Part 8

Nat Honig was brought into the district by Morris Rappaport to become an agitprop director. I knew Mr. Honig quite well, and I sympathized with the task that he had. He didn’t last very long in that either. He soon found himself as editor of the Woodworkers’ paper, the International Woodworkers of America’s paper. And I had occasion to attempt to get him to carry out the party line, and I was amazed to find a man who was officially holding a position of district agitprop director while he was editor of that paper, and yet, when the May Day issue of that paper came out there wasn’t one single mention of the fact that May Day was the historical day to be commemorated for the 8-hour day in America and was heralded throughout the world as laborers’ day.

Mr. Honig explained it away, that he didn’t think it was appropriate to do it.

I went to Mr. Rappaport complaining, “What kind of a district agitprop is this man anyway?”

And Rappaport had quite a session with Honig, and shortly after that Mr. Honig began to have some disaffection from the party and the party policy, and I believe he appeared before the Canwell committee shortly afterward and gave voluminous testimony about the Communist Party. I have not read his testimony. I do not know how valid it is. I couldn’t confirm or deny what he said. I don’t know.

Mr. VELDE. What was the approximate time?

Mr. DENNETT. That was in that period 1939, I believe; 1939 or 1940 when that happened.

Mr. TAVENNER. Can you recall any other individuals connected with the International Woodworkers of America who were members of the Communist Party?

Mr. DENNETT. I have a little difficulty thinking of any others at the moment in that particular union.

Mr. TAVENNER. The committee had before it at Albany, N. Y., in July 1953, a Canadian by the name of Patrick Walsh who was connected with that organization in the western part of Canada during one period of time and who later became very prominent in the Canadian seamen’s union strike in 1949.

Did you become acquainted with Patrick Walsh?

Mr. DENNETT. No; I never knew him.

Mr. MOULDER. The committee will stand recessed for 5 minutes.

(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)

Mr. MOULDER. The committee will be in order.

Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Dennett, you were giving us the names of persons known to you to be members of the Communist Party within the field of labor at the time that you were a member of the CIO council.

Mr. DENNETT. Yes.

Mr. TAVENNER. Will you proceed, please?

Mr. DENNETT. Well, of course, I think I mentioned Mr. Hugh DeLacy before. He was from the teachers union. And, of course, there was one of his associates, a man by the name of Harold Eby. They were the only ones that I knew directly in the Communist Party, in the teachers union, from the university.

There was another person by the name of Victor Hicks who was quite well known to me who was in the other teachers union. There were two teachers’ unions, locals here. One applied to the public schools, and one applied to the university. Victor Hicks was in the one that applied to the public schools, although I don’t believe he was a public-school teacher himself. But he had taught in one of those Government assistance programs. I forget which one it was. There was some kind of an educational program that was conducted in the depression days that Mr. Hicks was associated with, and he was the principal one. In fact, he was responsible for nominating me to the position of secretary of the council in the first CIO council in Seattle.

Of course, I knew Mr. Jess Fletcher in the Building Service Employees International Union, which was an A. F. of L. union, not one of the CIO unions.

In the Longshoremen’s Union[6] I knew Mr. Burt Nelson, B-u-r-t N-e-l-s-o-n.

I knew these people as members of the Communist Party, and they were the leaders with whom I dealt most frequently in dealing with union affairs and with party affairs.

Mr. MOULDER. When naming a person, if possible, identify him in some way so he will not be confused with any person who may have a similar name.

Mr. DENNETT. Burt was a longshoreman. He worked as a longshoreman on the Seattle waterfront.

George Bailey was a longshoreman known to me first in Raymond, Wash. Later I knew him on the Seattle waterfront.

Mr. TAVENNER. How does he spell his name?

Mr. DENNETT. I believe it was B-a-i-l-e-y.

In the early days of the organization of the warehousemen’s local of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union the two principal officers of the organization were very well known to me as members of the Communist Party. However, they frequently did not comply with the party policy, and we had frequent difficulty trying to get them to comply with it. And I believe that they have both since left the Communist Party. I make that by way of statement to be certain that there is no misapprehension as to my knowledge about them. One was Mr. John Stevens, better known as Johnny. Another one was Adrian Lawrence, A-d-r-i-a-n L-a-w-r-e-n-c-e.

