Evening star. [volume], July 21, 1948, Page A-5, Image 5

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
American-Born Blond
Is Reported Key in
Probe of Red Ring
By *K« Associated Press
NEW YORK. July 21.—The World
Telegram said today in a copyright
ed article that a beautiful blond's
tip to the FBI on a large Russian
spy ring led to the Federal grand
jury investigation culminating in in
dictments of 12 top Communist of
ficials.
The World-Telegram reported the
following:
The unnamed woman. New Eng
land-born, suffered pangs of con
science and decided she could no
longer sabotage her native coun
try. Her fantastic story, incredible
to FBI agents at first, turned out
to be completely true.
She told the FBI that 50 Govern
ment employes of all ranks were
members of the ring. The FBI still
does not have enough evidence to
Indict, but is remaining relentlessly
on the trail of ring members. Their
biggest stumbling block is that Fed
eral courts still do not admit wire
tapping evidence.
Got Control of Ring.
The woman, graduate of a noted
women's college and an official of a
purported relief organization during
the war. had been a minor Commu
nist Party member for years. Grad
ually she was taken into Communist
confidence and in the midst of the
war. when her immediate superior
died, found herself in control of the
spy ring.
She was given information by
about 50 men and women Govern
ment employes, all Communists,
ranging from clerks to one man of
near cabinet authority. Nearly all.
due to FBI pressure, no longer are
on the Government payrolls.
Among the secrets the woman and
her agents turned over to the Rus
sians were the first plans of the
B-29. still under wraps, and com
plete data on R-D-X, a plastic ex
plosive. She furnished the Soviet
with almost daily figures on Ameri
can production of planes and other
war material.
* OOP was Almost tsroKen.
From a White House official she
learned one day that American in
telligence officers were about to
break the Russian secret code—-a
break, incidentally, which might
have.informed American authorities
, of the existence of thespy ring. The
Russians presumably quickly
changed their code.
Working for the woman was a
man high in the councils of the
Office of Strategic Services who
would meet the woman on a Wash
ington street corner and turn over
secret information to her.
Others working for her included a
personal adviser of President Roose
velt. a high Army Air Force officer,
an official of the War Production
Board, members of the Office of War
Information and persons informed
of policy from other strategic Gov
ernment agencies.
None received money for their
activities. They turned over the
information because they were loyal
members of the Communist Party.
After informing the FBI, the woman
retained many of her old associates |
for more than a year to give the FBI s
a chance to check her story.
Once, with FBI agents watching.1
she met a high official from the
Soviet Embassy in Washington. She
received an envelope containing j
several thousand dollars from him. j
The official came to New York toj
press the money on her because he
believed she was weakening.
Communists
(Continued From First Page.)
charge, was called for “the purpose]
of organizing as the Communist
Party of the United States of
America a society, group and as
sembly of persons dedicated to the
Marxist-Leninist principles of the
overthrow and destruction of the
Government of the United States
by force and violence."
Federal officials said the maxi
mum penalty upon conviction under
the Smith Act is 10 years' impris
onment and a fine of $10,000 for
each charge. Those arraigned last]
night in New York were indicted
on two charges each.
The Communist Party statement
(aid:
'The American people can now
see to what desperate provocations
(President) Truman is driven in an]
effort to win the election, by hook
or crook. * * * and * * * indict
ment of the Communists is neatly
timed to embarrass the New Peo
ples Party now holding its found
ing convention in Philadelphia."
Baldwin Sees ‘Coincidence’.
In Philadelphia. C. B. Baldwin,
campaign manager for Mr. Wal
laces New' Party, said today:
For the first time in our history
the Government has moved to out
law a political party."
He also told a news conference!
ft was a ••remarkable coincidence" i
that the Government should move]
against the Communist Party dur- ]
ing tne same week when the Wal-1
lace “New Party " convention is to j
begin.
A reporter asked what Mr. Bald-!
win meant by calling it a “remark-:
able coincidence."
Smiling, he replied: ‘‘I’ll leave
that to you.”
The exchange went on:
Reporter: "Is that an admission]
there are Communists in the Wal
lace party?”
Mr. Baldwin: “I made no admis
sions."
"Assumes lisa Party.
Another reporter: "Are there any
Communists in the Wallace move
ment?”
Mr. Baldwin: "I assume that (
there are.'
A third reporter: "Are you con-i
vinced that the Communist Party!
is a political party?”
Mr. Baldwin: "I assume it's a po
litical party.”
Mr. Baldwin read a statement on
the indictment of the Communist
leaders.
"This indictment is an effort to
illegalize and outlaw the Com
munist Party,” he said.
