M ^ > V ^ &-.- K.s ^ ^^^^32. ^ ' ~> /^^ .'U? COMMUNIST TARGET—YOUTH Communist Infiltration and Agitation Tactics A REPORT BY J. EDGAR HOOVER, DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, ILLUSTRATING COMMUNIST STRATEGY AND TACTICS IN THE RIOTING WHICH OCCURRED DURING HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES HEARINGS, SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 12-14, RELEASED JULY 1960 1960 Published by the House Committee on Un-American Activities U.S. 67564° GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON 1961 : a. > ^^'Mi / COMMUNIST TARGET—YOUTH Communist Infiltration and Agitation Tactics A REPORT BY J. EDGAR HOOVER, DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, ILLUSTRATING COMMUNIST STRATEGY AND TACTICS IN THE RIOTING WHICH OCCURRED DURING HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES HEARINGS, SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 12-14, 1960 iH^i RELEASED JULY 1960 Published by the House Committee on Un-American Activities U.S. 67564° GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON 1961 : COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES United States House of Representatives FRANCIS MORGAN M. MOULDER, E. Missouri CLYDE DOYLE, California EDWIN E. WILLIS, Louisiana WILLIAM M. TUCK, Virginia WALTER, JACKSON, California SCHERER, Ohio WILLIAM E. MILLER, New York AUGUST E. JOHANSEN, Michigan Richard Abens, n Pennsylvania, Chairman DONALD GORDON L. H. Staff Director B~- CONTENTS — Communist Target Youth (San Francisco, Calif., May 12-14, Communist Infiltration and Agitation Tactics 1960), Page Preface Report by vii J. Edgar Hoover, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation Illustrations 1 12-18 Index i III Public Law 601, 79th Congress The legislation under which the House Committee on Un-American Activities operates is PubHc Law 601, 79th Congress [1946], chapter 753, 2d session, which provides: of Be it enacted by the Senate and House America in Congress assembled, * * * of Representatives of the United States PART 2— RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ******* ****** Rule SEC. 17. 121. X STANDING COMMITTEES Committee on Un-American Activities, to consist of nine Members. Rule XI POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES ^t Committee on Un-American Activities. (A) Un-American activities. (2) The Committee on Un-American Activities, as a whole or by subcommittee, is authorized to make from time to time investigations of (i) the extent, character, and objects of un-American propaganda activities in the United States, (ii) the diffusion within the United States of subversive and un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by our Constitution, and (iii) all other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary (q) (1) remedial legislation. The Committee on Un-American Activities shall report to the House (or to the Clerk of the House if the House is not in session) the results of any such investigation, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable. For the purpose of any such investigation, the Committee on Un-American Activities, or any subcommittee thereof, is authorized to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, whether or not the House is sitting, has recessed, or has adjourned, to hold such hearings, to require the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and documents, and to take such testimony, as it deems necessary. Subpenas may be issued under the signature of the chairman of the committee or any subcommittee, or by any member designated by any such chairman, and may be served by any person designated by any such chairman or member. ******* Rule XII LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT BY STANDING COMMITTEES Sec. 136. To assist the Congress in appraising the administration of the laws and in developing such amendments or related legislation as it may deem necessary, each standing committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee; and, for that purpose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to the Congress by the agencies in the executive branch of the Government. IV RULES ADOPTED BY THE 86TH CONGRESS House Resolution 7, Rule January 7, 1959 X STANDING COMMITTEES 1. There shall be elected by the House, at the commencement of each Con- gress, (q) Committee on Un-American * * * Activities, to consist of nine * * Members. ^f Rule XI POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES * 18. (a) * * If >•> • • Committee on Un-American Activities. Un-American activities. The Committee on Un-American Activities, as a whole or by subcommittee, to time investigations of (1) the extent, character, and objects of un-American propaganda activities in the United States, (2) the diffusion within the United States of subversive and un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by our Constitution, and (3) all other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary remedial legislation. The Committee on Un-American Activities shall report to the House (or to the Clerk of the House if the House is not in session) the results of any such investigation, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable. For the purpose of any such investigation, the Committee on Un-American Activities, or any subcommittee thereof, is authorized to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, whether