[Investigation of Un-American Propaganda Activities in the United States]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN
PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES IN THE
1 4 UNITED STATES
(Office of Price Administration)
HEARINGS '
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON UN- AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIYES
SEVENTY-NINTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H. Res. 5
TO INVESTIGATE (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 PROP-
AGANDA 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
JUNE 20, 21, 27, 1945, AT WASHINGTON, D. C.
Printed for the use of the Committee on Un-American Activities
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
83079 WASHINGTON : 1946
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COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
JOHN S. WOOD, Georgia, Chairman
JOHN E. RANKIN, Mississippi J. PARNELL THOMAS, New Jersey
J. HARDIN PETERSON, Florida KARL E. MUNDT, South Dakota
J. W. ROBINSON, Utah GERALD W. LANDIS. Indiana
JOHN R. MURDOCK, Arizona
HERBERT C. BONNER, North Carolina
Ernie Adamson, Cbtinsel
John W Carrington, Clerk
II
CONTENTS
Statement of — Page
Chester Bowles 2
D. B. Stetler 14
Zenas L. Potter 33, 59
Daniel R. WooUey ^ 45
George V. McDavitt 67
EXHIBITS
Ko.
1. Letter, November 23, J944, Elmer Davis to Chester Bowles 9
2. Letter, December 4, 1944, Chester Bowles to Elmer Davis 10
3. Memo, December 2, 1944, Jack O'Brien to James Rogers 10
4. Letter, December 1, 1944, Tex Weiner to Jack O'Brien 10
5. Contract, J. Walter Thompson Co. & WOR (Stand. Brands) 15
6. Contract, J. Walter Thompson Co. & Bamberger 18
7. Pa V roll. May 1, 1945, Soldiers With Coupons 22,23
8. Pav roll, May 8, 1945, Soldiers With Coupons 23
9. Letter, April 12, 1945, Weiner to Stetler . 24
10. Letter, April 5, 1945. Statler to Weiner 25
11. Letter, April 3, 1945, Weiner to Stetler . 25
12. Correspondence to be furnished by Zenas L. Potter 39
13. Announcement of examination for position of program director 68
14. Script on rent control 83
List of radio stations 38
in
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ACTIV-
ITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1945
House of Representatives,
Committee on Un-American Activities,
Washington, D. C.
The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Edward J. Hart (chairman)
presiding. Mr. Ernie Adamson, committee counsel.
The Chairman. Gentlemen, are we ready to proceed?
Mr. Robinson. Mr. Chairman, I suggest that we go into executive
session. I think we should discuss some matters before we proceed.
I was hoping there would be more members of the committee here. I
move that we go into executive session.
The Chairman. You move that we proceed in executive session.
Is there a second?
Mr. MuRDOCK. I second the motion.
Mr. Thomas. On what question?
The Chairman, It is moved and seconded that the committee pro-
ceed in executive session.
Mr. Thomas. Wait a minute. We can discuss the motion. What
is the question?
Mr. Robinson. The question is whether we should continue the
hearings this morning or not.
Mr. Thomas. We have discussed that time after time. I don't see
any reason why we should go into executive session, particularly in
view of the fact that everything is all set to go ahead. I am opposed
to it.
The Chairman. Is there any further discussion?
Mr. Murdock. Mr. Chairman, what is the legislation for today?
Are you acquainted with it? '!<»
The Chairman. I understand that the OPA bill comes up today. ^
Mr. AIuRDocK. Will our hearings this morning have any effect on
that legislation?
The Chairman. That is a difficult question to answer.
Mr. Robinson. I think that is the very question we should discuss
and decide. I think it is unfortunate that we should be starting
hearings today and take the organization away from that matter.
Mr. Thomas. We were scheduled to start hearings a week ago, on
the 13th. •
Mr. Robinson. But this bill was not scheduled to come up then.
The Chairman. Is there any further discussion on the motion?
Mr. Thomas. Well, if you want to whitewash the whole thing, that
is up to you.
The Chairman. All those in favor of the motion will say "Aye";
those opposed, "No."
(The motion was put and carried.)
2 INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA
The motion is carried. The committee will proceed in executive
session.
