Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: BS
To: HQ
Document date: 2/1/50
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

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 :

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-90143-10309

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

100-370750-NR

Document Information

ORIGINATOR :

FBI

FROM:

BS

1O: HQ

TITLE:

DATE:

02/01/1950

'PAGES:

7

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: MEMO

v9.1

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/Releaset under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (41 USe, 2107 Hovers

DATE: 1Y-14-2017

STRICTH

DIRECTOR

COME IDA ILA.

SAC, BOSTON

COMPIC

ALL ITPORIATION CONPAIRED

Internal Security - CO

HEREIN IS UNCLASSLFIED

Gitie

(BUFILE 100-138754)

EXCEPT WHERE SHOWH

OTHERWIS

FEBRUARY 1, 1950

Reference is made to Los Angeles letters to

the

Bureau dated November 10 and November 15, 1949,

and

tọ New York teletype to Boston on November 21,

1949.

5668-540

FIED BY

DECLABOI

ON

ADRIAN SCOTT

The "Cambridge Chronicle Sun" 1s a weekly newspaper

published at Cambridge, Massachusetts. In its issue

dated November 15, 1949,

It carried a news item reflecting

that ADRIAN SCOTT

would

speak on November 17, 1949, under

the auspices of the Massachusetts Council of the Arts,

Sciences and Professions at the Cambridge Community Center

at 8:00 P.M.

ND BOS 525, who 1s a member of the MCASP, advised

that notices for this speech were not recelved by the

attendance was. limited.

and received the foregoing information from other members

Classified

OH:

Declassify

of the organization.

on

Confidential Informant ND BOS T-S 215 advised that

November 18, 1949, the Subject contacted HARLOW

SHAPLEY at the

latter's office at the Harvard Observatory,

canbridge, Massachusotts, in order to discuss the affairs

of the National Council

of the Arts, Sciences and Professions

(NCASP) • The Informant learned, at

the same time, that

while in Boston SCOTT was registered at the Hotel Somerset,

Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

Special Employee RICHARD

KALLY read a notice on

bulletin board at Boston Univorsity reflecting that

SCOTT addressed a group under the auspices

of the YOUNG

PROGRESSIVES OF MASSACHUSETTS at 3:00 P.M. on

the afternoon

100-370750-01

Boston I-S 227 learned from DIRK STRUIK

that scorT

was speaking under the auspices of the Brookline Progressivall

CC - NEW

• YORK (100-50870)

1-224 419-

CC - LOS

ANGELES (100-15732).

NOT RECORDED

BSG :mC

1030

100-00895512012

AL

148 MAR

3

.:1950

CU

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 444 USC 2107 H05

DATE: 11-14-2017

DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY 1, 1950

COANIDENTIAL

Party, Brookline,

Massachusetts, at 4:00 P.M. on

November 20, 1949. ND BOS I-S 227 only lmows that

scort was scheduled to speak on this date and at

the same place indicated for JOHN HOWARD LAWSON below.

Ф)(4

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

ALAN SWITZER 1s the Manager of the Bellevue Hotel,

Boston, Massachusetts, and a confidential source of

information for the Boston Division.. From SWITZER 1t

was ascertained that JOHN HOWARD LAWSON checked into

ND BOS 521 received an announcement from the

Brighton group of the Progressive Party reflecting

that LAWSON would speak'at 4:00 P.M. under the clubs

auspices on November 20, 1949.

The place of the meeting

was the Brookline Academy, Beacon Street, Boston,

ND BOS T-S 225 obtalned the following information

from

HARLOW SHAPLEY on the dates indicated: x U

On November 22, 1949, SHAPLEY advised the Informant:

that LAWSON was in Boston

and was interested in contacting

active members and leaders of the NCASP.

SHAPLEY stated

that LAWSON had advised him that the Hollywood ASP Council

has 1200 paid-up members and an excellent man heading It.

SHAPLEY stated that, on the other hand, the New York ASP

Council is in a confused state following CLARK FOREMAN'S

resignation. He, SHAPLEY, also advised that the Hollywood

ASP

is preparing an organizational plan for the use of the

New York organization and the national organization.

Later on the same day, the Informant learned from

SHAPLEY that the latter had been contacted by DAVID RIGBY,

Secretary of the Montreal Chapter of the Canadian Peace

Conference. RIGBY solloited 'SHAPLEY to address this latter

group.

SHALIY declined, but among the other substitutes

suggested by him was

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON.

SHAPLEY characterized

LAWSON as a "brilliant speaker and well' lown historian.

RIGBY inquired as to whether or not LAWSON'S approach to

peace was along the linos of HENRY A WALLACE.

SHAPLEY

responded affirmatively but added that it was

doubtful that

LAWSON would be allowed to leave the United States.

He

contacted LAWSON immediately and LAWSON advised that he .

would be afraid to leave the United States without the advice

-2-

CON

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/Released under the Tohn F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Horej

DATE: 11-14-2017

TAL

DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY 1,

1950

of his counsel, MARTIN POPPER of New York City..

