Executive Secretary -

of the HICCASP, carefully guided the program.

It is interesting to doserve

that Ned Sparks, President of the Los Angeles County Communist Party, accord-

ing to the informant, contacted Lawson regarding this program and stated

that he felt more emphasis should be put upon American intervention in China

inasmich as that was the main part of the Communist line.. Lawson reportedly

agreed to this and stated that he would contact George Pepper to see that

American intervention in China was given appropriate attention at this rally.

A highly confidential sources reported in September, 1946, that Lawson

continued to be active in the affairs of the HICCASP and according to this

source, he frequently conferred with its Executive Secretary, Alice Hunter;

In fact, this source stated that on July 31, 1946, Hunter contacted Lawson

and asked him if it was all right if the HICCASP issued a statement that they

were not under the influence of the Communist Party.

According to the

informant, Lawson stated it would be all right if it were done "carefully

and correctly.

This informant further indicated Lawson attends most of

the meetings of the Executive Council of the HICCASP and through close

liaison with Hunter, continued to exert an influential mle in the policy

of this organization.

It is noted that shortly thereafter the HICCASP merged

with the Progressive Citizens of America, described as a Comminist-dominated

group by Harvey G. Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office.

According to articlesapearing in Los Angeles newspapers the Holly-

wood Arts, Sciences and Professions Council of the

Progressive Citizens of

America held a five-day conference at the Beverley Hills Hotel, commencing

Wednesday evening, July 9, 1947. They announced the purpose of the conference

prechnical Surveillance on the residence of Johan Howard Larson. ] X(4)

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B.

HOLLYWOOD WRITERS NOBILIZATION

The Hollywood Writers Mobilization, according to Harvey Gilbert

Wolf, a confidential informant of the los Angeles Office, was formed very

soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, and was established

by persons who were most active in the League of American Writers. Accord-

ing to information contained in reports of the joint Fact-Finding Committee,

Calitornia Legislature, based on information developed in connection with

interviews conducted of Hollywood writers in October, 194k, the Hollywood

Writers Mobilization was under the control of the Communists and had numerous

contacts to supply the pictures which are being released in the liberated

countries.

Confidential Informant Wolf advised that there was a close connec-

tion existing between the League of American Writers and the Hollywood

Writers Mobilization.

The following data with respect to Lawson's connections with the

ollywood writers Mobilization is set forth to illustrate the direction an

control exerted over this organization by Lawson. Most pertinent informa-

tion developed relative to Lawson's control

highly reliable and confidential sourced. for this group was obtained by a :

(ul

In March, 1945, a highly confidential sources advised that there

recently had been a strong difference of opinion between Robert Riskin,

head of the Overseas Film Bureau; Office of War Information, New York, and

Philip Dunné, head of the Los Angeles OWI Film Bureau, and this difference

of opinion was concerned with scripts which had been submitted by the

Hollywood Writers Mobilization.

This source indicated that Sidney Buchman,

Chairman of the Hollywood Writers Mobilization Editorial Board, discussed

Buchman advised that he had conferrec

with Riskin who informed him that Philip Dunne had gone overboard on the so-

called "contrived" films (films based on fiction or so-called dramatic in-

cidents). Dunne had apparently instructed the Hollywood Writers Mobilization

group that this was the type of film OWI desired to produce.

Following

Dunne's instructions, according to the source, the Hollywood Writers Mobiliza-

tion had gone ahead and done scripts of this type and as a result manyof the

scripts had been under fire by the New York Office of the OWI, where Riskin

was in charge.

It was further pointed out that Riskin was strong for

documentary films since he felt a responsibility to the State Department,

and further that misrepresentations were bound to arise out of dramatic

incidents in the "contrived" films thus making them more "vulnerable".

The

source stated that both Lawson and Buchman agreed that this controversy

between Dunne and Riskin would effect the Hollywood Writers Mobilization,

which they control, since most of the scripts already completed would have

to be redone.

0 (Ш

SECRFT

*Technical Surveillance on th

residence

of John Howard -Lawson.])

NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 17•

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C. LEAGUE OF AMERICAN WRITERS

SECRET

The League of American Writers, according to Havey Gilbert Woli,

a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office,

was originated in

Kharkov, Russia, in November, 1930, and in the United States in 1935.

This informant indicated that the Hollywood Chapter of the League of

American Writers was formed in the fall of 1935, the purpose being to

bring the writers employed in the motion picture industry under the in-

fluence of the League of American Writers and the Communist Party, USA,

it being pointed out that this League was the forenost front organization

operating in the so-called cultural and intellectual fields.

The source stated that the Congress of American Revolutionary

Writers formed the League of American Writers, it being pointed out that

the latter organization was declared subversive by the Attorney General

on May 5, 1942.

Additional information relative to the Communist daracter of

the League of American Writers was set forth heretofore in connection

with the Section entitled "Joint Fact-Finding Committee, California

Legislature".

There is set forth hereinafter Lawson's connection with the League

as well as data demonstrating. the control and direction which he exerted

over this organization.

The most pertinent information in this regard was

obtained from

a highly confidential and reliable source

(X4)

On March 25, 1939, an article appeared in the Peoples World

entitled "Hollywood Writers

ask Entry for German Exile": The article

stated that the recently organized Hollywood Branch of the League of

American Writers was taking the lead in demanding that the State Depart-

ment permit the entry of Frederich Wolff, famous exiled German dramatist

and film script writer.

The wire sent to the State Department was

signed by John Howard Lawson, among others.

In June, 1941, an article appeared in the Daily Worker entitled.

"Writers Open Congress with Peace Rally".

It was stated that some of

America's best known novelists, poets, artists and literary critics raisec

their voice against war and colonial oppression at the rally of the fourti

American Writers' Congress. John Howard Lawson was listed as being one of

the speakers.

On December 28, 1941, Walter Teter, 4524 Cold Water Canyon Avenue

wasth Hollywood, dalifornia, a conficantial informant al the los angeles @)u

[recital survos lance on the residence of j01m Hoard Larson. (A)(4

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D. Connections with Other Organizations

The January, -137, Issue of the "Labor Defender" published monthly

by the International Labor Defense, 80 East 1lth Street, New York City, with

William L. Patterson and Sasha Small as editors, listed John Howard Lawson

as being on the Editorial Board. A highly confidential and delicate source

in 1945 identified

Association.

. Sasha Small as a member of the then Communist Political

In February, 1937, the formation of the American Society for

Technical Aid to Spanish Democracy with temporary quarters at 31 East 27th

Street, New York City, office of the New Masses, was announced by Waldo Frank,

novelist and lecturer.

The officers were listed as John Howard Lawson,

Secretary, and William Browder, Treasurer.

In a letter dated December 3, 1938, issued by the National Com-

Howard Lawson was listed as treasurer of the organization.

Confidential Informant W. H. Leathers, formerly an informant of

the Atlanta Field Division, informed in July, 1941, that the National

Committee for the Defense of Political Prisoners and the International Labor

Defense are both Communist front organizations and are closely associated

and were created by the Party to handle and protect comrades who became

involved with the law and also to seize upon those cases where the Party

can secure publicity. According to the informant, the International Labor

Defense has close contact with the workers and is usually operated by the

middle class of people.

On the back of a pamphlet published in 1940 by the Jewish People's

Committee, 100 Fifth Avenue, New York City, entitled "For United Action in

the struggle Against anti-Semitism and Fascism'

of this organization.

The name of John Howard LannIs indepe

Steinberg, a confidential source of the New York Office has stated that the

Jewish People's Committee is a Commnist-inspired group.

In the Peoples Daily World for June 17, 1941, an article appears

attacking the Federal Bureau of Investigation in

the form of statements of

various members of the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges released by the

Committee headquarters at 1205 Broadway, New York City. Included among

individuals commenting on the conduct of the Bridges hearing and the activities

of the FBI was John Howard Lawson, "playwright and screen writer".

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A confidential source (trash coverage on office of Labor Research

Association, 80 East Ilth Street, New York City) advised that John Howard

Lawson was a sponsor of the Schappes Defense Committee which was founded

In New York City in July, 1941, to raise funds for and help prosecute the

defense of Morris U. Schappes former City College instructor who was

sentenced to

a prison term in the State Penitentiary for perjury arising out

-of a 1941 inquiry into Communism in educational institutions. The express

purpose of the Committee as set forth in one of its pamphlets was "to help

prosecute the legal defense, to acquaint the labor movement, the educational

vorla and the general public with the issues involved in this case, to raise

funds for the defense and to help Schappes support those dependent upon him.!

On December 19, 1941, according to a highly confidential source*

an unknown, person contacted Lawson's wife to tell her of a very "pathetic

telegram" received from Edward Barsky, head of the Joint Anti-Fascist

Refugee Committee, it being noted that Barsky was recently given a jail

sentence for refusing to produce the records of the JAFRC for the House

Un-American Activities Committee. According to the informant, this tole-

gram read as follows:

"TRYING TO GET. FIFTY ANTI-FASCIST PEOPLE ON THE LAST BOAT OUT

. OF LISBON, SEND MONEY AT GREATEST POSSIBLE SACRIFICE."

