The CiiAii{M.\N. All riiiht. the next witness. Ml'. M.vFJHEWs. Mr. Milton Wolff. Tlu' Chairm.vx. Raise youi- ri^ht hand, please. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing- but the truth so help you God? TESTIMONY OF MILTON WOLFF ^li-. Wolff. I do. The Chairman. Have a seat. ]\{r. Matthews. Please *>ive vour full name? :Sh. WcLFF. :\Iilton Wolff. ]Mr. MA'rrniAvs. What is vour address? Mr. Wolff. 171>4 West Twelfth Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. yiv. Matthews. Where were you born ^ Mr. Wolff. In Biooklyn. Mr. Matthews. When ^ Mr. Wolff. October 8, 1915. ^Ir. Matthews. Are you a member of the Communist Party? ]\Ir. AVolff. I am not. ilr. MAnHKWs. Have you ever been a member of the Communist Party ( Ml'. Wi LFF. I have not. ^Ir. Matthews. Have you ever been a member of the Youno- Comnnniist League { Mr. Wolff. I have not. ^Ir. ^Iatthiavs. When you went to Spain did you travel on a passj^ort issued in your own name? ^Ir. Woi ff. I did. Ml-. Maitheavs. American passport? Mr. Wolff. Yes, sir. ^Ir. Matthews. Was there a notation stamped on it that it was not iiood for travel in Spaing Mr. Wolff. There was. ^Ir. Matt]if.ws. When you ap]died for that passport what reason did yon nive for tiaveling abroad i' Mr. Wolff. I don't remember the reason. Mr. Matthews. But you did not state that you Avere going to S))aii! ( yiv. WriLFF. I did not. Mr. Matthews. When you applied for the passport Avas it your intention to go to Spain? Mr. W( LFF. It Avas. ^Fr. Mattheavs. Wlien did you sail for Si:)ain? ]V[r. Wolff. February 1937, I believe. I am not sure of that. ^\v. M\TTHEA\s. On AA-hat ship? ^Ir. WoTFF. It Avas a French ship. I don't remember the name. Mr. Matthfavs. Chain plain? ^fr. Wolff. Xo: T don't think so. ATv AI \TTTiEA\s. Parix? Mr. Wolff. Mijiht haA-e been. 7786 UN-AMERICAN PROrAGANDA ACTIVITIES Mr. Matthews. How do you spell your last name, Mr. Wolff? Mr. Wolff. W-o-l-f-f. Mr. Matthews. AVhen 3'ou arrived in France did you go directly to Spain ? Mr. Wolff. I did. Mr. INIatthews. Where did you cross into Spain? Mr. Wolff. Where did I cross into S]3ain? Mr. Matthews. Yes. Mr. Wolff. What point? Mr. Matthews. Yes. Mr. Wolff. I don't know the point. It was over the Pyrenees, and there is no way of establishino; my location. Mr. Matthews. What did you do with your i^assport when you arrived in Spain? Mr. Wolff. I turned it over to some ]ieople there for safekeeping^ because I did not want to have it on me while I was in action, because I was aware of the fact that there was a very real possibility of losing it. Later events proved the correctness of my reasoning because I lost all of my otlier personal belongings that I came to Spain with. Mr. Matthews. What was your position in the Spanish Loyalist Army ? Mr. Wolff. When I first got there it was tliat of a soldier. When I left I was commander of the Lincoln Battalion. Mr. Matthews. When were you appointed to the position of commander of the Lincoln Battalion? Mr. Wolff. After a year and a half of fighting on the front line. I don't know the exact elate. Mr. Matthews. Who appointed you to that position ? Mr. Wolff. I was recommended by Colonel Valledor, who was the commander of the Fifteenth Brigade. I was recommended by him to the minister of defense, and the minister of defense appointed me commander of the battalion. Mv. Matthews. Was the minister of defense of the Spanish Loyalist Government ? Mr. Wolff. He was commander of the Fifteenth Brigade. Mr. Matthews. You say you were appointed commander of the Lincoln Battalion. In wliat respect did the Lincoln Battalion differ from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? Mr. Wolff. The Lincoln Battalion was one of five units in the Abraliam Lincoln Brigade. Mr. Matthews. There was an Abraham Lincoln Brigade in France, was there? Mr. Wolff. Just as there was a Fighting 69th in France. It was known by that name. It had no official designation. Mr. Matthews. It Avas not officially designated in Spain: is that correct ? Mv. Wolff. Not by the minister of defense. The name was applied to the Fifteenth Brigade just as the na)ne the Lincoln Battalion was applied to the Fifty-eighth Battalion of the Fifteenth Brigade. Mr. Matthews. How long did you hold the position of commander of the Lincoln Battalion? ]Mr. Wolff. For a lialf year. UN-AMERirAN PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES 7787 Mr. M.vrrHEWS. How old were you when you were appointed to that ])osition? Mr. Wolff. 