In the Marine Firemen’s Union,[7] which was not in the CIO, but it was a waterfront union with which I was closely associated, was Mr. Walter Stack, S-t-a-c-k, who has previously been mentioned, and a person by the name of George Flood. Now I hope no one will mistake him for another individual who is very prominent as a lawyer. I am not speaking of the lawyer. It is not the lawyer at all, because he is a well known leader of the Republican Party, and I am sure that no one will confuse him.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DENNETT. My counsel advises me that that George Flood is deceased. I was unaware of it.

The George Flood of whom I am speaking was a sort of hunchback fellow who was a marine fireman.

At an earlier period I knew a group of people in the Boeing union, the machinists union, who were known to me as members of the Communist Party. That came about when one of the organizers of the United Automobile Workers of America came into Seattle wanting to swing the affiliation from the machinists union to the United Automobile Workers. That national leader was a man by the name of Wyndham Mortimer, W-y-n-d-h-a-m M-o-r-t-i-m-e-r. He was an organizer. At that time he was stationed in California. He was quite anxious to bring about the change in affiliation of the Boeing workers because he knew that the employment at that plant would increase, and had hoped that, by winning that group of workers, they would add considerable prestige and strength to the United Automobile Workers aircraft division. He had been active in a big plant. I think it was the Lockheed plant in California at that time.

When he came here he conferred with two persons known to me very well, a man by the name of Hugo Lundquist, L-u-n-d-q-u-i-s-t, and Barney Bader, B-a-d-e-r. They were at that time the top leaders of the aeronautical workers union, and they became known to me through Mr. Mortimer as members of the Communist Party. And they completely disregarded my counsel which was that they were embarked on a foolhardy effort and that we disagreed with any attempt at jurisdictional rating. Our policy here was strictly opposed to it.

However, Mortimer was operating under authority of the top apparatus of the party, namely, the central committee in New York City. And he completely disregarded any advice or counsel which was offered by the district bureau or the district leaders of the Communist Party in this area.

It was our policy to not disturb the existing unions to change affiliation. To us that was ridiculous and had no point of value. Our concern was to not have our members upset or disturbed in those organizations.

Mr. TAVENNER. It may be of importance for us to know the year in which this incident occurred.

Mr. DENNETT. I would have to consult my records, but I can assure you I have records on that. I have extensive correspondence with Mr. Mortimer on that subject.

Mr. TAVENNER. That will be satisfactory.

Mr. VELDE. Is the Walter Stack, to whom you referred, the same Walter Stack who was convicted of violation of the Smith Act?

Mr. BENNETT. I don’t know what his violation is, but I am sure he is the man who was very prominent in the marine firemen’s union over a great many years. He came from here when I knew him.

Mr. VELDE. I feel certain that it is one and the same person. I noted in the newspaper the other day that his appeal was turned down by the United States circuit court of appeals.

Mr. DENNETT. In the national conventions of the CIO, after my first experience, which was highly unsatisfactory, with Mr. Lee Pressman, I complained so bitterly when I came back to the district that the next convention I went to I was instructed before I left that I should work through Reid Robinson, who was president of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers of America at that time. Mr. Robinson proved to be a very cooperative man and readily discussed party affairs with me. That was in 1939.

Mr. TAVENNER. You say you were given instructions to work through Robinson. Was that an instruction from your union as such, or was it an instruction from the Communist Party?

Mr. DENNETT. That was from the Communist Party.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DENNETT. My counsel thinks that I have not sufficiently identified Mr. Lee Pressman. He was at the time I knew him general counsel of the CIO.

Mr. TAVENNER. Will you proceed, please.

Mr. DENNETT. My relations with Mr. Reid Robinson were quite satisfactory except that at a little bit later date, when I was under sharp attack because of the growing split between left and right wings in the State CIO in this State, I tried to get Mr. Reid Robinson to come to this State to try to pacify the situation, and he was fearful of doing so for fear he would get into more complications than he could solve. So he deserted me when I needed help.

Earlier, of course, I knew Ferdinand Smith from the National Maritime Union of America. I believe he has been deported from the United States.