or not the House is sitting, has recessed, or has adjourned, to hold such hearings, to require the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and documents, and to take such testimony, as it deems necessary. Subpenas may be issued under the signature of the chairman of the committee or any subcommittee, or by any member designated by any such chairman, and may be served by any person designated by any such chairman or member. (b) is authorized to make from time 26. To assist the House in appraising the administration of the laws and in developing such amendments or related legislation as it may deem necessary, each standing committee of the House shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee; and, for that purpose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to the House by the agencies in the executive branch of the Government. PREFACE In opening recent hearings by the Committee on Un-American on Communist activities and propaganda among youth I stated that although the overwhelming majority of the people of this Nation are of unquestioned patriotism, this must Activities groups/ young not beguile us into feeling that because the Communist infiltrators are numerically in a minority, their threat is neces- among our youth sarily insignificant. Time and time again the Committee on Un-American Activities has pointed out that the strength of the Communist movement in any of its ramifications bears little relationship to the number of its members; that instead, its strength and effectiveness are in direct ratio to the intensity of the efforts of the few who are trained and disciplined agents. It was with only a relative few that Lenin seized control of the Government of Soviet Russia. Only a few some 3 or 4 percent in Soviet Russia today are Communists. Only 1 to 2 percent of the captive nations are Communists. The Communist conspiracy operating on American soil let it be emphasized and reemphasized is part and parcel of the world conspiracy and the thousands of Communists in the United States are for all intents and purposes foreign agents on American soil who are dedicated to our destruction. ^ this is what the Communists call their "Operation Abolition" current drive to destroy the House Committee on Un-American Activities, to weaken the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to discredit its great Director, J. Edgar Hoover, and to render sterile the security laws of our Government. The Communist Party has given top priority to "Operation Abolition" and has assigned agents trained in propaganda and agitation to this project. The Communist infiltration and agitation tactics among youth as described by Mr. Hoover in this report constitute just one extension of this Communist campaign which is a challenge to all patriotic Americans. Francis E. Walter, Chairman. — — — — — 1 2 Communist Training Operations, Part 2, Feb. 2, 1960. See "Operation Abolition," prepared and released by the Committee on Un-American Activities, Nov. 8, 1957. VII COMMUNIST TARGET—YOUTH Communist Report by J. Infiltration and Agitation Tactics Edgar Hoover, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation The successful Communist exploitation and manipulation of youth and student groups throughout the world today are a major challenge which free world forces must meet and defeat. Recent world events clearly reveal that world communism has launched a massive campaign to capture and maneuver youth and student groups. The vigor and vitality of such groups constitute an explosive force of immense proportions. Channeled into proper outlets, this force can accomplish immeasurable good for a peace-loving world. Manipulated into destructive channels, this force can create chaos. Riots in Japan Communists have become experts at using this force to create chaos. In Japan, for example, Communists carefully nurtured and developed a growing body of students over a 10-year period, using them period- The culmination of this training ically in protest demonstrations. was reached this year, when the highly organized and tightly disciplined rioters shocked the world with their uproarious displays. Demonstrations in Uruguay The seeds for future large-scale demonstrations of this type have been planted by Communists in other countries. The small demonstrations staged by Communist-oriented students in Uruguay earlier — this year demonstrations which marred an otherwise cordial welcome extended to the President of the United States on the last stop of his Latin A.merican tour were reminiscent of Communist-instigated activities of student groups in Japan 10 years ago. Communists are hopeful that the seeds in Uruguay and other countries will sprout as they did in Japan, leading eventually to demonstrations of the type that rocked Japan. A Basic Tenet of Communist Strategy It has long been a basic tenet of Communist strategy to control for its own evil purposes the explosive force which youth represents. In the relentless struggle for world domination being waged by them. Communists are dedicated to the Leninist principle that "youth will decide the issue of the entire struggle both the student youth and, still more, the working-class youth." In the Soviet Union, for example, the reins on youth are held with a viselike grip. In order to qualify for higher educational opportunities and better jobs in the Soviet society, young