23. Mr. Matthkws. What ])i-evi()us military tramnig did you have? Mr. Wolff. Xone. Mr. Matthews. What w^as your previous education in this country? ]\Ir. AVoLFF. Hioh school. Mr. Matthews. Did you o-j-aduate from high school? ^Ir. AVoi.FF. I did. ATr. Matthews. Where was that? Mr. AVoLFF. In Brooklyn. Mr. Mai^'hews. And what types of work had you done before you went to Spain? Mr. AA\)LFr. I was an art student. I was in a C. C. C. camp and I worked in — as a -^hippinc: clerk at one time. ^Ir. Matthews. And you had been in Spain approximately a year and a half when you say you were made commander of the Lincohi Battalion? ( Xo answer.) Mr. Matthews. Now, how did you happen to join the Loyalist Army? Mr. AA"(^LFF. AA'hen the vrar broke out in Spain I recognized it, or it was my o]:)inion at least, that it was a war of democracy against fascism. I understood that the regularly elected republican government of S])ain was under attack by a rebellious army, much the same as the Southern Army attacked the regularly elected Government of the North during the Civil AA-^ar. I also realized that Italv and Germany had a very strong hand in on the Fascist side as against that of Republican Spain. At that time in America we were already beginning to feel and see the actions of our own democratic breed of fascism — I am Jewish, and knowing that as a Jew we are the first to suffer wdien fascism does come, I went to Spain to fight against it. There were a chance to fight on the front The Chairman. Isn't it true that you also suffer under communism '. Air. AA^oLFF. I have no idea of that at all. As far as my knowdedge — as far as my knowledge goes, I know of no instances where Jews have suffered under communism. The Chairman. Didn't you know that the Government of Soviet Russia was under a Communist dictatorship just as bad as a Fascist dictatorshi])? Mr. AVoLFF. I knew the Govermnent of the Soviet Union, as far as I knew, was elected by the people. I knew that there was a strong Communist Party in the Soviet Union. I was not aware of the existence of any dictatorshi]) in the Soviet Union. The Chairman. Didn't you regard Stalin as a dictator just like Mussolini and Hitler? Mr. AA'oLFF. Did I record him? The Chairman. Didn't you regard him as a dictator like you did Mussolini as a dictator? ]\Ii'. AA'oLFF. Xo ; I did not. The Chairman. You do now? 7788 UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES INIr. Wolff. I do not. Tho CHAiR]\rAx. You doirt think he is a dictator? Mr. "Wolff. I do not. The Chairman. You don't think they have a dictatorship in Russia ? "Sir. Wolff. I do not. The Chairman. Do you think that is a democracy? Mr. Wolff. I don't know wliat type of oovernment it is, ]>nt I do know it is my opinion that it is not a dictatorsliip. The Chairman. Do you think it is a democracy ? Mr. Wolff. Xo: I don't think it is a democracy — I don't think it is a democracy, for instance, similar to — I ima<2,'ine tliat ynu are referring to and your standard is based on American democracy. I don't think it is that type of democracy. The Chairman. Is it any type of democracy? Mr. Wolff. I don't know. Mr. VooRHis. What do you think of the support of Germany by Russia ? Mr. Wolff. What is that ? Mr. VooRHis. What do you think of the support of Germany by Russia ? Mr. Wolff. At this time I would like to ask the committee a question. I received a subpena in court hist week asking me to appear before the House Committee Investigating T^n-American Activities, headed by Martin Dies, of Texas. I would like to know what my opinion of Soviet support of Germany or alleged support of Germany has to do with the subpena th.at was served on me. The Chairman. Well, you