LAWSON

agreed to communicate further on this matter directly

with RIGBY from New York City.

SHAPLEY, thereafter, contacted ZECHARIAH CHAFFEE,

Professor,

Harvard Law School, and made an appointment

with the latter for LAWSON.

thorearte School,*

It was necessary for

SHAPIRY to identify LAWSON, but CHAFFEL did make the

appointment for the following day at 11:00 A.M.. When

SHAPLEY advised LAWSON of his appointment with CHAFFEE,

LAWSON revealed that he had already made other plans

with The Reverend JOSEPH FLETCHER of the Episcopal

Theological Seminary, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and

DONALD ANGUS CAMERON,

Boltor-in-Chief, LITTLE BROWN

PUBLISHING COMPANY, Boston.

It is noted that CAMERON

had been tentatively identified as a professional member

that

Con-

fidential Informants ND BOS 493 and 165 have identified

FLETCHER as a trustee of the late SAMUEL ADAMS SCHOOL,

and a

National sponsor of the JAFRC, the NCASp and the

BOS T-S 215 also learned that on the late evening

of. November 22, 1949, LAWSON had had an extensive

conference with JoHNN. M. HOWELLS of Belmont, Mass-

achusetts,

the Chairman of the MCASP.

The Informant

could only

learn that the conference was concerned with

affairs of the NCASP.

a (4)

ND BOS T-S 215 was again present with SHAPLEY on

the morning of November 23, 1949, when the latter advised

LAWSON that his morning appointment with CHAFFEE had been

postponed until 4:00 PoM. on that afternoon. LAWSON

stated that, in the interim,

he had chocked with friends

of his on the west Coast and learned that CHAFFEE had conducted

friendly correspondence with ALBERT MALTZ (another LITTLE

BROWN COMPANY author and a Hollywood scenario writer) and

thạt CHAFFEE had expressed to MALTZ a sincere interest in

the case of the "Hollywood Ten." SHAPLEY cautioned LAWSON

that his conference with CHAFFEE might not run too smoothly

because Harvaro Law School customs require that faculty

members do not

become too heavily involved

"In things"

because

faculty members must lecture to all kinds of people.

@) Ш

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

DATE: /11-14-2017

DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY 1, 1950

LAWSON was not discouraged and stated that in

New York he had met with theatrical people such as

GEORGE KAUFMAN and RICHARD LAUTERBACH and had found

that such poople were very interested In assisting

the "Hollywood

Ten," but not through affillation with

it not

the NCASP •

ND

BOS T-S 215 was prosent with LAWSON at 5:00

LAWSON stated that he had had a satisfactory conference

with CHAFFEE and that CHAFFEE expressed a willingness

to assist in the preparation of a briof amicus curiae

to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case

Involving the "Hollywood Ten."

CHAFFEE had further in

dicated his willingness to

sign such a briof as a

faculty member of the Harvard Law School. He conditioned

these offers, however, on the brief being filed under

the auspices of the AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION and,

further, upon LAWSON'S obtalning the signatures and

assistance of OSMOND FRANKO (phonetic) and ARTHUR GARFIELD

HAYES• CHAFFEE was unwilling to associate himself In

such a

matter with the NCASP

LAWSON also stated that

he was

attempting to have still another brief filed by

educators and a third by publishers, and that D. ANGUS

CAMERON had promised to assist in the publishers! brief.

ND BOS T-S 215 learned from LAWSON that the latter

- had, on the afternoon of November 22, 1949, made a two hour

speech before the Student Lawvers Guild at

the Harvard Law

School:

LAWSON said that his presence had created a

considerable "fuss", and that the chairman of the Guild

hed resigned rather than preside at a meeting addressed

by him..

Nevertheless,

the students had voted overwhelmingly

to hear LAWSON. LAWSON reported that the students were

1e ana eppeared to be pinelpally interested in the

divided "to some extent" about the pros and cons. of the

technicalities rather than in the

"larger issues

presented by the suggested matter."

LAWSON also appeared publicly at the special meeting

of the Community Church hela at 565 Boylston Street,

Boston, Massachusetts:

The Community Church is under

the direction of The Reverend DONALD LOTHROP, who has been

affiliated at times past, with the JAPRC, the

NCASP and: the

4

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records ColTection Act of 1992 744 USC 2107 ForE

DATE: 11-14-2017

boards

TAL

DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY 1, 1950

NOASF, according to ND BOS 525.

The Conmunity Church

meeting was attended by Confidential Informants ND BOS

21 and 559 on November 23, 1949. According to these

Informants, LAwsoN's speech was as follows:

He said that he was speaking in Boston,

New York

and

Philadelphie, while other members of the

, "Hollywood

Ten" were visiting other cities in the U.S.