Mr. TAVENNER. That is correct.

Mr. DENNETT. It is the same person. I had known him over a period of several years.

I also came to know the president of the officeworkers union at that time. That was the United Office and Professional Workers of America, Mr. Lewis Merrill. He was known to me by that name then. I have heard from friends since then that that was an assumed name or something. At any rate, he is doing business in New York City under an entirely different name as of this date.

Mr. TAVENNER. Do you know that name?

Mr. DENNETT. I do not know that name. I know a person who does, who lives in the city of Seattle, and who knows him. But I do not know him myself.

Mr. TAVENNER. How do you spell his name, the name that he went by here?

Mr. DENNETT. L-e-w-i-s M-e-r-r-i-l-l.

Mr. TAVENNER. Will you proceed, please?

Mr. DENNETT. At a much earlier period--I am going back to try to pick up the loose threads that we left out when we should have mentioned them, but I was unable to connect all my thoughts consecutively at that time. In the organization of the Marine Workers Industrial Union Mr. Harry Jackson, whom I mentioned to you, was the chief leader of that effort here. But he had 2 or 3 very able assistants, one by the name of James Archer, A-r-c-h-e-r. Archer is the man to whom I delivered about $35 which was taken up as a collection when I was in the CCC camp when I came to Seattle on a visit from the camp. It was a collection from the men in the camp to assist the maritime strikers at that time, and Mr. Archer is the man to whom I delivered that money in the headquarters of the Marine Workers Industrial Union.

Another person who was very active in that work was a person by the name of Tommy Ray, R-a-y. Later I met Tommy Ray after I was expelled from the Communist Party. Tommy Ray at that time was a port agent for the National Maritime Union. And I tried to discuss with him the question of the disciplinary practices of the Communist Party, and Ray was so incensed about his own experience that he wouldn’t discuss it with me except to say, “Don’t talk to me about those so-and-sos. I don’t want to have anything further to do with them.” And that is about all I was able to obtain from him. But it was the same person, and I believe he is still an active person in the National Maritime Union. But he is bitterly anti-Communist today.

There was another person by the name of Tom Burns. I don’t know how we can make a distinction for him, because there are so many persons by that name except to say that he was a seaman. I learned later from Tommy Ray that Tom Burns became a licensed man, left the Communist Party long before, and has had nothing to do with it; that is, in recent years. Although he was a very able man way back in the period of 1932, 1933, and 1934 when he was very active in the organization of the Marine Workers Industrial Union, and had a great part in organizing the sailors on the waterfront in Seattle at that time.

I knew Tommy Burns’ wife quite well, a person by the name of--I knew her originally as Helmi Hutenen.

Mr. TAVENNER. Spell it, please.

Mr. DENNETT. I cannot be certain of the spelling of it, but, as near as I recall, it was H-u-t-e-n-e-n. There was double spelling in there that I am not certain of. Helmi was H-e-l-m-i.

There was a leader of the radio operators, marine radio operators, by the name of Thomas J. Van Erman. I observed in Mrs. Hartle’s testimony that she referred to a Mr. Van Orman. I am not referring to any Van Orman. I don’t know any Van Orman. The man I know was Van Erman, V-a-n E-r-m-a-n. And Mr. Van Erman that I knew worked on the Seattle waterfront as a radio operator and was, I believe he was the port agent of that organization.

Mr. TAVENNER. Let the record show in describing these persons you knew and met, that you knew them as members of the Communist Party.

Mr. DENNETT. That is correct.

I frequently made myself quite obnoxious to Mr. Van Erman because I was always asking him to be a little more militant and a little more positive in his work. And he was quite insistent that I was wrong, and we had a continuing friction over that point. However, we were great personal friends.

The Cannery Workers Union was a local affiliate of the United Cannery, Agricultural, and Packinghouse Workers of America. In the national leadership I knew a Mr. Donald Henderson, who was the president of that organization. I knew him very well, associated with him frequently at the convention, transacted a great deal of business with him concerning the cannery workers out here because we were having a great deal of difficulty over language problems. The cannery workers in that union were those who were sent to Alaska regularly each year to work in the salmon industry.

And in the local area I knew Mr. Conrad Espe. Mr. Con Espe was the local representative of that international union.