people must be members of the Young Communist League, the Komsomol. From their earliest days, young people must learn to accept the course dictated for them by the rulers of the only god they are permitted to know and worship the almighty State. — — — 67564"— 60 1 2 COMMUNIST TARGET 2 YOUTH Communist China is an even greater example of the Communist determination to make youth serve its objectives. There today, milKons of children are being raised "the collective way." From the cradle to the factory, the youth of Communist China is being molded to serve the cause of world communism in its quest for world domination. Projecting this Communist principle of strategy outward from behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains, Communists strive with equal intensity to subvert the youth of other countries. The lures they use to do so are tempting and varied. There are, for instance, the World Youth Festivals, which have been held every other year The seventh such affair, held last year in Vienna, atsince 1947. tracted thousands of young people from America, Africa, and Asia, as well as those from the Soviet-satellite countries. The Pattern in Cuba today, the Communist pattern of exploitation of youth is Delegates from Communist youth organizations in equally evident. attended the Fourth Congress of the Cuban "Socialist many countries Youth" ^ which was held in Havana, April 4-10, 1960. An American delegate who attended the affair subsequently reported to the Communist Party, USA, on what took place there. The report described in glowing terms how the Young Communist League in Cuba operated in conjunction with the Communist Party there and elaborated on its plans to unite with other youth groups in Cuba "to strengthen the revolution." Evidence of how youth groups there are being used "to strengthen the revolution" becomes only too apparent when newspapers in this country carry pictures of girl students in Cuba In Cuba drilling with rifles in hand. Communist Success in United States In the United States, the Communist Party is jubilant about success it has had recently in developing and exploiting youth and student groups. A spokesman at one of the party's national executive committee meetings earlier this year stated that "there has been a breakthrough as far as young people are concerned, particularly in colleges where students want to know what socialism is." Unfortunately, there is some truth in what the party's spokesman has said. There has been a limited "breakthrough" as far as the efforts of the Communist Party to infiltrate youth and student groups in this country are concerned. It is attributable neither to chance nor to a stroke of good luck for the party. Instead, it is the result of careful planning and a concentrated efi^ort by the party. in 1959 In 1959, the Communist Party, USA, launched a major campaign with youth as its target. On May 30 and 31, 1959, approximately 20 young Communists from New York City, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia attended a conference with national leaders of the party at party headquarters in New York City. The purpose of the meeting was to devise a program to attract young blood teenagers, students, and working youth to the ranks of the Campaign Began — — party. After those 1 The youth 1959 conferences, campuses throughout the Nation targets for Communist infiltration and recruitment May became prime section of the Popular Socialist (Communist) Party of Cuba. COMMUNIST TARGET efforts. —YOUTH The party began operating what amounted 3 to a regular lec- ture bureau, with party spokesmen seizing every opportunity to project their views on campuses across the country. To establish a closer link between the party and its youth groups, two of the most promising and active young Communists, Mortimer Daniel Rubin and Danny Queen, were included on the party's national committee. A longtime party functionary, Hyman Lumer, was reheved of all responsibility in youth affairs, and Rubin was given full A new Marxist youth responsibility for this phase of party activity. A drive is organization. Advance, was organized in New York City. currently underway to establish a new Marxist youth publication, "New Horizons." Students Trap The plans for the format of "New Horizons" reveal the nature of the trap Communists are setting for campus students. Reporting on for the proposed format to the party's national executive committee Rubin pointed out that "New Horizons" will not be labeled a Marxist publication. The purpose of this is to avoid too close identification with the Communist Party. But it will, he said, give a "Marxist analysis of the youth movement and a sociaKst, MarxistLeninist outlook." He expressed the conviction that it would be extremely effective in closing the gap between what he termed democratic youth and the youth on the left. Further illustrating the tremendous drive the party is making to infiltrate student groups is the agenda for a youth conference the party held in Chicago, June 11-12, 1960. The major points on the agenda for the 2 -day conference were (1) "mass developments on the campus" and (2) "left-student developments." Discussed in relation to these points were ways and means by which young Communists could exploit such controversial issues on campuses as civil rights, academic freedom, and other so-called peace issues. recently, Youth Victimized Particularly