(Whereupon, at 10:05 a. m., the committee went into executive
session. At 10:15 a. m. the committee resumed the hearing in open
session.)
The Chairman. The committee will be in order. You may pro-
ceed, Mr. Adamson.
Mr. Adamson. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, at
this hearing I wish to raise before the committee some evidence in
connection with numerous complaints we have received against the
script radio broadcast of the New York region of the OPA. We are
informed that these scripts are prepared by a man named Tex Weiner.
Mr. Chairman, I understand that Mr. Bowles wishes to get away to
another committee meeting, and, therefore, I want to put him on first
and let him go.
The Chairman. Very well.
(Whereupon the witness was duly sworn by the chairman.)
TESTIMONY OF CHESTER BOWLES, ADMINISTRATOR, OFFICE. OF
PRICE. ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Adamson. Mr. Bowles, will you give your full name and official
title for the record?
Mr. Bowles. Mr. Chester Bowles, Price Administrator, Office of
Price Administration.
Mr. Adamson. And can you tell us briefly the organization with
regard to your office and the regional office in New York? As I under-
stand it, the country is divided into regions.
Mr. Bowles. That is right.
Mr. Adamson. Can you tell us what supervision and control your
office here in Washington exercises over the regional office in New
York?
Mr. Bowles. We have nine regional offices, of which New York is
one, and under those regional offices are the various district offices.
There are 93 of those. We appoint here in Washington the nine
regional administrators. The regional administrator then appoints
his own staff and the district directors under him. The district direc-
tors then appoint their own staff.
The supervision from this Office — first of all, we have delegated as
much as we can — we have gone a long way in the last 2 years in
delegation. An indication of that is that we have about 800 fewer
people in our Washington Office today than we had 2 years ago, when
the Office of Price Administration was organized.
The regional heads are responsible for operations in their region.
The policies are set down in Washington and then handed on down
to the regional staffs, the district directors, to carry out, and we
naturally keep a general lookout to see that they are carried out, and
in general I feel that they are carried out well.
Mr. Adamson. Do you have the final authority to employ and also
to discharge employees, even in the regional offices?
Mr. Bowles. No; that is up to the regional administrator. We
appoint the regional administrator and he appoints his own staff.
On major personnel he will check that personnel with us. If there is
any case, however, on which we may disagree, it is entirely up to him
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA 3
to appoint liis own staff. I believe that when a man is put in charge
of a region or department or district he should have full authority
over his own operations and his own personnel.
Mr. Adamson. Briefly stated then, you don't feel that you have
authority to step in and either employ or discharge a particular man
in a region office or staff of that regional director?
Mr. Bowles. Naturally, that is true; no. But naturally, if we
have felt anything was going wrong or was being handled badly, we
would call it to the attention of the regional administrator and hold
him responsible for making it right. I would like to add that I am
very confident of the regional administrator for New York.
Mr. Adamson. Have you a man here, an assistant in your Office
this morning, who will stay in the hearing in case we need him?
Mr. Bowles. Yes, Mr. Potter, who is assistant to me.
Mr. Adamson. What is his full name?
Mr. Bowles. Zenas L. Potter.
Mr. Adamson. Wliat is his official title?
Mr. Bowles. He is head of our congressional relations group,
which works with Congress on many problems. He represents pretty
well the whole operation of OPA in that job.
Mr. Adamson. May I ask you if you are acquainted with the man
involved here in this matter more directly, that is, Tex Weiner?
Mr. Bowles. No; I haven't met him. I don't know him.
Mr. Rankin. What is the answer?
Mr. Bowles. I don't know him.
Mr. Adamson. Do you know of your own knowledge whether he
was ever employed by your firm, Benton & Bowles?
Mr. Bowles. I never heard of it. I am quite certain he was not —
or it is possible he might have been. As a matter of fact, that wUl
be easy to check up. I never heard of him until I heard of him here.
Mr. Adamson. You have a large number of employees?
Mr. Bowles. Yes, sir.
Mr. Adamson. And you don't know each one of them personally?
Mr. Bowles. No; I do not. If he had any major position there
while I was there — I haven't been there for 4 years — I wouldn't know
about it.