gave your opinion with reference to the democracy in Spain. I was trying to get your idea of what you meant by democracy. Mr. Wolff. I Avas more familiar with democracy in Spain than I was either in the Soviet I"^nion. since I had never been there. The Chairman. You had never been to Spain either. Mr. Wolff. When I got to Spain I was aware of it. The Chairman. But at the time you joined Mr. Wolff. There was no need for me to go to the Soviet Union to defend anytliing there. There was no struggle. All I knew there was in Spain a regularly elected government. The Chairman. Let us ])roceed. Mr. Matthews. In the event of a war between the United States and the Soviet Union, which side would you support ? Mr. Wolff. Is there such a war today? The Chair^man. You ceitainly would know. You went over and fought in Spain. Mr. Wolff. Is there such a war today? The Chairman. If there were such a war. Mr. Wolff. Is there a war today between the United States and Soviet Russia? The Chairman. If war should break out betAveen the United States and the Soviet Union, Avould you support this Government? Mr. AVoLFF. If war should break out between the United States and the Soviet Government, I would be glad to give my answer. The Chairman. All right; proceed. Any questions? UN-A:\IERICAX PROrAGAXDA ACTIVITIES 7789 Mr. INIattheavs. Who paid your M-ay to Europe when you joined the Spaniyli Loyalist Army ^ Mr. WoLFT. 1, and I did. I raised the money from my friends, and I liad some myself. Mr. ]Maittifavs. Were any members of the Lincoln Battalion or of the Abraham Lineoln Briaade in Spain ever executed by a firing squad under your command? ^Ir. Wolff. A firino- squad under my command? Mr. Matthf.ws. Yes. "Sir. Wolff. I never commanded a firino- squad. Mr. ^LvrTHEWs. Your answer is "no," is it. to the question? Mr. Wolff. I never connnanded a firino- squad. The answer is no. I connnanded the battalion. Command of a firing squad is beneath my dianity. ]\Ir. ^Matthews. Were any American bovs ever executed in vour presence ? Mr. Wolff. Xo. Mr. Matthews. Were any executed to your knoAvledge? Mr. Wolff'. American bovs? Mr. ]\L\TTHEws. Yes. ]\Ir. Wolff. Xo. Mr. ]\L\TrHEWs. AVas there an.y case that came within your knowledge of a court martial of any of the members of the Lincoln Battalion or the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? ]\Ir. Wolff. Court martial? Xo. Mr. Matthews. No court martials? Mr. Wolff. Xot that I know of. I want to state here The Chairmax. You have answered. Mr. Wolff. That for 2 years I was at the front. On very rare occasions was I in the rear for rest or leave. On those occasions I didn't interest myself in the rear-guard activities. There were no court martials conducted at the front. There were no executions conducted at the front. Therefore, I know nothing of these things. Mr. Matthews. Did Paul White belong to your battalion? !Mr. Wolff. He did. Mr. ]\L\tthews. Did you know him under the name of Jonnie Adams? ]\Ir. Wolff. I knew him as Paul White in Spain. Mr. Matthews. Did you ever know him under any other name anywliere else t Sir. Wolff. Xo. ]\Ir. Matthews. Did you know him personally? Mr. Wolff. Xo: merely as one of the soldiers in the outfit, Mr. Matthews. AVhat happened to him? Ml". Wolff. He Avas reported missing in action. Mr. Matthews. Was that while you were still in command of the battalion ? Mr. Wolff. That he was missing? Mr. Matthews. Yes. Mr. Wolff. Xo. I was not in command of the battalion at that time. ]SIr. Matthews. Where were you at that time? Mr. Wolff. At that time I was in command of the machine-gun company. 