unfortunate is the fact that many youth and student groups in our Nation today are totally unaware of the extent to which they can be victimized and exploited by Communists. The sad proof of this fact was nowhere more apparent than in mimicipal com-t in San Francisco on June 1, 1960, when Judge Albert A. Axelrod dismissed riot charges against 62 of the persons arrested as a result of the mob violence which erupted during demonstrations protesting the hearings held in that city by the House Committee on Un-American (HCUA), May 12-14, 1960. The judge pointed out that there were ample grounds Activities for conviction 62 defendants, most of whom were college students, but he added that the defendants were, for the most part, "clean-cut American college students" who could well be haunted for the rest of their lives by the stigma which a conviction would attach to them. In response to this action on the part of the judge, 58 of the defendants signed a statement distributed immediately after he had rendered his decision. It read, in part: "Nobody incited us, nobody misguided us. We were led by our own convictions and we still stand firmly by them." in the cases involving the COMMUNIST TARGET 4 —YOUTH to Know In the light of that statement, it is vitally important to set the record straight on the extent to which Communists were responsible for the disgraceful and riotous conditions which prevailed during the HCUA hearings. It is vitally important that not only the students involved in that incident, but also students throughout the Nation The Need whom Communists hope to exploit in similar situations, recognize the Communist tactics which resulted in what experienced West Coast observers familiar with Communist strategy and tactics have termed the most successful Communist coup to occur in the San Francisco area in 25 years. The Communist attack on the HCUA in San Francisco was in line with a longstanding party aim to destroy not only the HCUA, but also the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee and every other "enemy" seeking to expose the threat which Communist activities represent to the internal security of this Nation. The party reaffirmed its dedication to this aim at its 17th National Convention, held in New York City, December 1959, when it passed a so-called political resolution calling for activity to abolish the "witch-hunting" HCUA and Senate Internal Security Subcommittee. Thus, when the decision of the HCUA to hold hearings May 12-14, 1960, in San Francisco was announced, it was mandatory for Communists to implement the convention resolution by doing everything possible to disrupt the hearings as part of the overall the HCUA. aim to destroy Party in Advantageous Position The proposed setting for the hearings placed the party in a parAn ticularly advantageous position for launching the attack. inquiry into Communist activities of educators in northern California At that time, originally had been scheduled to be held in June 1959. widespread opposition to those proposed hearings developed among teachers' groups, church organizations, civil liberties groups, and a few newspapers in the San Francisco area. Student groups to protest the hearings were organized at most of the colleges and universities in the area, including the University of California, Stanford, and City HCUA College. The subsequent cancellation of the proposed 1959 hearings left and organizations inactive but intact. As a result, when the May 1960 hearings were announced, it required little effort to reactivate these opposition groups, despite the fact that the current hearings were not to be directed at Communist activity in the education field. After the proposed 1959 hearings had been canceled, the turned over its files on these individuals to the California Attorney General's office and to the school boards of the teachers involved for any necessary action. But the Communist Party members in the area skillfully planted the idea that the 1960 hearings were still aimed basically at teachers and that the stated objective to inquire into Communist Party activities in the area was merely to cover a planned attack on teachers. many of these groups HCUA Communist Plan of Attack this setting, it is possible to reveal how the of attack unfolded. It will be seen that the With Communist Party plan plan had two important objectives and unfolded in two stages to accomplish them. COMMUNIST TARGET —YOUTH 5 The first objective of the party was to fill the scene of the hearings with demonstrators. The second was to incite them to action through the use of mob psychology. The first stage of the party's plan of action began to unfold after word was received on April 26, 1960, by party officials that subpenas had been issued for local Communists to appear for the hearings scheduled to take place May 12-14, 1960. One of the recipients of a subpena was Douglas Wachter, an 18-year-old sophomore at the University of California. Wachter, incidentally, had attended the 17th National Convention of the Communist Party in December 1959 as an official delegate from northern CaHfornia. Party officials decided to build a major part of their plan of attack around Wachter. Immediately after receiving a subpena, Wachter proceeded to the University of California campus to organize student demonstrators. Mickey Lima, chairman of the Northern California District of the Communist