Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: LA
To: HQ
Document date: 09/17/1948
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/13/201

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-90143-10386

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

100-370750-140

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO:

TITLE :

FBI

LA

HQ

DATE: 09/17/1948

''PAGES:

17

SUBJECTS :

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION:

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS :

4

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

10/09/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: RPT

v9.1

DocId: 32338968

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

13

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Form No. &

THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT

TOONT MADE AT

LOS ANGELES

SOS ANGELES

100-21198

DATE MADY MADE

19/27/48

TITLE

MORIOD POR

WHICH MAOK

8/133

2/10/40

PILE NO.

REPORT MADE BY

BERNARR Mi. PTACEK

CHARACTER OF CARE

MEH

JOHT TOKARD LAWSON, with aliasess

Jacob LoTy, Jack Lansor

INTERNAL SECURITI-C

SYNOPEIS OF

Attorneys for suoject reguest U.S. Court of Appeals e

extend deadline for receipt of brief to 9/30/48. 01

9/1118 LAMSON met with HOLLAND ROBERTS, Executive Direc-

tor of the American-Russian Institute in San ITanciso0,

regarding reorganization of American-Russian Institute

in Los Angoleso Subjoct's financial contribution to

Los angeles People's Educational Center, and speeches

nade at PEC sponsored "Institute of the Futúre of World

Organization,

", set outs On 8/13/48 LTSON spoke at a

California Labor School sponsored "Philosophies on Irial."

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

He said that the spy logends and the stories told to the

L 6/1/42 10i5 Steve puble by the Thomas comuttes mere propagaida dociend

to play on fears and uncortainties of today. He urged

clonency for JAFRC board, and protested the arrest of

the Hational Bogrd of the Communist Party. 'He arranged.

to have HERBERLN IBERMAN, a booin Communist, nake the

keynote speech at the Utah State Convention of the Pro

greSsivo Partio On 7/1/18 LATSON scid he was very glad

to sponsor the National Civil Rights Congress. He was

lauded at tho World Congross for Peaco held in Poland.

His literary contribution to tho magazine "lasses and

Mainstren" reviewed. Contacts set out.

- Po

REFERENCE S

SG. I. R.48

BUREAU PILE 100-24494

28 MAR 23

1963

E Buroau

OOPIAS ON THIS MONOR

I low York (Information god

B Los Angolos

Roport of Special Agont BERNARR M. PYACEK

dated 6/8/48 at Los Angoles, California

DO NOT WRITE IN THESE SPACE.

19t2449-1

1100-210150-140

22 SEP 241348 7

RECORDED • 91

INDEXED - 91

GOOGIEN

STAT'

M. B. BOT ERMARNT PRINTING OFFICE

13-87982-11

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

IA 100-21198

CNDI LA RD-28 in the north of August 1948, statod that

BELLE DUBNOFF made arrangements for HOLLAND ROBERIS to como to Los Angolos

for tho purpose of making porsonal contacts' with various individuals who had

proviously been active in Russian-imorican affairs for the purposo of raising

nooded funds. HOLLIND ROBERTS is the director of the san Francisco Division

of the limerican-Russian Institute, and 1s also on tho Board of Diroctors of

tho California Labor School.

It should be noted that both the American-Russian

Instituto and the California Labor School of Sar' Francisco were declarod to

be undor the purviow of Executive Order No. 9835 on May 27, 1948. HOLLAND

ROBERTS arrived in Los angolos on lugust 31, 1948, and was observed by Spocial

Agents EDIURD E. ABBOTT and FLOYD V. BROIN to enter the American-Russian

Institute at 11,10 hollo He was also obsorvod by agents of this offico to

contect soveral people who mero in a position to contributo to the institu

tion financially.

iccording to ONDI LA RD-28 and CNDI IA SOMI, JOHN HOWARD

Li'SON was invitod'to moot with ROBERIS on Septomber 1, 1948, at the apart

mont of REVA LUCHA, locatod at 5917 BartonStroet, Hollywood, California, at

8:00 Pello

it 8:20 Polo, on Septombor 1, 1948, Special Agents EDIARD E. ABBOTT

and JOSEPH B. BACKUS observed LuliSH and ROBERTS come out of the apartment

California license 67 D 704. It should be noted that tho records of the

Division of Motor Vehiclos in Los Angolos soflect that this automobile 1s owned

by JOHN HOTTARD ISON.

ANNA LOUISE STRONG:

CNDI IN 1138 advised that iNNA LOUISE SIRONG is a momber

of the Communist Party. 'BNDI l, J0.1 advised that STRONG not with JOHN

HOAPD LSON on June 20, 1948, ot which me she advised him of the follow.

ing Informations

She aaid she had just returned home for the Wallace

Convention, where she will bo a delegate or an obsertor. she statod she had

purchaod a home at lacroscenta, California. She will go abroad soon sinoo

the Chinese Loft ling asked her to come to Manchuria through Siboria. She

will bo the only corrospondent bohind those lines.' She told IniSON that thore

was a radio in Manchuria, and that she might be able to use It for a mockly

reporto

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

Le's 100-21198

discrimination has been fully solvod only in the Sovict Union. Ict

ho contradicts the implications of his own investigation by accopting

MYRDiL's thesis that discrimination 1s an othical dilomna, dis a

rosult, LuSKI attributes the trouble, as he does all other difficulties,"

to tho psychology of the businoss mon. 'america will not go forward •

to tho solution of these grave and growing issues until its citizons

haro displacod tho business man as tho idol to be worshippod in its

narket pleoes.'