On January 16, 1943, a highly confidential source (technical.

surveillance on residence of Herbert Biberman) reported that Biberman was

consulted concerning a letter issued by Mr. Kemitz, National Secretary,

National Federation for Constitutional Liberties, advising that this Committee

was starting a campaign against the Dies Committee and wanted the Hollywood

people to do something about it.

Although the informant was unable to

ascertain the name of the man with whom Biberman consulted on this date,

it was determined by another highly confidential source on January 18, 1943,

that conn howard lawson had directed Elizabeth Leach to pick up this letter

from Biberman.

noted that Elizabeth Leach was the Organizer of the

Northwest Section, Los Angeles County. Conmunist. Party at the time. It should

be noted that the

National Federation for Constitutional Liberties was

declared subversive by the Attorney General on July 31, 1941, in that it came

within the purview of the Hatch Act CAM

On March 12, 1943, it was reported by. Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a

confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, that Herbert Biberman,

•Gale Sondergaard, Edward Biberman and his wife Sonja Dahl, Mrs. Eva

Biberman, Anthony Ellis and hellen Ellis, his wife, would all attend the

-Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee rally held at the Philharmonic Auditorium.

It was pointed out that Sonja Biberman was the former Hollywood Chairman.

#Technical Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Larson. ] @4)

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to bear in this regard. During the conversation, according to the

informant, it was pointed out that the Los Angeles Section of the Free

World Association had not as yet revoked Point #1 of its Aims and Pur-

The name of John Howard Lawson appeared as a sponsor on a

circular distrikuted by the American Youth for Democracy, 1567 Broadway,

Detroit,

Michigang dated December 20, 1945.

In November, 1945, according to a highly confidential sources,

Lawson conferred several times with Mildred Raskin, Executive Secretary

of the People's Educational Center, described as the organization created

in the way of printing bills and incidental expenses.

The same source /

indicated that Lawson felt that the organization was not going to be able

to repay this money to him.

During the same period, the same source was

present when Lawson conferred with Waldo Salt, Communist screen writer,

regarding ways and means of raising $5,000 for the benefit of the People's

Educational Center.

Lawson also advised this informant that he was planning

to take a hand in the reorganization of the staff of the People's Educa-

tional Center, commenting that he did

not think that the personnel was

organized in the most effective way.

According to a pamphlet issued by the Ios Angeles Workers School,

John Howard Lawson, together with Albert Waltz and other invited lecturers,

were to be the instructors at the course entitled "The American Democratic

Tradition", an eight week course, tuition $3.

The course was to be given

at the Unitarian Church, 2936 West 8th Street, Los Angeles.

Of all the

courses taught at the Workers School, according to this pamphlet, this was

the only one not being taught at the

Workers School proper, located at 212

West 3rd Street, Los Angeles.

This course, according to the booklet, "will

be a lecture course dealing with decisive periods in the history of our

nation; the democratic conditions throughout the development of our people.

Beginning with the colonial period, the course will trace the growth, problems

and developments of the American tradition during the period of the Civil War

and reconstruction; it will deal also with the agrarian populist movement,

the First World War and the present war for national survival". It is to be

noted that this is not the same course that was given by Lawson at the school

for the League of American Writers entitled "Our Democratic Heritage". The Los

Angeles Workers School, founded in 1939, according to the pamphlet, bases its

studies on the various

teachings "in social science.. Marxism... the theory anc

practice of the working class and the people's movement throughout history".

The entire Board of Directors of the Workers School are Communists, according

to a confidential informant, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, who also indicated that .

this school is the educational plant for the Communists in Los Angeles County.

NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 21

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The above referred to pamphlet also stated that recently,, in a

speech of three hours at the "People's Educational Center", John Howard

Lawson made such statements as:

"American policy is the same as it was at Versailles; to

destroy democracy wherever it appears."

"The Marxist theory is the only sound basis for history

teaching."

"The voice of Byrnes is the voice of one of the most selfish

monopolies in the world today."

The Daily People's World issue of September 19, 1946, carries

an article that the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Negro Congress would

convene on September 22, 1946, for a mass meeting called for the over all

endorsement of the Fair

Employment Practices Act. According to this article,

John Tripp McTernan had been selected to lead a panel discussion on the topic

"Police Brutality".

A similar article was carried in the California Eagle,

Negro newspaper published in Los Angeles by one Charlotta Bass, a prominent

Communist Party line follower, reflecting that this National Negro Congress

would meet at 4016 South Central Avenue on Junday, September 22, 1946,

Speakers

listed at this meeting included John Howard Lawson, motion picture writer;

•Colonel James Roosevelt; Phillip M. Connelly; William Bidner, Executive Secretary

of Mobilization for Democracy, and Albert Dekker, motion picture actor.

of the Los Angeles Office advised that John Howard Lawson was President of

the Lincoln Community book Center and that Waldo salt, a known Communist,

according to a highly delicate and reliable source, is Vice President.

informant also ascertained that the bank account of the Lincoln Community

Book Center will substantiate Lawson's presidency Land another highly con-

fidential source, has described this organization

as the administrative

apparatus for_ the Lincoln Book Shop which is operated by the Communist Party

Informant Schneiders, an employee of the Security First National Bank

of Los Angeles, has advised that Lawson has contributed considerable sums of

money to the following organizations, sometimes in the amount of over $1,000

per month:

Hollywood Democratic Committee,

Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee of Arts, Sciences and

Professions,

People's Educational Center,

erectinical Surveillance on the residence of jon Honard larson. (Ul

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"In the studio labor organization, the comrades had only

mixed success. The painters' union went over to the side of

the revolution. The Screen Writers' Guild joined the Popular

Front, despite brave attempts of the Authors' League of America

to wrest the Hollywood section from the Stalinist grip. In the

furious fight against the 'fascists'--meaning anyone who objected

to Communist domination-Donald Ogden Stewart acted as general-

issimo with such fine lieutenants as Dudley Nichols, frances

Hackett, Humphrey Cobb, Dalton Irumbo, Irvin Shaw, Tess Slesinger,

Sam Ornitz, Frank Scully, Oliver H. P. Garrett, Lillian Hellman,

Boris Ingster, John Howard Lawson, Lester Cole, Joel Sayre, and

Madaline Ruthven."

Discontinued Technical Surveillance on the American Youth for

Democracy and Confidential Informant Richard V. Servidio advised that

John Howard Lawson was one of the sponsors of a "second anniversary dinner"

given by the American Youth for Democracy, a known Communist dominated

group, on December 12, 1945, at the Hotel

Roosevelt, New York City. The

purpose of the dinner was "to welcome home discharged veterans, to pay

tribute to the contributions of the young men and women of our armed forces

and to dramatize the post war problems of youth".

In March, 1945, the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties.

205 East 42nd street, New. York City, issued a public statement in support of the

army order making Communists and Communist Party sympathizers eligible for

Army Commissions. It was stated that "the basic consideration is not the

propriety of the man's opinions, but his loyalty to the United States".

statement of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties was endorsed

by numerous people and the name of John Howard Lawson, playwright, Hollywood,

appeared on this list.. It is noted that the National

Federation of Constitu-

tional Liberties was declared subversive by the Attorney General in July,

1941.

According to the January 30, 1946, issue of the Daily Worker, Lawson

was quoted

as saying:

"I want very much to demonstrate withparticular emphasis the role

of the Negro in American life. since our history has been written

by white historians and since no influential ones have been from

the south, the contribution of the Negro people and their leaders

has been completely suppressed".

In this article, Lawson was described as "one of America's outstanding

historians, author of the

authoritative theater and technique of playwriting,!

and a successful screen writer.

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On February 7, 1947, according to a highly confidential source*

Lou Harris, 4215 Troost Avenue, North Hollywood, California, a free lance

writer and producer as well as a known Communist; contacted John Howard

Lawson and told Lawson that he was leaving for ingland at the end of the

month.

the source advised that Lawson and Harris are close friends.u

this same regaraion february 14, 1947,l another highly confidentlal source, 2

microphone surveillance on the Soviet Corsulate los Angeles"| reported

that Lou Harris called at the Russian Vice Consulate in Los angeles and

here met Eugene Pavlovich Tumantsev, Soviet Consuly, Harris and Tumantseve

alked for approximately one hour during which time Harris pointed out that

the writers in the motion picture industry had a very difficult time pre-

senting "progressive ideas" in their stories inasmuch as the producers were

visa to enter Polandf According to the informant, Harris land lumantsev

appeared quite congenial

motion picture industry

and the latter evinced considerable interest in the

*Technical Surveillance on the residence of

_65 -

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XIII. CRIMINAL RECORD

Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles

Office, stated that at a lecture in June, 1942, before a school of the League.

of American Writers, Lawson stated that on the day that Sacco and Vanzetti

were executed in Massachusetts, August 27, 1927, he, Lawson had been.

arrested

In Boston for picketing the State Capitol.

With regard to this self-admitted

arrest of Lawson, the informant stated that lawson became a labor agitator

many years ago and went to

"Birmingham, Alabana, to participate in à strike

in the steel mills in that city in 1934. According to confidential informant.