Party, instructed Roscoe Proctor, a member .of the district committee, to also contact certain students at the University of California and enlist their support. Lima was assured that student support would be forthcoming from Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, Calif. His contact at San Francisco State College, the son of a current member of the Sonoma County Communist Party, was equally enthusiastic in promising support. Organizing for Action The party line on the hearings and the general plan of attack were outlined and distributed early in May 1960 to all party members in the area in a memorandum captioned "Memo on the Un- Americans." It was a call to action, and rank-and-file party members in the area quickly responded. Members of the San Jose Club of the Santa Clara County Communist Party circulated petitions and arranged for the publishing of a protest advertisement in the local San Jose newspapers. Oakland Communist Party members arranged for radio broadcasts and publication of protest advertisements in their area newspapers. Fund drives were initiated in the various clubs to provide financial support for the attack. On the evening of May 6, 1960, party leaders held a meeting to assess their progress and plan further activity. Mickey Lima stated that the activity on the campus of the University of California and the other campuses had begun to pay dividends students were beginning to call for demonstrations and picket lines to greet the HCUA. Lima then issued orders that each club representative in the area assume the responsibility of contacting every club member to insure that massive demonstrations would take place at the hearings. He also discussed the plans that had been formulated by the Communist Party youth group in the East Bay area and stated that he wanted them coordinated with the plans of the San Francisco groups. A telephone campaign was conducted by party members to solidify and was designed specifically to reach 1,000 opposition to the — HCUA Merle Brodsky, an active leader in Communist Party affairs people. in California for more than 20 years, boasted that he was calling everyone he had ever known enlisting support for the demonstrations. COMMUNIST TARGET 6 YOUTH Parallel Organizations Not to be overlooked in the organized attack that was carried out are organized activities that paralleled those of against the the party. Much of the literature that was distributed during the campaign, for example, emanated in the name of the Citizens Committee To Preserve American Freedoms (CCPAF) and the East BayCommunity Forum (EBCF). According to a party official, both of these organizations are under control of the Communist Party. The San Francisco branch of the CCPAF was organized, in fact, on hearApril 4, 1960, for the specific purpose of opposing the This group held an emergency-action meeting the first week ings. in May 1960, at which time it solicited funds, urged the preparation of letters to newspaper editors, and advocated abolition of the HCUA. The Communist Party furnished funds to the CCPAF to defray the expense of mailing literature during the campaign, and, when the whole affair had ended, Mickey Lima praised the executive secretary of the CCPAF, Frank Wilkinson, for the role he had played in organIt is to be noted that Wilkinson, described izing the demonstrations. as the "brains and energy" behind the CCPAF, was cited for contempt of Congress on August 13, 1958, for his refusal to answer on July 30, 1958, concerning Communist questions before the HCUA HCUA HCUA Party membership. On January 22, 1959, he was found guilty of contempt and sentenced on February 2, 1959, to 12 months' imprisonment. He has appealed the conviction, and the appeal is presently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States. As the scheduled time for the hearings neared, Communists stepped up their efforts to assure a big turnout. Communist leaders in Berkeley arranged transportation from Berkeley to San Francisco for youths interested in attending each of the 3-day hearings. Meetings were held; leaflets appeared on campuses; and telephone calls were made with increasing urgency. By May 11, 1960, party leaders knew they had succeeded in the first stage of their planned campaign. The response to their organized efforts indicated that the first objective of their plan of attack would be achieved the demonstrators would be out in full force. — The Second-Stage Planning Meanwhile, the party had not ignored the second stage of its campaign. Plans had been formed on various ways the party could inflame the emotions of the demonstrators. Several days before the hearings were to begin, Saul Wachter, one of the party members subpenaed, told party members that the HCUA would encounter "plenty of opposition" and that demonstrations would be staged Other reports were received that Merle against the committee. Brodsky and Archie Brown planned physical outbursts during the hearings so that they would be forcibly ejected and thus enabled to play on the sympathies of the students. Officials of the party met with and briefed various witnesses on the tactics to use in their appearances before the committee. On May 6, 1960, for example, Mickey Lima told party members he had met with Leibel Bergman, Andy Negro, and Vern Bown to insure that they would be hostile witnesses. Archie Brown, a veteran longshoreman and former member of the