THE AMERICAN LEGION

• PreparedrrIIrnrr~@ and Distributed By The National Americanism Commission, .JJaII~rn P. 0. Box 1055 Indicmapolis~ Indianc: • Ac"de '1'.' ~+ ~, on Subscription rate $3.00 per year Picture A:-t:.; an:i Scienc(;S J_,brr.ry. Beverly Hi:ls, Ccilif.

VOL. NO, IV, NO. 12 May 15, 1955

LEFT-WING INFLUENCE IN RADIO AND TELEVISION

Thanks to the alertness of a Legionnaire in the Department of Arizona, another expose of left-wing influence into the radio and tele­ vision industry is made possible. Like many valuable leads and reports sent to the National Americanism Commission by Legionnaires in grass root areas, this particular case merits close attention and .is presented for the first time by The Firing Line.

It was originally reported to the National Americanism Commis­ sion that Radio Station KCNA of Tucson, Arizona, was allegedly guilty of slanting certain programs which were described as left-wing propaganda, Research by The Firing Line staff developed the following information concerning Radio Station KCNA:

ERSKINE CALDWELL, author of the best sellers' God's Little Acre, Tobacco Road and many other popular novels, own 52% of Radio Station KCNA. A prolific writer, CALDWELL was a war correspondent in Russia during the outset of World War II, for Life magazine, the now defunct newspaper PM, and the Columbia Broadcasting System.

As a correspondent, he traveled widely into many countries, including China, Czechoslovakia, , Mongolia, Spain and Turkestan, CALDWELL is a member of the Authors League of America, Tucson Country Club, and the Old Pueblo Club of Tucson, Arizona. He currently resides in Tucson, and maintains a business office at 17 East 49th Street in . (See "Who's Who In America," 1954-1955, page 400). /. The files of The American Legion reveals that CALDWELL has been affiliated with 14 organizations that are cited as subversive and Communist by the United States Attorney General and the House Committee On Un-American Activities, (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944, page 567).

CALDWELL was a member of the National Organizational Committee of the periodical Anvil in 1935, and signed a statement on behalf of the League of Professional Groups For Foster and Ford three years prior. He was listed as a member of the Advisory Council of the Book Union, Inc. and a repre­ sentative to the Coordinating Committee To Lift The Embargo, (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944 ,'· pages 569, 589, 668, and 986) •

. He sponsored the Film and Photo League in 1934, and the Confer­ ence On Pan American Democracy in 1938. In 1935, CALDWELL was listed as a Contributor to the "Sunday Worker", the weekend edition of the "Daily Worker", official organ of the Communist Party in the United States, A year later, he was listed as a member of the Non-Partisan Committee For -50-

The Re-Election of Congressman Vito Marcantonio. (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944, pages 673, 7.27, 1375 and 1458).

In 1937, CALDWELL signed a statement supporting the National Writers Congress, and was listed as a contributor to the now defunct periodical Friday in 1940. The Special Committee On Un-American Activities cited Friday as "Communist controlled" in 1944. He has been a member of the League of American Writers, which was founded under Communist auspices in 1935. The League was cited subversive and Communist by seven governmental bodies at Federal and State levels. (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944, pages 745, 968, and 1340; and HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organizations and Publi­ cations, 1951, pages 72, 73 and 134).

CALDWELL was affiliated with the publication International Liter­ ature, and the National Committee For People's Rights. He was listed as a Contributor to , which was described as a "Communist Periodical" by the United States Attorney General in 1942. He was also listed as a member of the Editorial Board of the Partisan Review. (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944, pages 968, 1179, 1351; and HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organizations and Publications, 1951, page 142).

He was affiliated with the National Committee For The Defense of Political Prisoners, which was first cited as subversive in 1942 by the United States Attorney General. CALDWELL was listed as a co-chairman of Contemporary Writers. This organization founded around 1946 has described itself as "the militant new organization of Marxist and other ant'i-Fascist authors." (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944 , page 1176; HUAC, Testimony of Walter S. Steele Regarding Communist Activities In The United States, 1947, page 107; and HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organizations and Publications, 1951, page 79).

In 1948 CALDWELL signed an open letter on behalf of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. This organization was listed as subversive by the House Committee On Un-American Activities in 1951. (See California Legislature, Fourth Report of the Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Un­ American Activities, 1948, page 330 ; and HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organi­ zations and Publications, 1951, page 84).

CALDWELL'S ASSOCIATION WITH MAXIM LIEBER

Since 1931, MAXIM LIEBER has' served as ERSKINE CALDWELL'S Liberary Agent. WHITTAKER CHAiY.!BERS has stated that LIEBER handled "the profitable market problems of ERSKINE CALDWELL ••• also handled Tobacco Road when its was made into a play ••• ii According to CHAMBERS, the profits ~ived from Tobacco Road enabled LIEBER to buy a farm in (Ferndale) Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "which also played its small part in the (Communist) underground." (HUAC, Hearings Regarding Communist , 1950, page 3601; and "Witness" by , 1952, page 44).