“I am not. of course, familiar with
the evidence the Government in
tends to present. Recent history,:
however, teaches us that the sup
pression of the Communist Party j
in any country has been followed by
an assault on the civil liberties of
other political minorities, and par
ticularly the labor movement.”
Foster and Dennis Statements.
After their arraignment, both
Foster and Dennis issued state
ments.
Foster said “this frameup is an
attack upon the Communist Party,
upon trade unions and upon the
New Party and every democratic
process in the United States. It is
a step taken by the Government to
force the United States into fascism
•nd war.”
Dennis said, “If the administra
NEW YORK.—COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERS RELEASED IN
CUSTODY OF COUNSEL AFTER ARRAIGNMENT—Six men,
described by Federal authorities as members of the Communist
Party National Board, are shown leaving Federal Court last
night following arraignment on charges of advocating the over
throw of the United States Government. Released in custody
VW- .'• ■■■.V.-AV. v --w.Ty^y^.jTO,iyji,WUWWp)WWWWMH—IWH—H— II
of counsel are (left to right): William Z. Foster, head of the
Communist Party of America; Jacob A. Stachel, educational
secretary; Henry Winston, organizational secretary; New York
City Councilman Benjamin Davis; Eugene Dennis, general sec
retary, and John B. Williamson, trade union secretary.
CARL WINTERS,
Chairman, Michigan State
Council of the Communist
Party.
JOHN W. GATES,
Editor 0/ the Daily Worker.
IRVING POTASH,
Manager of the CIO Furriers
Joint Council of New York
City,
GILBERT GREEN,
District chairman for the
Communist Party in Chicago.
« --
tion was interested in indicting the
advocates of force and violence it
would have to indict itself for its
bipartisan policies, the advocates of
atomic war, the advocates of lynch
ing against the Negroes of the
South and those who attack trade
unions with tear gas and bombs.
“We stand and fight f6r peace and
progress and democracy. Because
we stand in the way of force, that
is why we are being attacked to
day."
Foster, who succeeded Earl
Browder as chief of the American
Comttitmist Party, has been af
filiated with the party since 1919
and three times has been the party's
candidate for United States Presi
aent.
At thfc arraignment last night be
fore Federal Judge Vincent Leibell.
Foster and the five other defendants
stood silent and impassive. But
Abraham Unger, one of the defense
attorneys for the group, told the
judge:
“The outrageous character of
these indications should be clear
to the court. The data on which
these indictments were found should
be conclusive to even a layman that
no crime is concerned, but rather
the political activities of citizens.
“It is clear that this case will be
fought relentlessly and determinedly
by the defendants to vindicate them
selves and guard against the sort
of thing that is taking place tonight.
This is an attempt to cut under the
rights ol persons as to their political
beliefs. These defendants will fight
this fight on behalf of the people.”
Promises ‘American Trial’.
Judge Leibell lold Mr. Unger that
an indictment constitutes ‘‘only a
charge and does not usually set
forth proof." and then added:
"They'll have an American trial.”
"I hope so, your honor," Mr. Un
ger replied.
"Don't worry about that," Judge
Leibell said. "They will!"
The Communist Party statement
described the arrests as an "Amer
ican version of the Reichstag fire”
and said they were “the domestic
counter-part of the criminal bi
partisan attempts to turn the war
in Berlin from cold to hot. It will
be used for this purpose in the
special session of Congress . . .”
The statement also said that the
Democrats were "seeking to brand"
Mr. Wallace's party as "criminal”
and went on to say that “among the
opponents of Wall Street's two old
parties and their candidates are the
Communists, who also join with
all other pregressives in supporting
the New People’s Anti-War Party.”
"Like the Communists who faced
their Nazi prosecutors after the
burning of the Reichstag,” the
statement added, "we accuse our
accusers of betraying the national
interest to the interest of the giant
i trusts, and of seeking to subvert
America's democratic institutions
I and replace them with a fascist dlc
I tatorship.”
He then said the American people
should be alerted to the "threat to
their Democratic rights.”
Mr. Baldwin said he understands
the grand jury has been sitting In
the case for more than a year and—
“I put it to you. gentlemen of the
press, whether the timing of the
; indictments and arrest* could per
i haps be anything more than a
! coincidence.”
i
BRICK
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ROBERT G. THOMPSON,
Chairman, New York State
Communist Party.
—AP Wirephotos.
GUS HALL,
Chairman, Ohio State Com
munist Party.
Russian
(Continued From First Page.1*
short of war with Russia, are pre
paring new diplomatic moves in a
determined effort to produce a
peaceful solution if at all possible.