party's national committee, also disclosed to party members another tactic the party planned to use in the COMMUNIST TARGET —YOUTH 7 same vein. He said that the party had approved a document which Juanita Wheeler, another party member who had received a subpena, had been instructed to read into the record when called upon by the committee to testify. The party planned to use this statement, which contained an attack on the HCUA, for propaganda purposes at a later date. Additional leaflets were prepared to be ready for distribution during the 3-day hearings. Placards and posters were also prepared for the demonstrators to carry. Nothing was overlooked, even to plans to cap the affair with a grand climax. Arrangements were made to have the demonstrators join a party-sponsored "Peace March" on Saturday, May 14, 1960, at the conclusion of the hearings. Agitators in Action When the day arrived for the hearings to begin, the party was set to go into action to accomplish its second objective of inciting the mob. few key party members were to play major roles as agitators. The other party members who were to attend had been instructed to rem.ain in the background as much as possible to avoid becoming involved in any violence which might erupt. As soon as the hearings began, party members began playing their predetermined roles. The belligerent and insulting behavior of some of the 36 uncooperative witnesses was so aggravating it became necessary to order their forcible removal from the hearing room to A Archie Brown and Merle Brodsky, preserve order and decorum. acting according to plan, were sullen and contemptuous. Both directed vicious and personally insulting remarks at the members of the committee. An organized clique of sympathizers in the hearing room aided them in their roles. Approximately 25 percent of the spectators in the room were individuals under subpena and their relatives, friends, This group applauded and cheered the attorneys, and sympathizers. antics of Brown and Brodsky and booed, hissed, and ridiculed the committee at every opportunity. Archie Brown's disruptive tactics became so intense that it was necessary to forcibly remove him from the scene. This was exactly what Brown had been striving to achieve in line with his plan to evoke sympathy from the crowd. After the luncheon recess. Brown and Brodsky went into action again. Shortly before the afternoon session was to begin, they grabbed a microphone at the front of the hearing room and demanded that all spectators outside be admitted. Their sympathizers shouted similar demands. After refusing to obey orders to be seated. Brown, Brodsky, and several others were forcibly removed, each resisting violently. Brown attempted Wachter threw a father, Saul briefcase at to an strike officer two officers, and Douglas attempting to remove his Wachter. Brown's plan to incite the crowd was beginning to materialize. Upon his ejection from the hearing room, sympathetic cheers went up from the crowd, consisting mostly of students, gathered inside City Hall at the head of the staircase leading to the room. Both Brown and Brodsky appealed to the crowd, Brodsky encouraging and leading it in chanting "Open the doors; open the doors!" Despite these disruptive tactics, police were able to maintain a semblance of order that first day. It was a different story on the COMMUNIST TARGET '8 —YOUTH As a result of mushrooming interest generated by the following day. activities of the first day, the crowd on the second day was much A particularly noticeable aspect of the increase was the larger. presence of additional party members and former party members. Archie Brown quickly resumed his tactics of the day before once the The crowd outside the hearing room chanted and sessions started. sang songs. The songs and chants were obviously part of a wellorganized plan as illustrated by the song sheets being used. Pleas for order and quiet brought only jeers. The Inevitable Happens With the tension growing, the inevitable happened. Violence flared that afternoon. One of the judges in a municipal courtroom in City Hall ordered the mob dispersed because the noise made it imWhen an attempt was made to carry possible for him to hold court. out the order, the crowd responded by throwing shoes and jostling the officers. An officer warned that fire hoses would have to be used if the crowd did not disperse, but the crowd, instigated by Communists who had maneuvered themselves into strategic positions, became more unruly. One of the demonstrators provided the spark that touched ofi^ the flame of violence. Leaping a barricade that had been erected, he grabbed an officer's night stick and began beating the officer over the head. The mob surged forward as if to storm the doors, and a Police Inspector ordered the fire hose turned on. The water forced the crowd to the head of the balustrade, and the cold water had a sobering on the emotions of the demonstrators. For a few minutes, relative quiet ensued. Taking advantage of the lull, police officers began to lead some of the demonstrators away, advising them that they must obey the order to disperse. Suddenly, realizing what was happening, militant individuals in the group set the pattern for renewed violence by kicking and striking the officers. In all, 68 individuals, most of whom were students, were arrested for inciting a riot and resisting arrest. Order had been restored