Mr. Adamson. You don't think he had a major position, Mr.
Bowles?
Mr. Bowles. I never heard his name until I heard it in connection
with this case.
Mr. Thomas. Let's get that cleared up. Does counsel want the
record to show that he was employed?
Mr. Adamson. We will show later on that he used to work for
Benton & Bowles, but since Mr. Bowles doesn't know him, doesn't
know anything about him, I don't know what I could ask him about
him.
Mr. Rankin. What business is this firm of Benton & Bowles in?
Mr. Bowles. Advertising, marketing advertising.
Mr. Rankin,. Where are they located?
Mr. Bowles. In New York,
Mr. Adamson. You also have an office in California, haven't you,
Mr. Bowles?
Mr. Bowles. I believe they have. I am not sure. They used to.
I haven't been there in 4 years. I am completely out of touch with it.
4 INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA
Mr. Adamson. That is in Hollywood, I believe?
Mr. Bowles. Used to have one there.
Mr. Adamson. If I told you that I checked the advertising direc-
tory yesterday and it showed that you had an office in Hollywood at
least the first of this year, you would say that was correct, wouldn't
you?
Mr. Bowles. I assume they still have one there, and it certainly
would be correct.
Mr. Adamson. And if I told you that the directory also showed
you as vice chairman of the board of this advertising agency, would
that be correct?
Mr. Bowles. That is correct. I have since asked them to take
my name off.
Mr. Adamson. How recently did that happen?
Mr. Bowles. Within the last week or so. I don't think I have
been in there twice since I have been working for the Government
the last 4 years.
Mr. Adamson. I am not questioning that fact, Mr. Bowles. I
merely want to clear up the things that appear of record. You are
known in the advertising agencies, and you say that up until last
week your name did appear as vice chairman of the board of this
advertising agency. That is quite a large advertising agency, isn't
it, Mr. Bowles?
Mr. Bowles. It is.
Mr. Adamson. They have done pretty well, haven't they, in
business?
Mr. Bowles. They have done better since I left. [Laughter.]
Mr. Rankin. Are you still connected with it, Mr. Bowles?
Mr. Adamson. He says he quit last week.
Mr. Bowles. I have had no operating connection with it for the
last several years.
Mr. Rankin. With the firm of Benton ou the hearing had been
ordered by resolution of the committee, and the chairman was power-
less to change it?
Mr. Potter. Yes, sir.
Mr. Thomas. You did confer with the counsel, though, over the
phone?
Mr. Potter. I talked to him a number of tim.es. I don't think I
ever made any request of that kind.
The Chairman. Did the chairman refer you to counsel?
Mr. Potter. I do not think so.
The Chairman. I think you are in error on that. I told you
that — this may be considered as under oath — I told you counsel was
in charge of the investigation and that it would be better to talk
with him than with me about any adjustment of the period of the
hearing.
Mr. Robinson. What are you going to do now, start an investiga-
tion of the committee?
Mr. Thomas. What I am leading up to is another point that will
come out when the next witness comes on, and you will understand
what I was driving at. I did not realize that he had conferred with
all you gentlemen. I am sorry about that.
Mr. Robinson. I will be responsible if you want to ask me.
Mr. Thomas. No; I did not know he had conferred with so many
people. I was trying to find out whether he conferred with another
person.
Mr. Bonner. I think my name has been mentioned here. Mr.
Potter did come to my office, and I told him I knew nothing about it,
and I have been here 2 days now and I still know nothing about it.
I don't think anyone else does.
But some certain few know something about it. I surely have
wasted 2 days here if I have not got something in my mind that 1 can
connect all this stuff with.
Mr. Thomas. Mr. Bonner, you voted for this hearing?
Mr. Bonner. Never heard of it.
Mr. Thomas. Didn't you vote to have the hearing?
Mr. Bonner. Well
■ The Chairman (interposing). This is all out of order, gentlemen.
The gentleman from North Carolina is not subject to questioning
from other members of the committee. He has a right to rnake his
statement since his name has been mentioned, and it is not in order
for any other member of the committee to question whatever he says
in his statement.
Mr. Thomas. Mr. Chairman, I am sorry that the answers to the
questions did include you gentlemen. I never realized anything like
that.