7790 UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES Mr. Matthews. Did you ever have any connections or contacts with the Russian Secret Service? Mr. Wolff. No; I did not. Mr. Matthews. With the G. P. U.? Mr. Wolff. I did not. Mr. Matthews. With the Soviet Military Intelligence ? Mr. Wolff. I did not. Mr. Matthews. Did you know a young man named Ivan at brigade headquarters? Mr. Wolff. I did not. Mr. Matthews. Did you have any contact with Robert Minor in Si:)ain ? Ml'. Wolff. I met Mr. Minor on one occasion. Mr. Matthews. In what capacity did you meet him on that occasion ? Mr. Wolff. Mr. Minor came to the front to visit the front line, as on other occasions Congressmen from America did. I remember once a nephew, I think, of President Roosevelt was up there; some members of Parliament from England, and a few authors and actors, and so on. The Chairman. All right ; you have answered the question. Mr. Matthews. Now, what were Robert Minor's duties or activities in Spain? Mr. Wolff. As far as I know Robert Minor had no — wasn't acting in no official capacity in Spain. Mr. Matthews. Did you know Lt. Sid Levine? Mr. Wolff. I did. Mr. Matthews. Was he in your battalion? Mr. Wolff. He was. Mr. Matthews. How long? Mr. Wolff. I remember him as being in the battalion on two different occasions. I knew Sid Levine when he was in command of a machine-gun company where I was serving as a machine gunner — a soldier. I knew Sid Levine in the action of Teruel where he was on the battalion staff and again — I was at this time. I was commander of the machine-gun company. The last occasion I saw Sid Levine he was in command of a special machine-gun comj^an}- of the brigade, and I was in the command of the Lincoln Battalion. Mr. Mai-thews. Was he ever assigned to any later position that you knew about? Mr. Wolff. Not that I know of. Mr. Matthews. Or did any other work from that which j^ou mentioned ? Mr. Wolff. No; not that I know of. Mr. JNIattheavs. Were you in command of the battalion during the Teruel action? Mr. Wolff. I was not. Mr. Matthews. Why not ? Mr. AVoLFF. The commander at the beginning of the Teruel action was Phillip Detro. His assistant was Captain Lamb. And I was attached to brigade staif at that time as a captain. Mr. Matthews. What did you do as captain of the brigade staiff ? Mr. Wolff. I acted as a liaison man between the brigade and the various units of the brigade. UX-AMEKirAX rK()I'A(;A.\DA ACTIVITIES 7791 -Mr. M.V'iTHEws. AVliere wvvo you with respect to the tiohtino- that was o()iiio- oil at Teniel ( ^Ir. Wolff. I)uriiiot your American passport? ^Ir. ^\'oLFF. It was taken from me when I arrived in America. Mr. MA'rriiKws. Now, what emi)loyment have j^on received since you returned to the United States^ Mr. ^^'()LFF. I have Avorked for a Mr. Baruch on a cooperative enterprise which failed. ^Ir. ^Iatthews. Have von ever used any other name than that of Milton Woltf > Mr. Wolff. I have not. Mr. Matthews. Have you ever been on relief? Mr. AVoLFF. I have not. Mr. ^Matthews. What is your p(jsition now? Mr. Wolff. As to employment ? ^Ir. Matthew s. Yes. Mr. Wolff. At the ]:)resent time I am beino- paid by the Dies committee. I have no employment other than that. Mr. Matthews. How lone: have you been unemployed ? ^Ir. Wolff. Well, irreo-ularl3\ I don't know — every now and then we would renew this cooperative enterprise. ]Mr. Matthews. What is the name of the cooperative enterprise? Mr. Wolff. It was called Brico and Nico. ]Mr. Matthews. What is the nature of the enterprise? Mr. Wolff. One was the New York Cooperative Oroanization. and the other one was the Brighton Cooperative Organization. The nature of it was to bring dairy products to women at low prices. My. Matthews. Have you any title in the organization known as the Friends of Abraham Lincoln Brigade? ^Ir. Wolff. I have not. Mr. ]\rATTHEWs. Have you ever had? Mr. Wolff. I have not. ]Mr. Matthews. For the veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? Mr. AVolff. I am the national connnander of the Veterans of the Aliraham Lincoln Brigade. Mr. ^Matthews. Do you hold that title now? Mr. AA'oLFF. I do. Mr. ]\Iatthews. AAlio appointed you to that position ? Mr. AA'oLFF. I was elected at our third national convention in Deceuiber of 1939. Mr. Matthews. AA^as a majority of the membership of the Lincoln Battalion under your command meinbers of the Communist Party? ]Mr. AA^oLFF. I would not know about that, since I never had any occasion to investigate their ])olitical beliefs. Mv. Ma-ithews. Do you receive a salarv in connection with your position as national connnander of the A^eterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? Mr. AA'oLFF. I do not. Ml-. ]\rATTHEWs. Do you liavc a copy of the bvlaws of the organization known as the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? Mr. AA^oLFF. AVith me? 7792 UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES Mr. Matthews, Yes. Mr. Wolff. 