Harvey Gilbert Wolf, Lawson was arrested on May 17, 1934, on a charge of

criminal libel growing out of an article which was written by Lawson in the

"Daily Worker", New York City Conmunist newspaper, defending a Communist

organizer, Harold Rolston.

It is observed that Lawson's FBI number is

3021790 and that his record in this regard reflects that he was arrested in

Birmingham on May 17, 1934, by the Birmingham Police Department on the charge

of being a Communist. He was released on the same day.

Officer Harless of the Birmingham Police Department related the

following information with regard to the arrest of Lawson in Birmingham,

Alabama, May 17, 1934. Harless said that he recalled that the police broke

up a Communist meeting at which Lawson was present and that Lawson was then

turned over to Officer J. I. Moser and Officer P. C. Cole who were handling

Communist matters at the time for the Birmingham Police Departnent. In

this connection Captain C. I. Mullens of the Birmingham Police Department

stated that Lawson was defended by a lawyer named Harold Ralston from New York.

He also recalled that a woman named Jane Speed, a well-known Communist

organizer, was also present at the meeting at which Lawson was arrested. The

records of the Birmingham Police Department further revealed the following

information regarding Alexander E. Rascolin, reportedly also arrested with

Lawson:

"This man is an International Labor Defense Attorney from New York

City. He was very active in 1934 and 1935 in Birmingham and was arrested by

the Birmingham Police on May 17, 1934. While in Birmingham, he contacted

several lawyers in an effort to

secure their services in reading parts of

the International Labor Defense.

This man is very high in the Communist Party.

His Birmingham police number is WM-26589".

The New York Times morgue contained two articles regarding the

arrest of Lawson at Birmingham, Alabama.

The first article dated July 6,

1934, reflected that Lawson was arrested on that date and released under bond

of $300 to appear in Recorder's Court the following day. The arrest followed

& conference between Mr. Lawson and five other New Yorkers and W. O. Downs,

Commissioner of Public Safety at City Hall. The article further revealed

that on May 17, 1934, Lawson was taken into custody by police, fingerprinted,

photographed and released. This article, referred to above, dated May 16,

a publication that appeared in the Daily Worker in which a misdemeanor court

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The Directar

Do Me Ladd

JOIN BORARD LARSON

8/20/487

Pursuant to your request, there le attached heroto a

memorandum munarising the pertinent laformation contained in the

Bureau's files relative to the subject, a landing playwright in

Hollywood, California, and for the past several years the Leader

of all sobivities of the Commiats in the intellectual and cultural falds

in the fallywood ares.

Attachnett

#259416

HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED

DATE -:16.768Y 9145, 5lebaga

5668-540 nde 6:22-95 FK)

SECRES NATINTAL ALEACHED

100-370750119

15c7 16 1850

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II. EVIDENCE OF LAWSONS COMMUNIST PARTY HXMBERSHIP

d. Direct Bridence of Membership

Pestifying before the Joint Fact-Finding Committee, California

Legislature, in the fall of 194, Larson, under oath, denied that he was

a member of the Commnist Party. However, a highly reliable and delicate.

confidential source, whose reliability has been well established,

but

whose adnissibility in Court may be sonewhat doubtful, has definitely

identified Larson as a member of the Communist Party for the last tuelve

years.

according to this source, Lawson was first a member, of' Branch K

of the North West Section of the Los Angeles County Comunist Party until

that branch was reorganized in June, 1943, at which time he was transferred

to Branch A-3 (writers branch) of the North West. Section and' held 1943

Commnist Party Book 430198.

This very reliable source also stated that Lawson enrolled in

the Corminist Political Association and was assigned 1944 GPA Card 41850,

and on December 10, 1944, according to the source, was pgain registered

for the CPA and was issued 1945 CPA Card 47275. In the Cornist Political

Association, Lawson reportedly was assigned to the special group which

was also known as Group. #9 and was a member of the commission which was

the governing body of the Commnist movement in the motion picture industry

which replaced the North West Section's Executive Conmittse. Lawson,

according to the source, served on the commission for three years.

It was further stated by this source than when the Communist

Party, USA, was reorganized to replace the Commist Political Association,

Lawson was assigned to the Davis Club and was issued 1946 Communist Party

Book 435392. This source made available Lawson's 1946 registration card

a triter in the motion picture

industry of marie he ran dent, a that no had been a cres conson ee

Party for trelve years.

This source has also identified, lauson's wife,

Sue Lawson, as a nember of the Communist Party and is in' a position to

document the branches to which she has belonged.

Willian Hynes (LA-3), a discontinued paid confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office,

has identified Lawson as a member of the Cotnist

Party in 1941 and has stated that Lawson is a CP menber, a playwright, and

the leader of the uP traction among the artists of all varieties in Holly-

trood".

In a sworn statement which Rena Vale gave to the Joint Fact,®

Finding Conmittee, California Legislature, more commonly know as the Tenney

= 3:=

-SECRET

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SECRET

comattee, she identified John Howard Lawson as a member of the Communist

Party.

She stated that he was active in Comnist circles in Hollyrood

when she was in the Commist Party and that in Communist meetings, Lawson

ood stated that Commmist propaganda must be integrated into all' screen

PLaYS.

On August 8, 194, Walter

Wanger,& lovie Producer,

stated that

he definitely knew that John Howard Lawson

was a communist.

This source

stated that a few days before he had contacted Lawson to see if he was

available to write a screen play to which Lauson replied he was hesitant

to work for Vanger for fear it might cast some reflection on him.

source quoted lawson as stating, "I an a Comminist"

doseph Nathaniel Earl, Confidential Informant of the Los Angeles

Office, advised that he talked to John Roward Lawson on July 25g 1945, at

which time Lawson stated that if he were called as a titness before the

State Un American Aetivities Committee, he believed he would admit to them

that be was a member of the Communist Political Association.

On March 1, 1947, Ben Kadish, a confidential source of the los

ingelon Office, and a former member of the Comunist Party, advised that

he recalled John Howard Lawson's attending Comunist meetings:

source was in the Commnist Party from September, 1943, through Decenber,

1945, and for a time was in Branch, which was the same branch to

which Lawson belonged.

Attendance at Commnist Party Mestings

During the time that Lawson has been in Los Angeles;

he has been

identtfied as having attended numerous meetings at which all of those

identified as being present were know Communists, according to a highly

reliable and delicate confidential source. In those cases there the highly

reliable and delicate confidential source was not in a position to iden-

tify the particular person as a Comminist, the source that can so identity

the person is mentioned. There are set forth hereinafter several examples

of this character of meetings which Lawson attended.

fin

On February 7, 1943, Agents of the Bureau obserred Alexander

Trachtenberg, head of International Publishers and a member of the National

Party, at the Helody lane Restaurant, Wilshire Boulevard and Detroit Averue,

at 12345 p.m. Trachtenberg is know to be a member of the Communist Party

through official publications of that organization.

SECRET

INW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 28

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On April 12, 1943, Agents of the Bureau observed John Howord

SECRET

Lawson; Philip M. Connelley, CID Official and Carl Winter, Chairman of

the Los Angeles County Communist Party, enter the home of Nas Silver,

organizational secretary of the los Angeles County Comunist Party,

5138 Mapletood averme, Los Angoles: Elsie Monjar, a member of the Cou-

as demart a complie hider and dilver a bothe poor eded 8 20 1(4).

has identified Connelley, Winter and Silver as being members of the

Los Angeles County Comnunist Party.

on October 4, 1943, Special Agents of the Bureau Observed wax

Silver, Organizational secretary. of. the los Angeles County Commist Party,

pick up John Howard Lawson at Sunset and Cahuenga in Los

Angeles, and

827 East 21st Street. Carl Winter,

head of the Communist Party in Los Angeles, was observed in attendance at

ims neeting As indicated above, Silver and Winter have been identified

•a8 Cormnists by confidential informant Elsie Honjar! Dayld Grant 1s' a [C

mown commnist by virtue of information furnished by former confidentia

paid informant 11 lata, a former member of the Communist Party.

on larch the 19449, Special Agents of the Bureau observed Lawson,

accompanied by lar Silveri, then Administrative Secretary, of the Cr, enter

the hone of David Grant, 827 East 21st Street, Los Angeles, Califomia.

These Agents also noted that Carl Winter, Executive Secretary of the Partys

Jane Wallace, County Educational Director of the Partys Pettis Perry,

County Chairman and Helen Allison, County Membership, rector of the

vere also in attendance.

been dente fied as mown Communists.

silver,

crant and linter have previously

Wallace, Perry and Allison have

bean identified as being members of the Communist Party by former

confidential informant A? Katz, 3 former menber of the Conmunist Party.

Special Agents.of the Bureau on May 2, 194, observed John.

Howard Lawson, Elizabeth Leach and Marjorie Fiske, Organizer and Erecutive

Secretary respectively, enter she home of San Moore, 3l; South Murfield

to attend a reception given for James Ford, Hegro, of the Mational

Comattee of the Comminist, Party, U.S.A. Pettis Perry, Megro, Charma 0*

the Los Angeles County Communist Party was also observed in attendance at

this reception. Leach, Fiske and Perry have been identified as bring

functionaries of the Communist Party by former confidential informant Al

Interature publicly disseminated by the Commanist Party has identified

, James Ford with that organization.

