SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTERNAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERNAL SECURITY LAWS

JAMES O. EASTLAND, Mississippi, Chairman
THOMAS J. DODD, Connecticut, Vice Chairman

OLIN D. JOHNSTON, South Carolina
JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Arkansas
SAM J. ERVIN, JR., North Carolina

ROMAN L. HRUSKA, Nebraska

EVERETT MCKINLEY DIRKSEN, Illinois
KENNETH B. KEATING, New York

J. G. SOURWINE, Counsel
BENJAMIN MANDEL, Director of Research

REVITALIZING OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY IN THE

PHILADELPHIA AREA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1959

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE ADMINISTRATION
OF THE INTERNAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERNAL

SECURITY LAWS, OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY,

Philadelphia, Pa. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 1:35 p.m., in courtroom No. 1, Federal Courthouse, Ninth and Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pa., Senator Roman L. Hruska presiding.

Also present: J. G. Sourwine, chief counsel; Benjamin Mandel, director of research; Frank W. Schroeder, chief investigator.

Senator HRUSKA. The subcommittee will come to order.

These hearings were called at the instance of the chairman of the Subcommittee on Internal Security, a subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate, of which Senator Eastland, of Mississippi, is chairman.

There have been reports of renewed Communist activity. There have been reports and evidences of revitalization of party functioning, not only in America as a whole but more specifically in Philadelphia. Therein lies the basis for the hearings which are being held today.

This renewed Communist activity is evidenced by meetings which were held earlier this year within Philadelphia. Announcement was recently made of the impending national convention of the Communist Party of the United States of America to be held in December, the date being along in the middle of December. This will be the 17th convention of the Communist Party, U.S.A., in the existence of that organization which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. All of these things, of course, place a good deal of burden upon the Internal Security Subcommittee because, by the resolution of authority of the U.S. Senate, this subcommittee is charged with certain duties pertaining to the activities of the Communist Party and all other subversive activities which are detrimental to the internal security of our Nation.

There will be several witnesses called this afternoon.

Before proceeding further, I would like to give Mr. Sourwine, counsel for the committee, an opportunity to make such opening statement as he desires in regard to these hearings.

Mr. SOURWINE. Mr. Chairman, I think perhaps all that is needed to be said is that the committee sits, as always, with its full authority, which is indivisible; that while the major areas of questioning at this hearing will concern the Philadelphia area and the general plans and

policies of the Communist Party, we may develop other areas of questioning which, with the Chair's permission, this subcommittee would pursue, wherever the indication is that there is a possibility of gleaning information which would be of value in the interest of the internal security of the country.

Senator HRUSKA. Not long ago, in fact, under date of September 30, 1959, J. Edgar Hoover prepared and issued a monograph, entitled "Communist Illusion and Democratic Reality." There will be placed in the record at this point a copy of that monograph.

(The monograph referred to was marked "Exhibit No. 1" and is printed, as directed by the chairman, in a separate volume, as an appendix to this hearing.)

Senator HRUSKA. In the monograph Mr. Hoover reviews in excellent and understandable style the simple and forceful facts and elements of Communist activity in the country and its meaning, its goal and its place in the national picture as of today.

It is the acting chairman's judgment, which I have expressed many, many times, that J. Edgar Hoover is one of the better things that has happened to America in this last one-third of a century. The record of his achievements and the achievements of the Federal Bureau of Investigation not alone in this field but other fields is one that has been outstanding and in which law-abiding citizens who have the well-being of this Nation in mind have a good deal of pride and take a good deal of comfort.

Subject to the approval of the chairman of this subcommittee, that monograph will be printed as a separate appendix to the hearings which are being held at this time.

The first witness we have for today will be Mr. Eugene Dennis. Will he please step forward and take his place at the witness table? Mr. REIN. Mr. Chairman, I wonder if we could have these lights turned off while the witness is testifying.

Senator HRUSKA. Those lights are here in connection with the camera equipment which is in the room. If the witness or his counsel indicate that that is not agreeable with them, we will not only have the lights turned off but we will instruct the photographers to take their pictures now and after the testimony has begun to cease their operations, either still or motion picture.

Mr. REIN. I appreciate that very much, Mr. Chairman; they have been glaring into my eyes.

Senator HRUSKA. Very well. The photographers will be given a brief moment in which they may point them and take their shots. Then they will accordingly cease and we will abide by the rules of the Internal Security Subcommittee which are along this line.

The record will show that Mr. Eugene Dennis is present in the hearing room and he is accompanied by his attorney, David Rein. Mr. Dennis, will you please rise and be sworn?

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

Mr. DENNIS. I do.