when Harry Bridges, president of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, suddenly appeared on the scene. Demanding to know what part firemen had played in the use of the fire hoses. Bridges commented that he would see if the firemen's pay could be cut. The day's activities closed with Archie Brown joining Bridges and shouting, "You tell them, Harry; eft'ect they'U listen to you!" More mob violence was narrowly averted on the thu'd day of the An attorney from Oakland, Bertram Edises, who was one hearings. of a number of attorneys the party had obtained to represent those subpenaed and who was to testify himself in response to a subpena he had received, became arrogant and insulting in his appearance before the committee. His attacks on and arguments with the committee led to an order for his removal. The crowd, both in the hearing room and outside, had been relatively quiet and peaceful until then. Suddenly aroused, the crowd surged threateningly toward the entrance to City Hall. Committee members were escorted by police officers out a rear exit as a cordon of uniformed officers, including motorcycle patrolmen and mounted officers, held back the angry demonstrators. The crowd, which by then consisted of about 2,000, COMMUNIST TARGET —YOUTH 9 continued to mill around the area for an hour, despite the fact that staff had an announcement was made by loudspeaker that the departed. HCUA The Communist Party* s Reaction The Communist Party, USA, is elated with the success it enjoyed in attempting to make a fiasco of the HCUA San Francisco hearings, which, notwithstanding these attempts at disruption, did develop valuable and needed information concerning the strategy, tactics, and activities of the party in northern California, The party's elation is so great, in fact, that it bears witness to the truth of the observation that such a Communist coup has not occurred in the San Francisco area in 25 years. Immediately after the affair ended, the party's national leader, Gus Hall, congratulated the West Coast comrades for the initiative and leadership they displayed at all stages of the demonstrations. Particularly pleasing to party officials was the number of students involved in the demonstrations. Thej^ commented that there had not been that much "political activity" among student groups for years. Ai-chie Brown, especially, was commended for the tremendous job he had done among the students, working with them in the corridors of City Hall and winning their sympathy. Mickey Lima expressed his pleasure at the number of former party members the affair had brought back into the fold. He said that individual supporters the party had not seen or heard of in years seemed to "emerge from the woodwork" in response to the party's campaign. Various party functionaries on the West Coast reported that the successful demonstrations had a noticeable effect on lukewarm party members. One party official commented that it was a "shot in the arm" for the party, as shown by the fact that attendance at club meetings had risen sharply. The management of the party's West Coast publication, "People's World," was jubilant about the beneficial effect the demonstrations had had upon a fund drive being conducted for the newspaper. The paper reportedly received letters from individuals throughout this country, as weU as from others abroad, supporting the drive. In short, the consensus in the Communist Party was that the riot was the best thing for the party that had occurred in years. Party leaders expressed the opinion that it was especially significant that the in all party had been able to enlist the support of so many people the under attack was the when of fife by walks pubficly party, itself, HCUA. The feefing was that not only had the party taken a major it had taken a step toward its goal of abofishing the HCUA, but also scene. step toward playing a greater role on the American major The Followup Campaign The party did not rest on its laurels after the success it enjoyed in the attack on the HCUA. It is campaigning harder than ever to attract youth and student groups to its ranks and is using the successful demonstrations to implement the campaign. At a party meeting on the night of May 20, 1960, Archie Brown disclosed how the party intended to use a followup campaign with to campus students as the target. He stated that the party planned the attract to as a sympathy rallying cry emphasize "police brutality" of student groups. He pointed out that he was particularly pleased with the fact that he had been invited to speak at Stanford University, 10 COMMUNIST TARGET —YOUTH adding that he had ah'eady spoken to students at the University of California in Berkeley. Brown said that the "People's World" had prepared a special supplement about the demonstrations for distribution to all the colleges and universities in the area, as well as for distribution to all waterfront workers. The campaign is being carried out exactly as Brown outlined it. Not only Brown, but other Communists too, have been addressing student and youth groups in the area. The party prepared 20,000 leaflets for distribution on campuses in the area. Captioned "From Blackmail to Blackjack," the leaflets stress the theme that, at the hearings, "students were peacefully defending the most cherished American freedoms," when "fire hoses, clubs and blackjacks" were used against them "without