There was a member of that union who was the most promising Communist that we had, by the name of I. Hosue, H-o-s-u-e. He was a very able man. I have heard since from people who are somewhat acquainted with the facts that Mr. Hosue went into the military service, became an officer during the course of the war, and turned bitterly anti-Communist. And I understand that he gave testimony against certain other members of the organization in certain deportation hearings. I can only give you that much by way of identification. But that is the man I am speaking of.

Mr. TAVENNER. May I suggest, Mr. Chairman, if the witness recalls any other names, that he give them to us at a later period, as we desire to proceed now with other witnesses.

Mr. MOULDER. All right.

Mr. TAVENNER. I want to recall this witness a little later in the day on other matters.

Mr. MOULDER. At what time do you want Mr. Dennett back?

Mr. TAVENNER. I believe that he should be back after lunch. I would say at 2 o’clock.

Mr. MOULDER. Two o’clock.

Thank you, Mr. Dennett. At 2 o’clock you will be recalled.

Mr. WHEELER. Mr. Paul Delaney, please.

Mr. MOULDER. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony which you are about to give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. DELANEY. I do.

TESTIMONY OF PAUL WILLIAM DELANEY, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS COUNSEL, RICHARD L. GEMSON

Mr. WHEELER. Will the witness state his full name, please.

Mr. DELANEY. Paul William Delaney.

Mr. WHEELER. Will you spell the last name?

Mr. DELANEY. D-e-l-a-n-e-y.

Mr. WHEELER. When and where were you born, Mr. Delaney?

Mr. MOULDER. May I ask, Mr. Delaney, are you represented by counsel?

Mr. DELANEY. Yes; I am.

Mr. MOULDER. Will counsel identify himself?

Mr. GEMSON. R. L. Gemson. I am a practicing attorney here in Seattle.

Mr. MOULDER. Proceed, Mr. Wheeler.

Mr. WHEELER. When and where were you born, Mr. Delaney?

Mr. DELANEY. I was born in 1903 in the State of Minnesota.

Mr. WHEELER. How long have you lived in Washington?

Mr. DELANEY. 51 years.

Mr. WHEELER. Advise the committee of your educational background, please.

Mr. DELANEY. I went to school in this State: through grammar school and high school; I attended the University of Washington 2 years. I didn’t graduate.

Mr. WHEELER. What 2 years was that?

Mr: DELANEY. I think in the years 1923 and 1927.

Mr. WHEELER. What is your present occupation?

Mr. DELANEY. I am an architect.

Mr. WHEELER. How long have you been so engaged?

Mr. DELANEY. Well, I grew up in the construction business. I have been a licensed architect since 1950 or 1951. I can’t state accurately.

Mr. WHEELER. How were you employed prior to that?

Mr. DELANEY. I came to Seattle in 1941. I worked at Sims Drake Puget Sound. It was a contracting firm here. I worked with a construction company after that who built defense housing. After that I worked, the last year of the war--in my recollection--at Boeing Aircraft Co.

Mr. WHEELER. When did your employment terminate with Boeing Aircraft?

Mr. DELANEY. When the war was over.

Mr. WHEELER. In 1945?

Mr. DELANEY. Yes.

Mr. WHEELER. Have you completed your employment background?

Mr. DELANEY. Do you want me to bring it up to date?

Mr. WHEELER. Yes.

Mr. DELANEY. As soon as the war was over I went to work as an architectural draftsman. I went then with an architect by the name of Collins. I think he left in 1950 or 1951, and I have been alone since then.

Mr. WHEELER. Did you ever know Barbara Hartle?

Mr. DELANEY. May I confer with my attorney?

Mr. WHEELER. Yes, sir?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. On the advice of my counsel, I must invoke the fifth amendment, on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me.

Mr. MOULDER. As previously explained by the committee because your counsel advises you to take or invoke the fifth amendment that does not compel you to do so. If you prefer, you may state that you decline to answer the question on the grounds of the fifth amendment.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. Yes; that is correct.

Mr. WHEELER. Mrs. Hartle has advised the committee that you were a functionary of the Queen Anne section of the Communist Party during the years 1943-45. Is she correct in that statement?