1 liave not. Mr. Matthews. Could you supply the committee with one? Mr. Wolff. We might be able to. if we liuve it. I don't know. Mr. Matthews. Does the organization which was known as the Friends of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade still exist? Mr. Wolff. It does not. Mr. Matthews. Were its affairs merged in with those of the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade? Mr. Wolff. Might say that their affairs disappeared and the veterans took up from that point. Mr. Matthews. Did you take over their books? Mr. Wolff. We did' not. Mr. Matthews. In what bank do you have your — the account of your organization, the veterans' organization? Mr. Wolff. I am not familiar with that phase of the activities of the organization. Mr. Lynch. Mr. Wolff, did you graduate from high school in Brooklyn ? Mr. Wolff. In Brooklyn? Mr. Lynch. Yes. Mr. Wolff. Yes. Mr. Lynch. What was the name of it, please? Mr. Wolff. The Utrecht High School; I think that is it. Mr. Lynch. And I did not get the employment that you had after your high-school education and before you went to Spain. Mr. Wolff. How did I — I didn't liear you. Mr. Lynch. What was your em])loyment after your high-school education and before you went to Spain ? Mr. Wolff. Immediately that I left high school I Avent to art school and I studied commercial art for a few months. I don't know exactly how many. After which I was unemployed for a short period and then I — my family was on relief at that time, and I was sent to a C. C. C. camp for 10 months. Mr. Lynch. And then did you go from the C. C. C. camp over to Spain? Mr. Wolff. No. I came from the C. C. C. camp and again T was unemployed for a short time and I finally secured employment. I believe it was an importing and exporting house — millinery goods or something, where I was the shipping clerk. Mr. Lynch. And did you — what books did you read in the study that you had between democracy and fascism? Mr. Wolff. I beg your pardon? Mr. Lynch. That led you to your o])inion that you have expressed here in your examination? Mr. Wolff. I didn't hear the beginning. Mr. Lynch. What books did you read on that subject of the struggle between democracy and fascism Avhich led you to the opinion you exj)ressed here a few moments ago? Mr. Wolff. I remember I read what ]3articularly impressed me, was Jay Allen's account of what happened in Spain at the outbreak of the war. I don't remember reading any books. When Jay xA-llen described the massacre of Spanish people Mr. Lynch. And did you read anything else ? Mr. AVolff. No. I read in the newspapers at the time. UN-AMERICAN I'KOPAGANDA ACTIVITIES 7793 .Mr. Lynch. How niaiiy wort.' in your battalion? Mr. Wolff. Well, tlie lunnber varied. I think the hi<^hest number we ever hit was TOO and the lowest about 350. Mr. Lynch. And you spoke about losinc; — you lost all your personal ix'loiiiiing's? Mr. Wolff. That is right, ^Ir. Lynch. Were you a prisoner? -Mr. Wolff. No. I lost my belono-infrs when I was — when the battalion was sui-rounded on one particular occasion and scattered and it was necessary for me to swim the Ebro River to get back to our lines. Mr. Lynch. And at the time you sailed, did you know that you "were going to S})ain to tight t ^\r. Wolff. I did. Mr. Ly'nch. And what did you say in your passport application that you were going to Spain for^ Mr. AVoLFF. I did not say I was going to Spain. Mi-. Lynch. What did you say you were going to Europe for, or ^oing alu'oad for ( Mr. Wolff. I don"t know. Perhaps to study art. Mr. Lynch. Did you not say you were going to Johannesburg, South Africa, to visit an uncle for 3 months? .Mr. Wolff. That might have been it. Mr. Lyxch. You knew tliat