These moves will be aimed at ex
hausting all the diplomatic resources
available in an effort to induce the
Russians to lift their blockade of
the German capital before resorting
to steps that might increase the risk
of war.
Gen. Marshall told questioners
that he could not say at the moment
whether the new moves planned in
clude another note to Moscow or an
appeal to the United Nations.
He also refused any comment when
asked what measure of support the
American position has from France,
now in the midst of a governmental
crisis.
Marshall Sees Clay Tomorrow.
Gen. Marshall said he expected to
confer tomorrow’ morning with Gen.
Clay. White House Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross said earlier that
President Truman planned to see
Gen. Clay and Ambassador Robert
D. Murphy, his political adviser, who
is accompanying him, sometime this
week. No definite time has been set
for this White House conference, Mr.
Ross said.
Gen. Marshall usually goes over
foreign policy developments with
the President in a regular Thurs
day conference. He was asked if
Gen. Clay and Mr. Murphy might
accompany him to the White House
tomorrow, and replied that he did
not know yet.
This Government’s basic policy
for dealing with the extremely deli
cate situation in Berlin, made
known authoritatively before Gen.
Marshall's news conference today
and pointed up by his statement,
emphasizes three points:
1. A determination “not to be
kicked out of Berlin.” This means,
one informant said, that "if force is
applied we will reply with force.”
2. An equally firm determination
to do everything possible for peace
ful solution of the crisis, including
further diplomatic exchanges direct
with Moscow and airing of the case
before the United Nations if other
moves fail.
3. Considerable restraint in both
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have resorted to a tremendous air!
officials so as nqt to make the crisis
any worse than it is and not close
off any possibilities for peaceful so
lution.
Officials here stressed the need for
calmness and composure in this
country as part of the effort to pre
vent. precipitation of war.
Top American authorities want to
make sure that if shooting does
break out over the Berlin crisis the
blame will rest on Russia and not
on the Western powers. As one in
formant put it, “If the Russians are
determined to have a war, they can
get it, but they will have to bring
it about themselves.”
Determined Not to Appease.
Events of the last few weeks have
not altered the conviction of officials
here that Russia actually does not
want war. At the same time, it is
considered possible that the Russians
may have decided that it is better
to have it out now than later in
view of the fact that they appear to
be losing ground in Europe generally.
*n this situation American policy- j
makers are determined not to "ap
pease, bend the knee or give any
sign of weakness.”
They hope to avoid, however, any
growth of hysteria in this country
or in Western Europe over the pos
sibility of open conflict with the
Soviet. Both President Truman and
Secretary Marshall have called re
peatedly in the past for the Ameri
can people to keep cool.
Clay to Return to Berlin.
Secretary Royall said late yes
terday that Gen. Clay is coming
here at Mr. Royall’s request to
“discuss the German situation''.
and will return to Berlin at the end
of the week.
The talks were expected to cover i
the problem of supplying Berlin by
air from the Western occupation
zones and the exact military situa
tion in Europe as well as general
policy matters.
The immediate problem is caused;
by the Russian blockade of rail and 1
highway traffic into Berlin from the
Western zones, which the American,
British and French governments
contend violates their basic rights
for free access to Berlin as a result
of Germany's defeat.
To provide the western sectors
of Berlin with food and other es
sential supplies, the western powers
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actions and words by United States
operation, flying in hundreds of
tons of supplies daily.
It is estimated that many weeks
of good flying weather remain in
which the German capital may be
supplied by air despite the Soviet
blockade of surface transport. But
bad weather and the need for more
coal this fall may make the air
supply inadequate.
During the weeks Immediately
ahead, then, the ingenuity of the
western powers will be put to the full
test to discover some means of reach
ing a workable agreement with the
Russians.
Resort to other steps to try to
break the blockade would not be
justifiable until all diplomatic re
sources are exhausted, officials here
believe.
There has been some speculation
about possible retaliatory moves,
such as economic sanctions,1 like
hplding up Russian ships in western
ports and cutting off all trade with
the Soviet. One extreme step widely
talked about is sending an armed'
convoy through the Soviet zone to1
Berlin to test Russian willingness
to resort to force to enforce the
blockade.
It appears certain in the light of
present policy here, however, that
no such, move will be undertaken ■
except as a last resort.
2,000,000 Jap Peasants
Get Land in Reforms
TOKYO. July 21.—More than
2,000,000 Japanese peasants have be
come landowners during the Allied
occupation.
Land reform laws sponsored by
Japan's conquerors have resulted in
the Japanese government buying
3,805.290 acres of farm land and the
acquisition of another 425,756 acres
in lieu of taxes.