Osi September 24, 1944, Agents of the Bureau observed Lawson

enter the home of Carl Winter and also observed Elisabeth Leach and Jane

Wallace, both of whom are Commnist functionaries, in attendance at this

surprise birthday party for Carl winter. Testifying before the Californis

Un-American Activities Connittes, Lawson admitted attending this affair

given in honor of Carl winter; tho was then the head of the Los Angeles

County Comunist Party, Winter, Leach and Wallace have previously been

identified as functionaries of the Commnist Party.

- 5 =

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SECRET

On January 8, 1945, a Special Agent of the Bureau observed

On April I1, 1945,, Special Agents of the Bureau observed Carl

functionary; Jane Wallace,, Communist Party functionary; Pettis Perrys

Commnist Party functionary and Wyndham Mortimer in attendance at a

County Board meeting of the Comunist Party which was held at the home

of County labor Chairman, • Kadish, 938 south kingsley wrive, los angeles..

rooks,, Lordimer and Kadish have been identified as Communist Party

functionaries by former confidential informant Al Katze: On May 30, 1945g

Special Agents of the Bireau conducted a surveillance at the home of

John Howard Lawson, 4245 Coldater Canyon, and observed Elizabeth leach,

Comnist Party functionary, Ned Sparks, head of the Comunist Party in

Los Angeles and Max Silver, formerly the Administrative Secretary of the

Party in Los Angeles, enter Lawsong home, Easie Monjar, a confidential

informant of the Los Angeles Office, has identified Ned Sparks as a Cons.

munist functionary.

On March 30, 1946, Samuel Davenport Russell, an active paid

confidential informant of the los Angeles Office, advised that a meeting

of the financial directors of the various clubs in the Hollywood Section

of the Los Angeles County Connunist Party was to be held at the home of

Hannah Schuarts, 2076 Paramount Avenue in Los Angeles on the evening of

the same date.

Spectal Agents of the Bureau conducted a surveillance at

this address and observed John Howard lawson in attendance at this meeting.

On September 9, 1946, Special Agents of the Bureau Identified

John Howard Lawson, Max Weiss, National Educational Director of the Communist

Party, Frank Carison, State Educational Director of the Conmnist Party,.

Jolm Stapp, Comunist Party functionary and Charles Glean, Commnist farty

functionary as having entered the home of Abe Polonsky at 8071 Selma,:

Los Angeles, on this date..

(100-24499-394)

SECRETT

• 6

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## Page 31

TO OTHER GULDENCE OF LAUSON'S COMMUNIST APPILIATION

SECRET

In July, 1941, a memorandun vas furnistied to the Chicago Field

office by Colonel Walter In Furbershaw, a representative of the Camegde

Illinois Steel Company, thich cited meetings of the lationas Commtuee

Plenary: Sasstons of the Commnist Party on June 28 and 29, 194g in Hew

Torks City. It was stated in the menorandum that those definitely known to

have been present weres

liam to Toster; James W. Ford; Alerander Bittel-

man and numerous other high raniang Comminist leaders. The memo further

related that John Howard Lauson attended these national meetings as a dele-

gate from California and there is a notation to the effect that Lawson had

boen in New lork for the previous few months in connection with theater work.

(100-24499-3p4)

In October, 1944,

howard Fomett Rogers, c/o Matro Golduyn Meyer

Studios, Calver City, California, a temporary contidential national defense

normant of the los Angeles Office, advised that John Howard Lawson was one

tood, he net lawson and drank with him during the evening He said on this

occasion Lawson talked of the purge that took place in Russia and the mass

slaughter of the lulacks. The source advised that Lawson stated to him that

he hoped the revolution would come here without bloodshed, but that it would

come

"even with bloodshed if necessary" The same source stated that two

years following this incident, he attended a debate at the Roosevelt Hotel

in Hollywood were Lauson stated publicly that everything should be done to

arold bloodshed and that under no circunstances should this country get into

• war.

Rogers related that he got on his feet at this meeting and recalled

to lawson his conversation concerning the revolution referred to heretofor

and asked Lawson how he could justify such an inconsistency.

Lawson, accords

ing to the informant,.

turned to the audience and stated that this was a

typical example of Hollywood red-balting and refused to ansver the question

put to hin.

(100-24499-24 p8)

process of realigning its listricts throughout the country as vell as

reorganizing its structural set up.

Ke said that District f13 vas to

include all of the States of Califomia and of Nevada. According to the

source it was to have centralized offices at 121 Haight Street, San Francisco

and another at Los Angeles.

The San Francisco Office was to ba headed by

Steve Helson.

Farther, Betty Gannett is the Organizational Secretary of

District 123 and John Rovard Lawson and Herbert Blbernan till control the

organizational tork in the Mollywood Area, according to the informant.

(100-]6227-20-p5)

SECRET.

In December, 194, tro Verne Tompkins, 71 Eggert Avenue, Metuchan,

den dersey, publisher of the Daily Farmers! Digest, stated that Kathryn Burke,

Chief Director of Courter operations, was the contact for the Comunist

Party in Mexico City and that she reported directly to Gale Sondergaard,

spAs

NW. 64578 Docld: 32338872 Page 31

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## Page 32

nauly 22, 1943.

•Northwest Section

Commnist Party

los Angeles, California

Atta

Jack (John Howard Larson)

" Dear Conrade:

"On behalf of our County Cormittee, and I an sure of our whole

membership, I wish to express enthusiastic apprectation of the

contribution to the success of the July l8th Foster neeting, by

the cultural workers who made possible the dramatic presentation

that evening.

"We wish, through the Section Committee, to convey these senti-

ments to all who participated, especially to the authors, Com

rades Maurice (Clark) and Adrian (Scott),

and to Comrades ferbert

(Bibernan) and Elliot (Sullivan, also known as Elt Solomon)

those creative effort

and tireless work helped so much to put

across the message.of the entire rally?- to hold the home front

and strengthen national unity for victory.

Comradely yours,

/s/ Carl Winter, Secretary

Los Angele's County. Committee

Commini so Party"

(100-24499-292 p7):

In a report of the Military Intelligence Division dated February 24,

194k, a list of dalegates to the enlarged National Comittee sessions of the

Conmnist Party held at the Scuyuesant casino, 9th Street and 2nd Avenue,

Hey York City, appeared; as shown in the official minutes, the nams of John

Howard Lauson, playwright appeared in this list

(100-3-14-2006)

In 1944, & highly confidential sourcet advised that Lauson con

tinued to pay the salary of Marjorie J. Potts, a full-time paid functionary

of the Forthwest Section of the los Angeles County Commnist Party, baing

Organizational Secretary and Membership Director thereol.

Larson paid her,

according to the source, 832.50 per weak. It is noted that Marjorle Potts

acritted to Al Kate, a former confidential informant of the los Angeles

office, that larson paid her salary as if she vere his secretary although

sho did nothing but Commanist Party "

10024499-311 27)

On July 25, 1945. Joseph Nathertel

marty former confidential in

formant of the Los Angeles Office,

advised that John Howard Laison told his

*Technical Surveillance on the residence of Jobn Howard Lawson

NY 64578 Docid: 32338872 Page 32

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SECRET

On Farch 26, 1946, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office pointed out that the Rankin Committee had announced

It would discontinue its investigation of Commnisn in the notion picture

Industry and that he had learned that as a result of this, Lawson was agair

planning to assume active leadership of the Cormunist moverent in the motion

picture industry.

This informant stated that he felt lawson had been "laying

low" during the time Rankin's investigators had been in Hollywood, bit that

in discussing Lawson with members of the Comnunist Party, he bad ascertained

that Lauson was scheduled to reappear as leader of the Comminist movement in

the industry

(100-21499-378 p1)

On July 242 1946, W. Ro Wilkerson, Iditor of the Hollywood Reporter,

bitterly criticized Lauson as a member of the Commnist Party and stated that

John Leech, former Becretary of the Commnist Party for Los Angeles County,

testified before the Los Angeles Courty Grand Jury that Lawson was sent to

Hollywood to organise and lead the Communist movement in the notion picture

inoustry by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of New loris.

SECRET

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NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 33

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## Page 34

IV. GENERAL COMMUNIST ACTIVILIES

Hugo Speter, a confidential informant of the Denver Fiold Office,

advised that John Howard Lawson in 1941 was appointed co-leader with Herbert

Biberman of the Commnists in the intellectual and notion picture industry

1a the Hollywood area.

(100-24499-35808)

The November 9, 1943, Issue of "Lew Masses" contained a full page

article announcing that John Howard Lawson had been made a nember of the

Board of Contributing Editors of New Masses.

This article quotes Lawson

as saying the following with regard to this publication:

nI read New Masses for two reasons:

first, because it is a

valuable source of information; second, bacause it is equally

valuable for its editorial coument and analysis.

issue offers vital factual matertal which cannot be found ease-

Today, as never before; the American people want facts

because they realize that the knowledge of facts is indispens

able for vinning the war.