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA 65
^\'hfit I am driving at is this — —
The Chairman. The chair is not asking an}^ sympathy m the
matter. I have nothing to apologize for.
Mr. Thomas. I understand he got in touch with one of our
investigators.
Mr. KoBiNsoN. I would Uke to make this statement, Mr. Chair-
man. About 2 weeks ago, Mr. Potter spoke to me about this and told
me he thought it might interfere with OPA. I told him I thought it
might do so also, and I thought it should be continued for a couple
of weeks, and I think so now.
If there is any question about it, I think it should be continued
now. And so far as Mr. Thomas asking if we did not order this
investigation, I want to tell him llefinitely that I had nothing to do
with ordering it.
Mr. Thomas. You voted for it^ — you voted for it twice.
Mr. Robinson. I did not vote for it. I have been sitting around
here for 2 days to find out what it is all about, and yet I do not know
what it is about.
Mr. MuRDOCK. My name has not been mentioned. In connection
with this, Mr. Potter did not consult with me, but if he had, I should
have been sure to suggest that these hearings be postponed.
Mr. Potter. I went to see you, sir, but you were out of your office.
[Laughter.]
Mr. MuNDT. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask. a question while
we are in this good, jolly mood. I would like to ask Mr. Potter how
it happens that as the official liaison officer of the OPA, in conducting
the business of his office, he simply goes around and talks to Demo-
cratic members of the committee. He didn't come to see any Repub-
licans at all.
Mr. Potter. Well, sir, if he — if you want to have an explanation of
that, I should be glad to give it.
Mr. MuNDT. I would like to have it.
Mr. Potter. I looked over the votmg record of the members of
the committee on legislative matters favorable to or against price
control, and I consulted the members who had voted favorably to
price control because I noticed that some of the others voted against
us on every step of the bill.
Mr. MuNDT. You must not have looked up my record, because I
happen to have voted for OPA.
Mr. Potter. Well, I apologize. [Laughter.]
Mr. MuNDT. I am glad you did not come to me. I don't believe
in having officials come in trying to tell us what to do, and if any-
body on the part of OPA had come to my office, you would not have
received very friendly reception. But I wondered how I happened
to be missed. I thought you were the liaison officer between OPA
and all Members of Congress, not just Democratic members of Con-
gress and the OPA.
Air. Potter. Well, sir, I happen to be a registered Republican
myself, but I am very much interested in inflation control. I believe
in it thoroughl}^ and I was trying to serve that interest, sir.
Mr. MuNDT. So am I. I voted for OPA.
The Chairman. Any further questions of Mr. Potter?
Mr. Adamson. For the information of all the members of the com-
mittee, Mr. Potter I will ask you why you never requested any
adjournment of these hearings thiough me, did you?
66 INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA
Mr. Potter. No.
Mr. Robinson. Wliat difference does that make?
Mr. Potter. I talked to the Chairman. I thought he was the
proper person to talk to.
The Chairman. Is that all, Mr. Adamson?
Mr. Adamson. That is all I have.
The Chairman. All right, Mr. Potter.
Mr. Potter. Yesterday the question was raised about the suitabil-
ity of Standard Brands, Inc., financing a show of this type for the
Government and I called attention to the activities
The Chairman (interposing). Let me say this: This inquiry does
not include the propriety of business organizations sustaining programs
in the hands of the Government, set let us not go into that. It has no
part in this hearing. This hearing is devoted to a single subject:
Whether or not the broadcasts were of a subversive nature, and I wish
we could get down to the heart of the subject and let us find out
whether they were or not.
Mr. Potter. Does that conclude with me?
The Chairman. Yes, Mr. Potter. Thank you.
The committee will adjourn until next Wednesday morning at 10
o'clock.
(Whereupon, at 11:20 a. m., the committee adjourned until 10 a. m.
Wednesday, June 27, 1945.)
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA
ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1945
House of Representatives,
Committee on Un-American Activities,
Washington, D. C.
The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. John E. Rankin presiding.
Mr. Rankin. The committee will come to order. The chairman
had to go away on some other matter this morning and asked me to
preside.