was a perjury at the time? ^Ir. AVoLFF. No: I didn't think it was. ^fr. Lynch. You swore to the affidavit, didn't you, when you got your passport? Mr. AA\)LFF. I don't know that I did. Mr. Ly^nch. Do you recall that vou took an oath that you would not travel in Spain when you got your passport? Mr. AA^)iJ'^F. No: I don't recall such an oath. Mr. Lynch. But if vou said that vou were going — vou don't have iin uncle in Johannesburg, South Africa? ^Ir. AVoLFF. I have. Mr. Lynch. Did you have any intention of visiting him when you got that passport? Mr. AA'oLFF. AAlien I got the passport ? Mr. Lynch. Yes. Mr. AA'oLFF. No: I did not. Mr. Lyxch. That is all. ]Mr. Matthews. That next witness is Tony DeMaio. ^li'. ."^chwab. Just a moment. ]\Ir. AA'oLFF. If the Chair ])leases, I would like to further — what Fred Keller said about A'ernon Selby. Vernon Selby on one occasion, I believe, deserted with Honeycombe and was brought back under guard to our battalion. I liad a talk with Selby at that time and he agreed that it was the wrong thing to do; that he had gotten panic-stricken because it did appear that at that particular time that as though the war was over. It was during the retreat on the Ebro and he was hotfooting it for the border. However, when Selby came back with the rest of the prisoners, and I want to state for the record in denial of wliat Honeycombe said, that we would have had no use for the prisoners at the front as unarmed men. There was no purpose in 7794 UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ArTIVITIES ilieir comino; up tliere if they were niiarmed. And at that time all the prisoners were given arms. Selby, because of his vahiable experience and knowledge of injuries and so forth, was used by mj^self as an observer and a scout for the battalion. Wlien tlie battalion was surrounded and cut off 450 of us on a hill outside of Grandesa — when nightfall came it was Vernon Selby that led the battalion off that hill and through the Fascist lines up to a certain point. He was a very exhausted man at that time, as we all were. We had been on the run for several days. The battalion ran irito a German auxiliarv unit of the Fascist Army. The battalion was scattered at that time and only 60 of the battalion got across the river. Verncm Selby was not one of those 60. Except for those who were captured and were spared by Franco and Avere imprisoned and have since returned, the rest are missing and considered dead, which is all we can do. And Selby was one of those. Mr. Matthews. I want to ask you one question. INIr. Wolff, you say Selby and the other men were arrested for an alleged desertion. They were given arms when they were brought back to the front? Mr. Wolff. When they returned to the front they were given arms, as every man at the front was given. INIr. Matthews. So that Honeycombe was at the front at that time, wasn't he? Mv. Wolff. He didn't stay there. Mr. Mattheavs. Well, was he or was he not? Mr. Woi^F. All right. I Avill further exaggerate — I will further exp]am. Mr. ]\Iatthews. Was he at the front ? Mr. Wolff. He was not. And may I ex])lain — may I explain? The Chairman. Explain what? Mr. Wolff. The time that these deserters came back we Avere outside of the toAvn of Coberra. We were organizing our battalion. We had gotten new men from Avho had just recuperated from their Avounds. These deserters Avere brought back and some hundred Spanish conscripts. None of the men had any arms at all at this time because they had all been lost in the previous retreat. A shipment of brand-neAv rifles came in — about 500 rifles, and every man AA'ho Avas in the battalion was given arms. From that point Ave Avent up to the front. Honeycombe did not go up. Mr. Mattiieavs. You just testified that Honeycombe did go to the front Avith arms. Mr. Wolff. I attest to the cleverness of the questioner, Mr. MattheAvs. Mr. Lynch. What Avas the rank of Mr. Selby ? Mr. Wolff. What is that ? Mr. Ttnch. What Avas the rank of ^Ir. Selby? Mr. Wolff. Mr. Selby at that time Avas a sergeant. The Chairman. All right, bring your next witness.