Dr. L. I. Hewes, scientific consult
ant in headquarters' agricultural di
vision, told a news conference today
that 2,995.914 acres of such land has
been resold to former tenant farm
ers.
yf \_
Truck Driver Killed
TRENTON, N. J., July 21 OP).—
Allen Owens Clark, 32, of Box 13,
East New Market, Md., was killed
today when a tractor-trailer truck
he was driving was in collision with
a similar vehicle on Route 25 at
Robbinsville. Police and emergency
squads worked 40 minutes to extri
cate his body from the cab of the
truck.
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Communists Held in New York
Are Veteran Leaders of Party
By tho Associated Press
NEW YORK, July 21.—The 12 men
charged yesterday with advocating
overthrow of the United States Gov
ernment come from the top layer of
the American Communist Party.
A." are members of the party's
national board. Most have been
affiliated with the party many years.
Three now are facing deportation
proceedings on charges of being
alien Communists.
William Z: Foster, 67, party chair
man, has been a member of the
party sine* 1919. Three times he
has been its candidate for President,
and twice before he served as na-.
tional chairman.
In July. 1945, Foster took com
mand of the party at its postwar
rebirth. During the war, he was one
of 11 vice presidents of the interim
Communist Political Association,
He was Communist candidate for
President in 1924, 1928 and 1932,
and was named party chairman in
1933 and 1938.
Three Facing Deportation.
Eugent Dennis, general secretary
of the party, is said to have been
a member since 1926.
In May, 1947, Dennis was indicted
in Washington for failure to appear
before the House Committee on
Un-American Activities. He was
fined $1,000 and sentenced to a year
in jail. The case has been appealed.j
The three men currently facing
deportation proceedings are John
B. Williamson, Jacob A. Stachel
and Irving Potash.
Williamson, the party's trade
unions secretary, was arrested last
February 10, and held at Ellis
Island until March 6.
Potash, manager of the CIO Fur
riers Joint Council of New York
City, was arrested March 2, detained
on Ellis Island with Williamson
and three others, and released
March 3.
Both Potash and Williamson are
free on $3,500 bond.
Their detention at Ellis Island
was marked by a hunger strike.
Potash, bom in Russia, has been
in the United States since 1915. He
also is an officer of the CIO Inter
national Fur and Leather Workers
Union of New York City.
Davis a Councilman Since 1943.
Stachel, the party's educational
secretary, was arrested June 1 and
held for deportation proceedings on
charges of being an alien Com
munist. He was freed the same day
from Ellis Island on $3,500 bond.
Born in Galicia, now a part of
the Soviet Union, Stachel is charged
with entering the United States il
legally in 1931, and later joining a
subversive organization.
Henry Winston, colored. Com
munist Party organizational secre
tary. formerly was a member of
the national executive board of the
Young Communist League.
Benjamin Davis, also colored, a
New York City councilman, twice
nas been Communist Party candi
date for attorney general of New'
York State.
He withdrew from the race after
receiving the nomination in 1942.
In 1946, named as candidate for
Senator, he withdrew and entered
the race for State attorney general.
Davis has been a New York City
councilman since 1943.
Worker Editor Also Held.
Gilbert Green of Chicago, district
chairman of the Communist Party
in Chicago, formerly was national
CIO Glass Union Officers
To Sign Non-Red Oaths
By the Associated Press
CHARLESTON- W. Va.. July 21.—
The Federation erf Glass, Ceramic
and Silica Sand Workers of America,
CIO, resolved last night that its
officers must sign non-Communist
affidavits.
Delegates to the eighth biennial
convention voted that "any person
who is a member of the Communist,
Nazi, or Fascist Party, or anv person
whose belief is in the overthrow of
the United States Government shall
be barred from holding any elective
or appointive office, including priev
anceman and committeeman in the
federation.
"Any person holding an elective or
appointive office, including griev
resolution continued, "must sign a
non-Communist affidavit.” There
was no indication as to whether the
resolution was expected to effect
any personnel changes.
secretary of the Young Communist
League.
Robert G. Thompson, chairman
of the New York State Communist
Party since August 20, 1945, was
named Communist gubernatorial
candidate in New York in 1946.
He later withdrew from the race
and ran for controller. At the time,!
he said he was withdrawing to back'
a common front against Gov.!
Thomas E. Dewey, seeking re-elec
tion as New York governor.
Carl Winters is chairman of thei
Michigan State Council of the Com-!
munist Party.
John W. Gates has been editor
since 1947 of the Daily Worker, of
ficial party organ.
Gus Hall of Cleveland, is chair
man of the Ohio Communist Party
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