All speakers

were attempting to acquaint the population with the

real meaning of the trial of the "Ten." He asserted.

that only two of the ton stood trial under an agreement

whereby the remaining eight accepted the judgment reached

with reforence to the two. LAWSON asserted that he was

one of the two who did stand trial and that the atmosphere

of the court room was depressing and tense, like a Nazi

court room immediately prior to worla war II. He digressed

to eriticize the Government of the United states for

deporting a German,

one BERTHOLDT BROCk, after the letter

had obtained sanetuary from two Fasciat persecutions In.

Europe.

was

Reverting to the trial, he stated that the jury

selected in an unusual

and unfair manner. The jurors

gat in the audience in the rear of the court

room; they

were questioned collectively

and over the heads of the

audience and responded collectively. The defendant was

not afforded an opportunity to challenge the jurors.

When

the trial bogan, the jury heard only the opening statements

and the closing arguments and nothing of that which had

trenspired in the interin.

The jury was made up partially

of Government employees who could not remain impartial

and maintain their positions.

The court room was. loaded with uniformed and plain

clothes police.

If you spoke your political opinions

frankly, you would find yourself surrounded by them.

The

defense

attorneys were gentlemen throughout the course of

the trial and their subsequent indictment for contempt

of court should certainly move every righteous member of

the bar to register protest.

The Bill of Rights and the

Constitution are easy to read and to understand and we

do not need self-assisting authorities to Interpret them.

LAwSON then stated that he had made an extensive study

of history.

This study had led him to the conclusion

that the foreign and domestic policies of this

-following World War II are the same as world Wrount He

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Aeleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hor

DATE: 11-14-2017

MOAN HI

9231/26

DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY I, 1950

recalled when he had led demonstrations in behalf of

SACCO -VANZETTI

He recalled the presence of American

Marines in China following World War I and the effect

that they had upon the history of the Orient for the

next twenty years.

Russia and that

who hate Russia.

He covered the following points very briefly:

(1) He admitted that he lacked the vocabulary of

proper epithets to adequately describe Judge NEDINA.

(2)

Everyone should read "DALTON TRUMBO'S "The

Time of the Toad, '

(3)

The Pilgrims did not come to Plymouth to escape

communism, but really to escape

servitude.

(4) He, LAWSON, had personally read stenographic

reports of purge trials in Russia and had reached the

conclusion that the defendants were guilty as found..

(5) JOHN FOSTER DULLES 10 a Fascist.

(6) We send but !

"fools and knaves" to the Uh.

(7) Only 1n Russia are criminal Indiotments based

upon overt aots,

(8) The U.s. people like good movies and not those

such

the "Iron Curtain,"

anything:

(9) TRUWAN talks about C1v11 Righte but he

never does

(10) The American press and radio are unreliable,

(11). The American people are not displeased over Russia's

possession of the atom bomb;

they know that it will cause the

U.so to

seek more diligently a road to peace.

In the question perlod which followed, a young Boston

University student, identity not known to ND BOS 21, asked

If there were "any

good officials in our State Department.

- :6

CRAFNENTIAL

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Released under the-John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (49 ust 2107 kotey.

DATE:) 11-14-2017

Quad

DIRECTOR

FEBR

2. 1950

LAWSON replied that Georgetown University provided the

State Department with most of its personnel which 1s

why the State Department is the sorry thing that it 18:

DI. LOTHROP, minister of the Community Church,

urnod a good collection in order that the church might

participate in the brief.

ND BOS

552 interviewed Reverend LOTHROP on November

22, 1949, concerning LAWSON'S appearance at the church

and elsewhere in this area. LOTHROP advised him that the

appearances were arranged by the Reverend ROBERT MUIR, a

minister who comes from Somerville, Massachusetts; and who

has been affiliated with the JAFRO end the SAMUEL ADAMS

SCHOOL in times paste

LOTHROP further advisod ND BOS 552

thạt LAWSON and NUIR would leave Boston for washington,

D.C., at 11:00 P.M. on November 23, 1949.

Reference lo made to Los Angeles letter dated November

28, 1949, under this coption.

This letter reflects that

copies of certain records concerning the "Hollywood Ten"

were forwarded to. THEODORA GOLDSTEIN, 726 Washington Street;

Brookline, Massachusetts The Los Angeles Division 1s ad-

vised that THEODORA GOLDSTEIN is the wife of ROBERT GOLDSTEIN,

M.D., who is a research associate at the Beth Israel Hospital,

Brookline, Massachusetts.

THEODORA GOLDSTEIN 1s a graduate of Columbia University

In Chemistry and was employed during World War II at the

Section of the Communist "arty

Information furnished

by highly confidential informents in Boston and New York indi

cates that THEODORA GOLDSTEIN 1s the "link" between the

Professional Soction of the Communist Party and the Boston

Conmunist Party headquarters and is a mall drop for the

Boston Cormunist directorate for messages transmitted from

New York Oity®

CON

RUC

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