"Yot the next, and final, lines of the chaptor con-

tain ono of LiSKI's rarc statonents of denocratic faith and hopo.

"That time is not yot, although it will conc. It

will conc becauso imorica nears in each docade the stego in which

It will bo driven to the roalization that it can have oither finance

capitaliam or donocracy, but not both.

Even its rulers will then bo

surprised how deep-rooted in its s01l

. 1s tho tradition which makes

democracy the parent of frcodon.'

"One can only wish thet these words, and not tho

philosophy of the businoss nan, had boen nade the theme and mossago

of the book."

The sugust 1s840 of "Hassos and Mainstrean" will bo

filod 1n Los angules filo 100-22782.

Poople's Elucational Conter:

Tho Poople's Educational issociation, commonly known as

the Pooplo's Educational Conter, 1717 North Vine Street, Los Angolos, Cali

fornia, was includod in Executivo Order Number 9835, issued by tho attorney

Gonoral on Hay 27, 19480

On April 8, 1948, CNDI In 32l adrisod tho writer that

on Lugust 10, 194; JOIN HOTLED LISON contributod 50 to tho Pooplo's

Educational issociation in Hollywoodo

Tho sano informant advisod that as of

On March 31, 1948, CNDI Iu 3243 advised that he

observod a lotter in the possession of SIDNEY DiVISON, diroctor of the

Pooplo'& Eduentional Contor, adirossed to JOHN HO! IRD INSON. Tho lotter

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (14 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

LA 100-21198

bore the date Hey 23, 1946, and statod "This is to confirm our comersation

that I an converting ny loan of $100 to a donation to the Pcople's Educational

Contor," signca "JOI HOURD LTISON."

On ipril 8, 1948, CNDI Li: 32lu providod the writer with

the toxt of a locture mado by the subject at the "Institute on the Futuro of

liorld Organization" and "Perspoctivos' of tho San Francisco Conferenco, " hela

april 10, 1945, at thu Shoroham Hotol, Los ingolos, under the auspicos of

tha Pooplo's Educational Centor.

I very brief digost of the speech is providod for this

report. The toxt if the entiro speoch will be mado part of the Los ingeles

"There has novor been such a thing as isolationian in

Inerican forciga policy, according to JOHN HOWARD LliSon, sponking

at the institute on Future World Organization hold at the Shorcham

Hotcl under the auspices of the Pooplos Educational Contor. LiSON's

discussion was the first of a sorios if fowr locturos, tho othors to

Do fiton Friday evoning and Sunday afternoon and ovening at the samo

"LiSON challonged tho idos that tho San Frantisco

conforenco will have to brock down a tradition of isolationisn, citing 4

oxemples from Jofforson to Rooscolt.

"SOur foroign policy,? ho said, 'is just now carrying

out the proodent making idoes of Jofforsin, who beliovod in froc

traco, po-ceful expension, ind nothods short ni wer for the sottlo-

noat of inturnational disputos.? The zonroc doctrino, seid LulSON,

Bot tinos misconstrued as giving the U. sa hegemony over tho westorn

honisphore, was really a trunchious stup forward in strongthoning the

young domocracios of the west against tho rcactionary Holy Alliance

of Europe.

"¡gain it the time of the Civil wor, Li SOll showed,

forcign polisy played a dicisivo role in dotormining cvont.

tho dranatic faot that the south counted on nilitary expansion of its

slave area bufore launching its dofiance if tho U. S. govermment.

"Following tho denoeratic period of rcconstruction,

inorican enorgy was pourod into the wustern frontior to the exclusion

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (41 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

Li: 100-21198

On July 8, 1948, CNDI LA JO-1 advised that ABART

Jury told lists that the JAFiC board had been allowed to petition the

Supreme Court, and that since the court was in recess until fall they would

be free until at least the fall of 1948. LlISON said that their only chance

in the fall is to build up public sentiment for thom. LBERT InLIZ agreed

with Lur SCH's coment.

Civil Rights Congress:

youst 3, 1948, CGII IN 3081 advised that JOiN

HO AND LA'SON told GEORG!

waSTuLl, Civil Rights Congress , 205 East 42nc

stract, ilow York City, that he was very glad to join sponsoring the National

Coricrence.

Frotests irrost National Bourd of Comminist Party!

On July 20, 1948, twelve rombers of the lational Board

talon fron a panphict entitled, "EUGElla IS Indicts the Wall Strect

Conspirators,

int was obtained by source I-l fron the Los angeles County

Coinunist Party.

On July 21, 1948, CNDI Li J0-1 advised that JOIN HOARS

Lisall sai. that it would to a vory good idea for "the 10" and tho arts,

Scionors and Profossions Council to issue a strong statemont in protost of

th arrost of the National boari of the Cormunist Party.

irts, Sciencos and Professions Council:

CADI an JaI carisod on July 271, 1948, that J0:D HOARD

L SOil a visca JOY DUG:Ill. PEPPER, Exccutivo Secrotary of the irts, Sciences

and Frofessions Council, that li would bo nocossary to issuo a rominder cord

on the scrios of forums that were boing condusted by the Council. LuiSOl

told PiPPil that the curindor car: should suy soncthing about our civil

rights being dostroycig our cultural frocdon, what we can do about its the

canitalisis arc starting a varo

on the card protosting the junit-llixon Bille

The subjoet told CNDI Li j0-1 on August 16, 1948, that

the irts, "cionces and Professions Council was foing to sporsor a speaking

tour in the castorn part of the United Statos to raise fundse LurisOli further

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