They are heartily sick of the corrup

Con and distortion in much of the commercial press.

New Masses

gives us facts, and it interprets facts in terms of a consistent

philosophy of democratic action and purpose. I hope the magazine

can reach a much wider circle of readers because I am convinced

that a bigger circulation for this periodical till help us tin

the war.".

(100-24499-292 p 13)

On January 13, 1944, an article appeared in the "Daily Workert baneath

the photograph of John Howard Lawson in which he is quoted as stating:

"Greetings to the Daily Worker on your 20th Anniversary.

As

I look back over the years, it seems to me that the Daily

Worker has been consistently invaluable as a source of accurate

news and a journal of progressive informed opinion.

There is

no other American neuspaper which has done. such a fine job in

effective news coverage and editorial service to the American

people and the American nation.

"I hope the Daily Worker's circulation and influence mill in-

crease tremendously. Il it increases in proportion to its merit,

st will reach millions of people".

1100-24499-290

A highly confidential source (technical surveillance on Carl

Winter, Executive Secretary of the Comminist Political Association, Los

Angeles County) advised that on July 22, 1944, Robert W. Kenny, former

Attorney General of the State of California and then Chairman of the Cal-

ifornia delegation to the National Democratic Convention in Chicago, con

municated with Ellenore Abowitz, Assistant State CIO Legislative Directog

and a known Communist Party member in the los Angeles area.

Kenny tho (yu)

612.

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•SECRET

was in Chicago at this time, advised Abowitz that he would arrive in

Los Angeles by plane the following day and requested that she arrange

a conference for hin with about five of the

"right people".

Aborita,

according to the source, innediately conferred tith Carl linter,

Executive, Secretary of the Cormunist Political Association of los Angeles

County, concerning this matter.

actually held

on sunday, July 23, 1944g at the home of Ellenore Aboutz with sir

people in attendance. These persons included, in addition to R. W. Kenty,

cart winter, previously identified; Paul cline, ex-Secretary of the

communist farty in Los Angeles County; doseph Aid in, member of the

State Central Comittee of the Democratic Party in Ios Angeles, and

John Howard Lawson

(100-16870-9)

It was also

reported by this highly reliable sources that i

June, 1945, Boretta Tarnon, field representative of the New Masses, known

Contanist publication, and Joe Foster, film critte for the New lasses, came

to Los Angoles fron New Jork City, to organize New Masses Benefit Rallies.

It was stated that both of these individuals held conferences with John

Howard Lawson.

an invitational benefit for the

6217

Rock Cliff Drive, Hollywood, on June 9, 1945, it being pointed out by

Banuel Saff, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, that the

meeting was by invitation only, that over $3,000 vas raised at the meeting

and that John Howard Lawson was one of those he recognized in attendance.

a highly reliable confidential sources reported

that lawson has been working on a book of American history for the past

The source stated that the book was in its final stages

and had bean typed into seript and had been criticized by various people

including leaders of the Communist Political Association in Los Angeles,

among them, Carl Finter, head of the Los Angeles CPA. The source also

said that inquiries concerning it had also been made by Alex Trachtenberg,

former National Educational Director of the Connist Party, and currently

a member of the National Coumittes of the Comminist Party.

The source in

dicated that since the change in the CP Line as a result of the Duclos

article,

Lawson has indicated that he was going to take six months off

from his studio to revise the book. He also told the informant that the

change in the Commnist Party Line necessitated practically a complete

rovladon of the book's derpoint. (Slu

atechnical surveillance on the reeldencs of Joha lovard lerson. (UL):

SECRET

NW 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 35

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future expulsion at this tina on controversial issues; this is

factional, rather than uy response to published and broadcast

material.

However I an also convinced that this was merely a

loose way of talling &o impress me with your seriousness, of

which I uas already impressed.

"Adding

ny personal rogards, and the hope that not long fron

now we shall all be meabare of a functioning, nilitant,

Marxist-

Leninist vanguard party devoted to the interests of our nation,

the peace of the world, and the liberation of mankind.

"Yours sincerely."

(100-24499-359-p5-7)

Subsequently, a highly contidential source (technical surveillanec

on residence of Bruce Minton) advised that linton was very bitter against

Lawson and had made it knorm that he vas "out to get Lawson". This source

indicated that Hinton jas of the opinion that the CPA in Hollywood was a

closed corporation and that he had referred to Lawson as the "rabbi" of

this group who ran it as a rtin god and in a detatorial fashion":

Similar

repercussions rogarding Lauson vere reported by Harvey Gilbert Woll, a

confidential informant of the los Angoles office.

Wolf advised that on

August 1, 1945, he had occasion to talk with a friend who was a membar of

one of the cultural groups over. which Lawson presided. He said that this

person stated that the rank and file of the cultural groups were not

satisfled with the revisionistle polietes which Lawson and Elizabeth Glenn

had followed during the previous year under the CPA set-up, and were

desi rous of getting rid of Lawson and Glenn as leaders. Holf further

revealed that his informant definitely stated that Lawson was the leader

of the Comnists in the cultural field and that he obtained the impression

that Mlizabeth Glenn was Lawson's underling in an organisational capacity.

Wolf, a former member of the CPA, stated his informant was very bitter

against Lawson and Glenn, not fron a personal standpoint but fron a Marxist

standpoint inasmuch as Wolf's inforcans thought that Lauson and Glenn had

misled the rank and file CPA menbers by their leadership and acherance, 60

the theory of revisionist. A practical examale of what uight have indicated

a tendency toward change of Communist leadership in the notion ploture industry

was reported by a highly confidential sources tho reported on July: 19, 1945,

that Lawson had just returned from San Francisco and admittedly had not beca

included in ary inter-Party discussions of the motion picture strike, it

being noted that the Cormunists, prior to the strile,' had adhered to a

position of not aiding the strike and had urged its workers to keep the nos

strike policy of their unions

It is to ba observed that in 1946 Blehard -

Bransten and his trife, luth Mckenny, were expelled fron the Comunist Party

#Technical Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Lawson.

-20 =

SECRET

L-NIV 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 36

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SLONET

VIII. ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES

HOLLX WOOD DENOCRATIC COUNTTEE,

later lonown as the HOLIYWOOD

INDEPENDENE CITIZENS COMITTLE OF THE ARTS, SCIENCES AND

PROFESSIONS (HICCASP), succeeded by the pRoGReSsIve cITIZENS

OF AMERICA:

Harvey Cilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the los Angeles

Office, advised that the Hollywood Decratic Committee was launched in

January, 1943, by persons engaged in the motion picture industry, to obtain

national, state and local legislation essential to victorys to clarily

• political issues and support candidates best fitted to serve the nation in

wartime and to cooperate with other organizations "whose aims are similar

to our on"; housing for defense workers, protection of labor's rights;

child care, humane treatment of juvenile delinquents and the end of negro

discrimination.

The same source stated on February 15, 19W, that the eins

and purposes and program of the Hollywood Democratic Committee had changed

very materially. He indicated that its purposes had formerly been exclusively

but that now through speeches, public advervisements and shau

individuals in the furtherance of the Communist Party line.

This informant

further stated that the program of the Hollywood Denocratic Committee was

not only parallel with that of the Communist Party Line but that the organ-

Ization was dominated and inspired by persons of a Communist character

It is observed that in June, 1945,

the Hollywood Democratic

Committee became a section of the Independent Citisens Committee of the

Arts, Sciences and Professions and that in 1946, it became known as the

Progressive Citizens of America, It should also be noted that this organ-

ization was not connected with the Democratic Party. (100-197270-2)

The following information vith respect to the activities of

John Howard Lawson relative to the Hollywood Detocratic Committee is set

forth to illustrate the direction and control exerted over this organiza=

tion by Lawson.

The nost pertinent infornation in this regard nas re

ported to the Bureau by a highly confidential and reliable sourcei.

(& U

On March 4y 1943, it was ascertained by a confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office, Harvey Oilbert Wolf, that the Bollywood Democratic

Conmittee was in its formative stages and a meeting of the group was scheduled

at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for that evening. This informant attended

echnical Survellance on residence 02 John Hoard Larson (PU)

 29

SECRET

NUT 64578 Docld:32338872 Page 37

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the meeting and a written report stated "before the meeting began, the

following known Communists circulated among those present.. They were

acknowledged by the audience generally which for the most part, gathered

around them, chatted and passed remarks which would indicate that they

were well-known and in a sense looked up to."

Among those naned by the

informant as being in this category were:

John Howard Lawson and Herbert

Biberan, together with other Hollywood Conmunists. The purpose of the

neeting reportedly was to elect officers for the ensuing year and to adopt

a constitution. According to the source, the Hollywood Democratic Cón-

mittee "will undoubtedly develop into a powerful Connunist Party pressure

group in the near future. Using the var effort and the influence of power

ful figures in the motion picture industry, this organization will have a

tremendous influence in putting over the Comunist Party Line in Califomia."

Further, the source continued, the Hollywood Democratic Committee is definitely

a Communist "front" organization, and he asserted that John Howard Lawson

was among those proposed at this meeting to be considered for the Executive

Board. Lawson, according to the source, also was one of the eight persons

who donated $25 at the collection during the evening.