CHAMBERS has described LIEBER as a "Secret Communist who had been turned over to the Soviet apparatus by the American Communist Party for the specific purpose of using his business to provide legal 'cover' for a Soviet underground apparatus ••• " during the 1930's. J. PETERS (real name R. GOLD­ BERGER), former Russian head of a Communist espionage ring in the United States, 11 formally separated Comrade (MAXIM) LIEBER from the American Communist Party and relinquished him to work exclusively with the Soviet apparatus." (See "Witness", by Whitt~ker Chambers, 1952, pages 44 and 355). r -51-

CHAMBERS and LIEBER set up a "cover" organization called American Feature Writers' Syndicate, which was listed as "one of the Tokyo branches of the Soviet Military Intelligence." According to CHAMBERS, he gave LIEBER the underground pseudonym of "Paul", and made LIBER'S apartment on West 47th Street, his unofficial headquarters in New York City, (See "Witness", by Whittaker Chambers, 1952, pages 355, 365 and 366; and HUAC, Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage, 1950, page 3603),

LIEBER was born in , in 1897, and came to the United States in 1907, He was naturalized as an American citizen in 1919, while serving with the u. S, Army at Fort George G, Meade, Maryland, LIEBER appeared before the House Committee On Un-American Activities on June 13, 1950, and invoked the Fifth Amendment when questioned about present or past membership in the Communist Party, He also invoked the Fifth Amendment many times when asked about the American Feature Writers' Syndicate, WHITTAKER CHAMBERS, , and alleged associations with individuals involved in Soviet espionage, (See HUAC, Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage, 1950, pages 3599-3609) . LIEBER'S affiliation with was not limited to Soviet Intelligence and the Communist Party. In 1934 he was listed as a supporter of the National Committee To Aid Victims of German Fascism, and sponsored the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee in 1943. This Committee was listed as subversive and Communist by the United States Attorney General in 1947. (See HUAC, Appendix IX, 1944, pages 941 and 1170; HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organizations and Publications, 1951, page 68).

According to WHITTAKER CHAMBERS, LIEBER attended meetings of the John Reed Clubs of the United States during the 1930's. In 1946, he was a sponsor of the Contemporary Writers, and was listed in an article as having been affiliated with the Communist Party's May Day Conference the same year. (See "Witness", by Whittaker Chambers, 1952, page 355; HUAC, Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage, 1950, page 3607, and "Daily Worker", 4-22-46) . In 1948, LIEBER signed a petition to MAYOR O'DWYER of New York for the seating of SIMON w. GERSON, Communist leader, on behalf of the Citizens Committee To Defend Representative Government, The same year he sponsored a mass demonstration"of writers and artists against the Mundt Bill and the 'war makers'." (See "New York Times", 2-19-48; HUAC, Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage, 1950, pages ' 3607, 3608; and "Daily Worker," 5-25-48). LIEBER was a sponsor of the American Continental Congress For Peace in 1949. This organization was cited by the House Committee On Un-American Activities as "another phase in the Communist 'peace' campaign, aimed at consolidating anti-American forces throughout the Western Hemisphere." During the same year, he was listed as a signer of an Amicus Curiae Brief on behalf of JOHN HOWARD LAWSON and DALTON TRUMBO, identified members of the Communist Party. This brief was filed with the Supreme Court of the United States during its October Term, 1949. (See HUAC, Review of the Scientific and Cultural Conference For World Peace, 1949, page 36; HUAC, Report On The Communist Peace Offensive, 1951, page 117; Amicus Curiae Brief, 1949, page 6; and HUAC, Guide To Subversive Organizations and Publications, 1951, page 16). -52-

WHAT LEGIONNAIRES CAN DO TO FIGHT UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA

Legionnaires and other patriotic Americans should immediately write to the Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W., Washington 25, D. C. Demand that the FCC take appropriate steps to investigate the ownership of Radio Station KCNA -in Tucson, Arizona. 1 I MORE SUBVERSION AT ANTIOCH COLLEGE I On March 15, 1955, HERBERT APTHEKER concluded a two day visit at Antioch ·college tn Yellow Springs, Ohio, after delivering a very lengthly talk on the subject: "Marxist philosophy and t.he role of dia­ lectical materialism 'in the Communist social order." APTHEKER was the guest of the college's Young Progressives of America '(YPA); -' The' YPA 'has been identified as "the direct successor to the functions and activities of the American Youth For Democracy. (See Antioch College Record", 3- 17-55; and "The Firing Line:, 6-1-54, page 3).

In July 1954, APTHEKER testified on behalf of the Communist Party, U.S.A. as an "expert on Communism", at the trial of 9 Communist Party leaders in Philadelphia, Penn~ylvania, on charges of violating the Smith Act. APTHEKER admitted before the Federal Court that 11 he had joined the Communist Party in 1939 and had always been an active member." (See "Daily Worker", 7-27-54, page 3).

APTHEKER has\ supported over 16 organizations and publications that have been cited as subversive and Communist by governmental agencies. He has been listed as an Instructor of the School For Democracy and its successor, the Jefferson School For Social Science. He was a Director of the Negro Publication Society of America, Inc. and was a member of the Executive Board of the National Negro Congress. (See HUAC, Appendix IX-, 1944, page 932; HUAC, Testimony of Walter S. Steele Regarding Communist Activities In The United States, 1947, pages 41, 48, and 94).

APTHEKER is a prolific Marxist writer. He is currently an Associate Editor of "Masses & Mainstream", a cultural organ of the Communist Party, and many of his pamphlets and books have been recommended by "Political Affairs", New Century Publishers, Labor Youth League and the Party itself. APTHERKER has been affiliated with the Win-The Peace Conference, Civil Rights Congress, and the Progressive Citizens of America. (See HUAC, Review of the Scientific And Cultural Confer~nce For World Peace, 1949, pages 8, 25, 33 and HUAC, Expose of the Commu 1• st Party of Western Pennsylvania, Part II, 1950,_ page 2431).

In 1950, at the ran of Major, APTHEKER was discharged from the u. s. Army Reserve because of subversive leanings. In 1953 he was listed as a sponsor of the National pommittee To Secure Justice In The Rosenberg Case. (See "Daily Worker", 1 12-51, page 5; Letterhead).