warning and without provocation" to "browbeat and smash the public opposition" to the HCUA. These leaflets were distributed by the party organization without cost for the sole purpose of exploiting the oncampus sympathies of students in the area. A very significant feature of the leaflet is the lure it dangles for the innocent. It contains a box to be filled in by those who would like to receive a complimentary copy of "People's World." HCUA Conclusion While it must be granted that the San Francisco riot at the HCUA hearings was the best thing that had happened for the benefit of the Communist Party in years, Americans, too, can benefit from this display of Communist strategy and tactics in operation. In fact, it is impossible to stand idly by in the face of the challenge that this Communist success represents. The Communists demonstrated in San Francisco just how powerful a weapon Communist infiltration is. They revealed how it is possible for only a few Communist agitators, using mob psychology, to turn peaceful demonstrations into riots. Their success there must serve as a warning that their infiltration efforts aimed not only at the youth and student groups, but also at our labor unions, churches, professional groups, artists, newspapers, government, and the like, can create chaos and shatter our internal security. The Communists also demonstrated that the menace of communism is not a simple forthright threat. Instead, it is conspiracy which can be controlled only through full understanding of the true nature of the conspiracy and the ability to separate truth from propaganda. Seen in the true reporting of the facts, the San Francisco incident exposes the conspiratorial nature of the party. Every such exposure of the tactics of communism can be used to destroy its ideological appeal and used to strengthen this Nation against the psychological pressures Communists constantly apply against every aspect of our society to weaken us. Throughout the world today, governments are toppling with stunning rapidity. Whether large or small, the role Communists are playing in these events must not be discounted. The growing strength Nation over the years has not proven a deterrent to relentless on the part of the Communist Party, USA, to destroy our security and prepare our Nation for a similar fate. Looking at the riots and chaos Communists have created in other countries, many Americans point to the strength of our Nation and of our efforts COMMUNIST TARGET H YOUTH m San Fransay "It can't happen here." The Communist success cisco in May 1960 proves that it can happen here. All our hopes for the future of our country, as well as for a world at peace, are bound up with our hopes for the future of our Nation's you.h. They will not fail us if we do not fail them. Only our apathy in the face of the threat which Communist infiltration It is the duty of all Ameriefforts represent can cause such a failure. cans to fully understand the true import of this threat to our heritage, to expose it, and to combat it with every weapon at our command. and laxity The overwhelming majority of our Nation's youth has demondeserves our confidence and support. It has shown an increasing awareness of and interest in both national and international affairs, including a penetrating and analytical approach to the false appeals of communism. With our wholehearted support and guidance, the youth of this Nation will meet the challenge which communism hurls at us both today and in the years to come defending, preserving, and expanding throughout the world the heritage of freemen which we enjoy today. strated that it — — 12 COMMUNIST HEARING ROOM SCENE Brodsky and Brown attacking committee. Brown being evicted. COMMUNIST 13 14 COMMUNIST TAR Brodsky being evicted. COMLIUNIST 15 Brown at the microphone. 16 COMMUNIST a?ww hwy? Brown in picket line. Brown with students. 6 COMMUNIST 17 18 COMMUNIST TAR Brown in center of protesting mob. INDEX Individuals Page 3 6 6 8 5-7, 12, 14 Axelrod, Albert A Bergman, Leibel Bown, Vernon Bridges, Harrv Brodsky, Merle Brown, Archie Edises, Bertram Hall, 6-10, 12, 13, 15-18 8 Gus 9 Hoover, J. Edgar Lenin (V. I.) Lima, Mickey Lumer, Hyman Negro, Andy vii, 1 vii 5, 6, Proctor, Roscoe Queen, Danny Rubin, Mortimer Daniel Wachter, Douglas Wachter, Saul Wheeler, Juanita 5, 6, Wilkinson, Frank 9 3 6 5 3 3 7 7 7 6 Organizations Advance Citizens 3 6 6 4 9 Committee To Preserve American Freedoms (CCPAF) San Francisco City College of San Francisco Communist Party, USA National Structure: National Committee 17th National Convention, December 1959, Youth Conferences: May 30-31, 1959, New York City June 11-12, 1960, Chicago Districts New York 6 3, City 4, 5 2 3 : Northern California District District 5 5 Committee States California: : Oakland Santa Clara Countv, San Jose Club 5 5 East Bay Community Forum (EBCF) 6 Young Communist League, Soviet Union.) Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, International Popular Sociahst (Communist) Party, Cuba San Francisco State College Santa Rosa Junior College Socialist Youth (Juventud Socialista), Fourth Congress of, April 4-10, 1960, Komsomol. (See 8 2 5 5 Havana, Cuba Stanford University University of California 2 9 10 2 4, 4, 5, World Youth Festival, Seventh (July 26-August Young Communist League: 4, 1959, Vienna) 2 Cuba Soviet Union (Komsomol) 1 Publications New Horizons People's World 9, o 3 10 3 9999 054421