(100-24499-234 p 12)

On February 10, 1944, the same source was present at. a conference

between John Howard Laison and Fevels Cayton, Negro Vice President of the

"California State CIO.

According to the source, Cayton wanted lawson to

get Walter Wanger, Motion Picture Producer, to approach Helen Gahagan, wife

of Melvyn Douglas, screen actor, to run for Congress in the 15th C. D.

Lawson said he could not approach tanger on it but that ceorge Pepperin

through the Hollywood Democratic Connittee, could make the contact

was only one of many conferences held concerning possible Congressional and

(100-24499-297)

to possibie candidates.

In 1944, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the

Los Angeles Office, advised that the entire organizational strength of the

Connunist Party was being thrown into the local and national election can

paigns and that the Hollywood Communists, Party line followers and sympathizers

werE

engaged in this type of activity. He submitted

the following report

with

respect

to the Hollywood Democratic Committee:

"The Hollywood Denocratic Committee,

which has no official con-

nection with the Democratic Party, but is the Communist front

organization which attempts to speak for the industry politically

and also for the Hollywood section generally, is raising the sum

- 30 -

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NW 64578 - Docld:32338872 Page 38

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SECRET

hoLlywood reporter for dune 1, 1945, contained a full page advertise

ment listing the Executive bouncil of this new tommittee, it baing noted

that John Howard Larson woo-24 as peter of the Council. L4

(100-24499-359 p9)

In August, 1945, a highly reliable inforant* advised

Lawson was continuing his leadership in the Hollywood Independent Citizeas

Comnittee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions.

It was stated that

George Pepper, Executive Secretary of the organization, continually obtained

direction and counsel from lawson concerning the strategy and policy of the

group. The source further remarked that Lawson had been very active at this

time in building up the late General Evans F. Carlson, USIC, as a possible

candidate for U.S. Senator on the Democratic Ticket to fill the seat vacated

by the late Senator Hiram Johnson.

On August Il, 1945, the same reliable source advised that there

was some interest in having a State-ride meeting to amounce Carlson's

candidacy or at least to discuss it with the Democratie politicians from

all over California. However, Lawson, according to the source, said that

Philip Connelly, former President Of the California State Industrial Union

council, Gil, and a mown vommunist according to Elsie Monjar, a confidentia

intornant of the los angeles Office,]was of the opinion that it was not time

Jet as Ed Palley, National Treasurer of the Democratic Party and other

forces would try to maneuver to get control of this mseting.. On August 11,

1945, the sarie highly reliable source advised that Lauson was to handle a

reception for Carlson io be given by Edward &. Robinson. It was indicated

that the Warner Brothers, Motion Picture magnets and other "big wigs" were

to be in attendance at this reception.

It was also indicated by this source

at the time that Orson Welles discussed with Lawson the chances of Carlson's

Winning the election. It was sid that Welles promised lawson all he could

to assist Carlson's candidacy, although of the personal opinion that Carison

would be defeated.

On August 8,

1945, the highly reliable source# reported that the

New Tork City organization if the Independent Citizens Comnittee of the Arts,

Sciences and Professions had continually, sought a closer knit organization

throughout the lnited States with a constitution, by-laws, in addition to

representatives from various cities where branches were located. Lawson,

according to the source, subtly fought a close knit organization and desired

instead only the use of the independent Citizens Comittee's nane, being

of the opinion that the Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee should

otherwise renain' autonomous.

Ina conference kith Pete Lyons, an employee

of the Independent Citizens Conmittee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions

of New York City, according to the source, Lawson stated that a close init

'Technical Surveillance on the residence of Join Howard Larson. (C) (4)

SECREt

NW 64578 Doc|d:32338872 Page 39

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## Page 40

SECRET

organization vas premature and could not be done without discussion which

discussion should be held at some time after the war.

hyon sald the Hew

Fork Office needed more money and Lawson reiterated the Hollywood Committee

was very poor and did not desire to make any further commitments at the

time. lyon was anxious that the HICCASP send someone to Washington or New

Tors to give Congressional leaders some tangible evidence of union between

the National organization

and the Hollywood Committee.

that -Lawson

agreed that this might be a good thin

The source indicated

100-24499-364 p7)

the HICCAS held a na, the the inton Are be our foresee

Policy". The official announcements described this affair as an attempt to

make a realistic approach to the tremendous potentialities of atomic weapons

and atome energy..

This rally called for international use and inter-

national control of atome energy, and in this connection, the relzable

infornant. pointed out that Lawson,

through George Pepper

Executiva Secretary

of the HICCASt, carefully guided the program. It is interasting to doserve

that Ned Sparks, President of the los Angeles Gounty Commist Party, accorde

ing to the informant, contacted lawson regarding this program and stated

that he felt more emphasis should be put upon American intervention in China

Inasuch as that was the main part of the Communist line. Lawson reportedly

agread to this and stated that he would contact George Pepper to see that

American intervention in China tras elven approp to - on i this rally- ) (4)

A highly confidential sourcet reported in September, 1946, that Lawson

continued to be active in the affairs of the HICCASP and according to this

source, he frequently conferred with its Executive Secretary, Alice Funter:

in fact,'this source stated that on July 31, 1946, Hunter contacted Lawson

and asked him if it was all right if the MICCASP issued a statement that they

were not under the influence of the Commnist Party.

According to the

infornant, Lawson stated it would be all right if it were done "carefully

and correctly".

This informant further indicated Lawson attends most of

the mestings of the Executive Council of the HICCASP and through close

Laison with Hunter, continued to exert an influential rule in the policy

of this organization.

It is noted that shortly thereafter the HICCASP nerged

with the Progressive citizens of guerica, described as a tommnist domnated

our by more 6, holl a confidential injorani os the los ingeles 01zsue ly

(100-24499-387 p3)

According to articles spearing in Los Angeles neuspapers the Holly-

Dood Arts, Sciences and Professions Council of the Progressive Citizens of

America hold a live day conference at the Beverley Hills Hotel, connencing

Hednesday evening, July 9, 1947. They announced the purpose of the conferance

Technical Survellance on the rest dence of doba Homed leon. C) (Cy

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B.

HOLIYHOOD WRITERS LOBILIZATION

The Hollywood Writers Mobilization, according to Harvey Gilbert

Wolf, a confidential informant of the los Angeles Office, was formed very

soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor,

Dacember 7, 1942, and was established

by persons sho were most active in the League of American Writers.

Accorde

ing to information contained in reports of the Joint Fact-Finding Committee,

Califomia Legislature, based on information developed in connection tith

interviews conducted of Hollywood writers in October, I94l, the Hollywood

Writers Mobilization was under the control of the Commnists and had numerous

contacts to supply the pictures which are baing released in the liberated

countries.

(100-102216 14)

Confidential Informant Wolf advised that there was a close connec

tion existing between the league of American Writers and the Hollywood

Writers Mobilization.

The following data with respect to Lawson's connections with the

Hollywood friters Mobilization is set forth to illystrate the direction ano

control exerted over this organization by Lawson. Lost pertinent informa-

tion developed relative to Lawson's contrel of this group was obtained by a

highly reliable and confidential sources.

35

In larch, 1945, a highly confidential source advised that there

recently had been a strong difference of opinion between Robert Riskin,

head of the Overseas Film Buresu, Office of War Information,

New Tork, and

Philip Punne, head of the Los Angeles OwI fi Im Bureau, and this difference

of opinion was concerned with scripts which had been submitted by the

Hollywood Writers Mobilization.

This source indicated that Sidney Buchman,

Chairnan: Of the Hollywood Writers Mobilization Editorial Board, discussed

this matter with John Howard Lawson. Buchnan advised that he had conferred

with Riskin who informed him that Philip Dunne had gone overboard on the so-

called "contrived" films (films based on fiction or so-called dramatic in-

cidents).. Dunse had apparently instructed the Hollywood Writers Mobilization

group that this was the type of film owl desired to produce. Following

Dunne's instructions, according to the source,

the Hollywood Writers Mobiliza-

tion had gone ahead and done scripts of this type and as a result my of the

scripts had been under fire by the New Tork Office of the OVI, There Riskin

was in charge.

It was further pointed out that Riskin was strong for

docusentary films since he felt a responsibility to the State Department,

and further that nisrepresentations vere bound to arise out of dramatic

incidents in the "contrived" films thus making them more "vulnerable".

the

source stated that. both Lawson and Buchman agreed that this controversy

batween Dunne and Riskin would effect the Bollywood Writers Mobilization,

which they control, since most of the scripts already completed would have

to bẹ

redone

4(100-102217-13)

(Technical Surveillance on the residence of John Hoverd Lauson.

80(4

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## Page 42

Go LEAGUE OF ANTRICAN WRITERS

The league of Auerican Writers, according to Havey Glibert Woll,

a confidential informant of the los Angeles Office, was originated in

Ibariov, Russia, in November, 1930, and in the United States in 1935•

This informant indicated that

American Writers was formed in the fall of 1935, the purpose being to

bring the riters enployed in the motion picture industry under the in.

fluence of the League of American Writers and the Comnist Party, USA,

it bing pointed out that this League was the foremost front organization

operating in the so-called cultural and intellectual fields.