Mr. DELANEY. May I again confer?

Mr. WHEELER. Yes.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. For reasons previously given, I decline to answer this question.

Mr. WHEELER. Our investigation has also developed information that you were chairman of the Hilltop Club of the Communist Party in the year 1948. Is that correct?

Mr. VELDE. What was the name of the club?

Mr. WHEELER. Hilltop, H-i-l-l-t-o-p.

Mr. DELANEY. Pardon me one moment.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. I decline to answer that question on the grounds previously stated.

Mr. WHEELER. Our investigation has also developed that in the year 1943 you were issued Communist Party book No. 28704. I doubt, if you recall the number of the book, but were you issued a Communist Party book in the year 1943 by the Communist Party?

Mr. DELANEY. I decline to answer for the reasons previously given.

Mr. WHEELER. In the year 1945 were you issued Communist Party book No. 42131.

Mr. DELANEY. I also decline to answer that for the reasons previously given.

Mr. WHEELER. In the year 1947 were you issued Communist Party book No. 55934 by the Communist Party?

Mr. DELANEY. I decline to answer for the same reasons previously given.

Mr. WHEELER. Are you a member of the Communist Party today, Mr. Delaney?

Mr. DELANEY. I must--I decline to answer that for the reasons previously given.

Mr. WHEELER. I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Velde?

Mr. VELDE. Have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. DELANEY. I must--I mean I decline to answer that.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. For the reasons previously stated.

Mr. VELDE. I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Delaney, we have heard many arguments against persons coming before congressional investigative committees and making accusations or statements concerning other people, and that those people do not have the opportunity to clear themselves or make explanation of the charges made against them, such as Mrs. Hartle has testified concerning you and your activities.

This committee has very carefully in each instance given the person so mentioned an opportunity to come before the committee to deny, affirm, or explain the charges made. And that opportunity is being presented to you today by a subpena issued upon you for your appearance here.

In reply to the questions propounded to you, I understand you decline to answer because of the protection afforded you under the fifth amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Is that right?

Mr. DELANEY. That is correct.

Mr. MOULDER. Do you wish to make any explanation, or to deny or affirm any of these statements or charges which were made by Mrs. Hartle concerning your communistic activities?

Mr. DELANEY. May I confer with my counsel?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. DELANEY. My counsel instructs me to state that I decline to answer that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment--on the ground that it might tend to incriminate me.

Mr. MOULDER. The witness is excused.

(Whereupon the witness was excused.)

Mr. MOULDER. Counsel, proceed with the next witness.

Mr. WHEELER. Mr. Jacob Bitterman.

Mr. MOULDER. Will you hold up your right hand and be sworn?

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony which you are about to give before this congressional committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. BITTERMAN. Yes, sir.

TESTIMONY OF JACOB BITTERMAN, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS COUNSEL, KENNETH A. MacDONALD

Mr. WHEELER. Will the witness state his full name, please?

Mr. BITTERMAN. Jacob Bitterman.

Mr. VELDE. How do you spell the last name?

Mr. BITTERMAN. B-i-t-t-e-r-m-a-n.

Mr. WHEELER. Will counsel identify himself for the record?

Mr. MACDONALD. Kenneth A. MacDonald, attorney at law, in Seattle.

Mr. WHEELER. When and where were you born, Mr. Bitterman?

Mr. BITTERMAN. I was born in Russia in 1904.

Mr. WHEELER. When did you enter the United States?

Mr. BITTERMAN. To the best of my knowledge, in 1906.

Mr. WHEELER. How did you acquire American citizenship?

Mr. BITTERMAN. Through my father’s papers.

Mr. WHEELER. When you became 21 years of age?

Mr. BITTERMAN. I was 12 when he became a citizen.

Mr. WHEELER. How long have you lived in Seattle or in the vicinity of Seattle?

Mr. BITTERMAN. I came to Seattle in 1923.

Mr. WHEELER. Have you lived here continuously since that time?

Mr. BITTERMAN. With the exception of 2 years, 1928 and 1929. That is, in the fall of 1928 to the fall of 1930 I lived in Aberdeen, Wash.

Mr. WHEELER. What is your educational background?