(200-10221 out it at organ at on

The source stated that the Congress of American Revolutionary

Writers formed the League of American Writers, it being pointed out that

the latter organization was declared subversive by the Attorney General

on Hay 5, 1942.

Additional infornation relative to the Communist caracter of

the League of American Writers was set forth heretofore in connection

vith the Section entitled (Joint Fact-Finding Committee, California

Legislature*

There is set forch hereinafter Lawson's connection with the League

as vell as data demonstrating the control and direction which he exerted

over this organization. The most pertinent infornation in this regard was

obtained fron a highly confidential and reliable sourcet.

:

on warch 25g 1939, an article appeared in the Peoples World

entitled "Hollyood Writers agk Entry for German Brile".

The article

stated that the recently organized Hollywood branch of the League of

American Writers was taking the lead in denanding that the State Depar

ment permit the entry of Frederich Wolff, famous exiled Gernan dranatist

The wire sent to the State Dapartment was

signed by Jon Howard Lawson, among others.

:(61-7561-278X12)

In June, I941, an article appeared in the Daily Worker entitled

"Writers Open Congress with Peace Rally. It

was stated that some of

America's best known novelists, poets, artists and literary critics raised

their voice against war and colonial oppression at the rally of the Fourth

Anerican Writers! Congress. John Howard. Lawson was listed as being one of

the speakers.

(100-31091 SubA)

On December 28, 1941, Halter Teter, 4524 Cold Water Canyon Avenue,

Harth Hollywood, California, a consential informan of the los ingeles eLe

i cindeal SurveilLance on the residence of jon Howard Lason. (A)V)

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D. Connections with Other Organizations

the January 193tg issue the Labor Defender published monthly

by the International Labor Defense, 80 last lith Soreet, len York aty, wit

MIlan I. Patterson and Sasha Shall as editors, listed John Bowerd Lauson

as being on the Editorial Boardo:

•A highly confidential and deliéate sourco

in 1945 identified Sasha Sall as a member of the then Commnist Political

Association.

(100-17319-3 p7)

In February, 1937, the formation of the American Society for

Technical Aid to Spanish Denocracy with temporary quarters at 31, East 27th

Street, New York City, office of the New lasses, was announced by Waldo Frank,

novelist and lecturer.. The officers were listed as John Howard Lawson,

Secretary, and William Browder, Treasurer®

: (100-1469-31 p19)

In a letter dated Becember 3, 1938, Issued by the National Cow

Howard Lauson was listed as treasurer of the organization.

(61-7559-3385 x1)

Confidential Informant To H. Leathers, formerly an informant of

the Atlanta Field Division, informed in July, 1941, that the Mational

Cormittee for the Defense of Political Prisoners and the International labor

Defense are both Comunist front organizations and are elosely associated

and were created by the Party to handle and protect comrades to became

involved with the law and also to seize upon those cases where the Party

can secure publicity.

According to the informant, the International labor

Dolense has close contact with the workers and is usually operated by the

middle class of people.

(100-3-33 Sec. 2 Ser. 3)

On the back ofa pamphiet published in 1940 by the Jewish Peoplels

Cosmittee, 100 Fifth Avauo, New Tork City,

entitled "For United Action in

the Struggle Against anti-Senitism and Fascismt, appears a list of the sponsora

of this organization. The hame of John Hovard Lawson is Included. Monroe

Steinberg, a confidential source of the New York Office has stated that the

Jewish People's Commitice Is a Conmnist inspired group. (100-11380-16 p4-6;

61-7590-404)

In the Peoples Daily World for June 17, 1941, an article appears

attaclong the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the form of statements of

various members of the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges releaned by the

Committee headquarters at 1265. Broadway, New York City. Included anong

individuals comnenting on the conduct of the Bridges hearing and the activitles

of the FBI was John Howard Lawson, "playwright and screen writer

(39-915-1382)

04344

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A confidontial scurce (trach coverago on offico of labor Roscarch

Association,

80 East 12th 3trocty How Yor: City) advinad that John Howard

Itwaon tas o sponsor of the Schappos Defona Connitteo chich wos founded

in fon fort city in Julio tut, to raica tunds for und help prococuto tha

defenso a horro la schappos soror tity cologo seracion uno mas

sentonced to& prison tond in the State Penitontiasy for perjury arising ous

of os 1941 Inquisy into Comunion in educational inutitutions The expreas

zurposa of the Cornitteo as set forth inono of its paphlete.con "to holp

prosocuto tho logal dofonso, to acquiimi the labor novenot, tho oducational

world and the general publlo vich the lacues involved in this case, to raica

100-29-34 pg 40.

on Daoembos 19, 1941, according to& highly confidential cources

an unirion, porson contaciod Lawoon'a tiro to toll her of a vesy "pachesic

tolegran" recolved fran Eduard Baraky, hond of the Jolat Inti-Vagolet

Rofugon Comatteo, it boing noted that Barsky was recontly rivea e jall

contonce for rofusing to produce the recorde of the unire for

the Houss

Camerican dotivittes Conietos, According to the informant,

enla coleo

Eran road ao follower

OTIVING PO GET PITTY ANTI-PASCIST FEOPLE. ON THE LASE BOAT OUT

OF LISBOX. SEND MONEY AT CREATESE FOSSIBLE SACRIZICE."

100-24499-76 pg 10

On Jenuary 16, 1943, a highty confidential sourco (technical

survalllaco on socidanco of Horbord Biberman) reported that Bibernan vas

conculted concerning a lotter lasuod by Nr. Fenite, National Secretare

Matinal Poderadion for Conotitutional Ilbertios, adulsing thoi thia Comitteo

man starting e campeien aginet the Dlos Connittoe and tantad the Follymood

neopla to do nonething abous 10. Although the intomant was mablo to

ascortain the nono of tho mon with whon abernan consulted on chis Casas

18 mas deterinad by anothar highly confidential sourcos on Jamary 18, 1943,

that John Hovard Imoon had directod Elitaboth Leach lo plck up this lettor

Sran Biberzan.

It lo notad that Elizcboth Loach was the Organinar of she

Northron Soction; Los Angeles County Comniat Party at the tim. Is should

Ba notod that the Mational Tadoration for Conotitutional Libartios wao

declared subversivo by the Attomoy. General on July 31, 1941, In that 1t one

within the, purulen of the Hatch Aerol

(W).

100-24499-234 pg 17

on larch 12, 1943, 1t wo raporod by harvey silbert woll a

confidential informant of the los ingalos orisco, that naruary Biberman,.

Cale Sondorganid, Forard Bibeman and his vifo sonja lahd, lirs. Bve

Bibeman; Anthony Ellio and Hallen 1l21a, bie wile, would all attond the

Joint Anti-Fioclot Retugee Comittoo rally held at the Philhumonio Auditoriur.

TE nas pointad cut.

that Sonje Elbornan was. the former Hollyood Chairtar.

mochneral Susts12a00 en tha madenes of ir hound taron lui

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to bear in this regard.

During the conversation, according to the

informant, it was pointed out that the Los Angeles Section of the free

Worid Association had not as yet revoked Point Al of its Aims and Fur-

poses.

• (100-24499-311 p15)

circular

one omard a lot dore as a y 107 or are,

Detroit,

Michigan; dated December 20, 1945-

(61-777-15-279)

In November, 1945, according to a highly confidential sourcel,

Lawson conferred several times with Mildred Raskin, Breeutive Secretary

of the People's Educational Center, described as the organization created

and dominated by the Commnists to spread Communist philosophy, and these

conversations mde it clear that Lawson was becoming concerned over the

$3,000 or 84,000 which be personally, had guaranteed for this organization

in the way of printing bills and incidental expenses.

The same source

indicated that lawson felt that the organization was not going to be able

to repay this money to him.

During the same period, the same source was

present when Lawson conferred with Waldo Salt, Communist sereen writer,

regarding ways and means of raising 55,000 for the benefit of the People's

Educational Center.

Lawson also advised this informant that he was planning

to take a hand in the reorganization of the staff of the People's Educa»

organ, Cant owed ang that, he did

think that the personnel was

(100-24499-369 23)

According to a pamphlet

Issued by the Ios Angeles Workers School,

John Howard Lawson, together with Albert Malta and other invited lecturers,

were to be the instructors at the course entitled "The American Denocratic

Tradition", an elgat week course, tuition 53.

The course was to be given

at the Unitarian Church, 2936 West 8th Street, Los Angeles. Of all the

courses taught at the forkers School, according to this pamphlet, this was

the only one not being taught at the Workers School proper located at 222

west 3rd Street, Los Angeles. This course, according to the booklet, "will

ba a lecture course dealing with decisive pariods in the history of our

nation; the decratic conditions throughout the development of our people.

Beginning with the colonial period, the course till trace the growth, problems

and developments of the American tradition during the period of the Civil War

and reconstruction; it will deal also mith the agrarian populist novement,

the First World War and the present var for national survival". It is to be

noted that this is not the same course that was given by Lawson at the school

for the League of American Writers entitled "Our. Democratic Heritage". The Ios

Angeles Workers School, founded in 1939, according to the pamphlet, bases its

studies on the various teachings "in social science.. Marism.. the theory and

practice of the working class and the people's moveuent throughout history"

The entire Board of Directors of the Workers School are Communists, according

to a confidential informant, Harvey Gilbert Wolf, who also indicated that

this school is the educational plant for the communists in los angeles county.

#Technical Surveillance on the residence of John. Howard Lawson.

SECRET

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The above referred to pamphlet also stated that recently, in a

speech of three hours at the "People's Educational Centerl, John Howard

Lawson made such statements ass

"American policy is the same as it was at Versailles; to

destroy democracy wherever it appears."

"The Marxist theory is the only sound basis for history

teaching."

"The voice of Byrnes is the voice of one of the nost selfish

monopoltes in the world today."

(100-24499-387)

The Daily People's World Issue of September 19, 1946, carries

an article that the los Angeles Chapter of the National Negro Congress would

convene on September 22, 1946, for a mass meeting called for the over all

endorsement of the Fair Employment Practices Act. According to this article,

John Tripp McTernan had been selected to lead a panel discussion on the topic

"Police Brutality"

A similar article was carried in the California Eagle,

ore not paper publisher, neen at carlotto horo Comment

would meet at 4016 South Central Avenue on Sunday, September 22, 1946,

listed at this meting included John Howard Lawson, motion picture writers

speakers

Colonel James Roosevelt; Phillip:M. Connelly: William Bioner, Diecutive Secretary

of Mobilization for Democracy, and Albert Dekicer, motion picture actor.

(77-29135-29 P3°)

In November, 1946, E. F. Schneiders, a former confidential informant

of the Los Angeles Office advised that John Howard Lawson was President of

the Lincoln Commnity Book Center and that Waldo Salt, a low Communist

according to a highly delicate and reliable source, is Vice President. The

informant also ascertained that

the bank account of the lincoln Coumnity

Book Center Mil substantiate Lawson's presidency and another highly con-

lidentlal sources has described this organization as the administrative

apparatus for the lincoln Book Shop which is operated by the Commnist Party

3a Hollywood:

Informant Schneiders, an employee of the Security First National Bank

of Los Angbles, has advised that Lawson has contributed considerable suns of

money to the following organisations, sometimes in the amount of over $1,000

per months

Hollywod Democratic Committee,

Ho 111000d Todependent Citizens Committee of Arts, Setences anglet

Professions,

People's Educational Center,

frechnical surveillance on the residence of John howard larson.

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"In the studio labor organization, the conrades had only

mixed success.

The painters union went over to the side of

the revolution. The Screen Writers' Guild joined the Popular

Froni, despite krave attempts of the Authors! League of America

to wrest the Hollywood section from the Stalinist grip. In the

furious fight against the 'fascists' meaning. anyone wno objected

to Communist domination-Donald Ogden Stewart acted as general-

Issimo with such fine lieutenants as Dudley Nichols, Frances

Hackett, Humphrey Cobb, Dalton Trumbo, Irvin Shau, Tess Slesinger,

San Omitz, Trak Scully, Oliver H. P. Garrett, Lillian Hellman,

Boris Ingster; John Howard Lauson, Lester Cole, Joel Sayre, and

Ladaline Ruthyen."

(100-24499-66 p3.):

Discontinued Technical Surveillance on the American Youth for

Democracy and Confidential Informant Richard V. Servidio advised that

John Howard Lawson wag one of the sponsors of a "second anniversary dinner"

given by the American Youth for Denocracy, a Inow Conmnist dominated

group, on December 12, 1945, at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York City,

purpose of the dinner was "to welcome home discharged veterans, to pay

tribute to the contributions of the young men and women of our

'armed forces

and to dramatize the post-var problems of youth".

(61-777-34-182)

Army Commissions. It tas stated that "the basic consideration is not the

propriety of the man's opinions,

but his loyalty to the United States".

statement of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties was endorsed

by numerous people and the name of John Howard Lawson, playright, Hollywood,

appeared on this list.

It is noted that the National

federation of Constitu-

tional liberties was declared subversive by the Attorney General in July,

(100-1170-298)

According to the Jamary 30, 1946, issue of the Daily Worker, Lauson

was quoted as saying:

"I want

very much to deronstrate vithparticular emphasis the role

of the Negro in American life. Since our history has been written

by white historians and since no influential ones have been fron

the south, the contribution of the Negro people and their leaders

has been completely suppressed".

In this artiale, lawson was described as "one of America's outstanding

historians, author of the authoritative theater and technique of playriting,

and a suecessful, screen writer

(100-24499-371 p2)

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On rebruary 7, 1947, according to a highly confidential soureest

Lou Harris, 4215 Troost Avenue, Horth Hollywood, Califomia, a free lance

witer and

producer as tell as a known Commnist, contacted John Howard

Lawson and' told Lawson

that he was leaving for England at the end of wee

month. The source advised that Lauson and Forris are close friends.&

this same regardion February 14g 1947, another nighly confidentlal source,

mi crophonel surveillance on the soviet Consulate los Angéles) reported

that Lou Harris called at the fussian Vice Consulate in Los Angeles and

here met Eugene Pavlovich Tumantsev, Soviet ConsuzisFarris andJlumantsere

albed for approximately one hour during wich time Harris pointed out that

the writers in the motion picture industry had a very difficult time pre-

senting "progressive ideas" in their stories inasmich as the producers were

Moick to delete them. Harris cormented that he was leatlag on Febzuary 26,

for London fron Nev Tork City on a business tripfend asked fumantsey

thether he should

appeared quite congenial

and the latter evinced considerable interest in the

notion picture industry

(100-240334-6)

eecantoal survelllance oni the reaidanos os Joan Horard Larson-(C(4)

65.s

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Hervey Cilbert Voll, a confidontial informant of the Sos Angolas

0181co, otatod that at a looturo in June, 194a, before o school of the Leagus

of Americon Writers, Bauson stated that on the day that Saeco and Vensot81

vere executed in Mossachusette, Augued 27

1927, ho, Latson had boen arrestee

in Boston for pieketing the Stase Gapitol.

with rogard to this solf-adal :tod

arrest of larson, the informant stated that sauson bacone a labor peitates

meny Joars ago and vent to

Birainghan, Mabane, to participato in a strike

in the steol mille in that eity in 1934.

According to confidential informant

Harvey Gilbert Holl.

Lauson vas arrosted on May 17, 1934, on a charge of

criminal libel groving out of an article which vas written by Lauson In tho

Daily Worker", How losk City Comnist neuspaper, defending & Corunist

orginiser, Harold Holston.

It is observed that Lausean FBI number 1a

3021790 and that his record in thie regard rofloots that he tan arrosted im

Biminghen on Moy 17, 1934, by the Birminghan Police Department on the charge

of being & Commnist:

To tas released

on the sene day.

(100:24499-156 pp 69 8 70)

Officer Ferless of Sho Birninghen Police Department related she

folloving infornation ulth regard to the arrest of lauson in Birminghee.

Alabana. May 17, 1934

Barloos said

that he recalled that the polleo broie

up a Commnist meting at rich larson was present ond that Zeuson too thon

barned over to 088icer&. f Monor and Officer &. G. hole vao vere nanchise

Conmunlit natters at the time for the Miralaghen Police Dopartmont. Ju

this connection Gaptain. G. to Mullens of the Birningnan Police Dopartens

stated that Lauson was defended by a lawyer naned Harold Bolston fron Vey Tork.

He also recalled that a woman named Jane Spood, a vell-Inova Communies

organiser, tas also present at the mooting at walch bauson vas erranted.

Phe

recorde of the Birmingion Police Depertmont further revoaled the folioving

Infernation regarding Alorender I. Rascolin, reportedly also arrosiod vith:

berson:

"ols man lo'an International lador Defense Attomey fros How Yort

616y • He

was very active in 1934 and 1935 in Firninghan and was arrested y

the Birminghan Police on May 17, 1934.

thile in Birninghan, he conseesed

several lauyors in an effort to secure their servicos in reading parts of

the Internaticaal Letor Defense.

This non is. very high in the Geraunist Port.

Hio Birninghon polise nümber 1s VC-26589• (100-24499-177)

The Hew York fines norgue contained two articlos regarding the.

arrest of Lawson at Birminghan, Alebena.

The first article dated dily 6.

1934, reflocted that. Lawson vas arronted on that date sad releasod under boal

of $300 to appear in Recorder"s Court the following day.

The arrest follote?

e confereneo between It. Lauson and fito other New Torkers and W. 0, Boung.

Commissioner of Public Safety at City hell.

the articlo further rovoaled

that on Hay 17, 1934, Lauson uae taken lato custody by polleo. fingerprinies.

photograpbed and released.

This article, referred to above, davad dey 16,

1934, 1d also in the Hew Tork Simes Siles.

The chargon. in conneetion with

a pableation shat appoared in tho Dally Worker in nich a misdoneanor cours

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