Mr. Adamson, you have some matters that you wish to take up
this morning?
Mr. Adamson. Yes, sir. 1 would like to call Mr. McDavitt.
Mr. Rankin. Mr. McDavitt, will you be sworn?
TESTIMONY OF GEORGE V. McDAVITT, INVESTIGATOR, COM-
MITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
(The witness was duly sworn by Mr. Rankin.)
Air. Adamson. Mr. Chairman, I now have from the Civil Service
Commission an official letter which I shouldlike to read into the record,
to save time. This is dated June 23, 1945, and reads as follows:
Pursuant to Mr. McDavitt's telephone request of Mr. F. W. Luikart, Chief of
our Investigations Division, there is attached a copy of the report of investigation
in the case of Mr. Max Mencher. Mr. Mencher is an employee of the Office of
Price .\dniinistration in New York City. As Mr. McDavitt was advised by Mr.
Luikart, the names of witnesses have been deleted from the report. Witnesses
are referred to as confidential information of the Civil Service Commission.
Mr. McDavitt also requested hiformation concerning Mr. Tex Weiner, another
employee of the OPA in New York City. Our records show that he claimed
December 28, 1912, as the date of birth in his civil-service papers. With regard
to his education he stated that he attended prelaw night school at Temple Univer-
sity in 1932. The exact dates were not indicated and he did not claim graduation.
He claimed that he attended National University for 3 years in day school from
1934 to 1937 and received an LL. B. degree. He also claimed .to have attended
the Dramatic Work Shop in 1939 and to have 1 year of playwriting seminar.
There is also attached a copy of the announcement for the position of program
director in the Office of Price Administration under which Mr. Weiner was exam-
ined and rated. You will note' that there are no educational requirements
specified in the announcement. Therefore, the Commission did not verify his
educational claim as a part of its examuiation. His educational claim would have
been verified if his schooling had been within the 5-year period covered by the
investigation or if it had been a requirement for the position.
If an applicant for a responsible position deliberately furnished mishi formation
to the Commission in the belief that by so doing he will enhance his chances of
appointment, the Commission would rate him ineligible on character groimds.
If the fact that such information had been furnished came to the Commission's
attention subsequent to the applicant's appomtment, we would normally require
his separation.
67
68 INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA
The examination announcement does specify that appHcants must have had 5
years of comprehensive and progressively reasonable experience in certain fields.
Accordingly, the Commission's investigation was devoted to the establishment of
Mr. Weiner's possession or lack of the experience requirements for the position
and he was found to be qualified.
We hope that this furnishes you the information you want. If we can be of
any further help, please let us know.
Then, annexed to that
Mr. Rankin (interposing). Who signed that letter?
Mr. Adamson. The letter is signed by William C. Hull, executive
assistant. Attached thereto is a mimeographed advertisement, I
suppose, or a circular, which describes the job in question. I wish
to offer this as one of the exhibits for .the record.
(The paper referred to, announcing an open competitive examina-
tion for the position of program director, was marked "Exhibit 13.")
United States Civil Service Commission, Recruiting Circular 2R-65, Form 57
Open Competitive Examination for the Position of Program Director,
Office of Price Administration
Salary, $2,800 a year, plus overtime pay
Overtime pay: The standard Federal workweek of 48 hours includes 8 hours
of overtime. The increase in compensation for overtime amounts on an annual
basis to approximately 21 percent of the part of the basic salary not in excess of
$2,900 a year.
for duty in the second region
Comprising the States of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Regional Headquarters: New York
City.
Closing date. — Applications will be received until the needs of the service have
been met.
Duties. — Under the supervision of the regional information executive, is respon-
sible for formulating plans for promotional programs of the Office of Price Adminis-
tration and for the working out of details for the promulgation thereof, conferring
frequently with various division heads in the agency as well as in other govern-
mental, civic, and private organizations; is responsible for the preparation, on own
initiative, of speeches and addresses for delivery by OPA executives, involving-
conferences with executives and the establishment of contracts with heads of other
organizations in order to readily obtain pertinent data for speeches; writes radio
addresses and prepares radio programs when representatives of the OPA are
invited to participate; determines on own initiative, dates when a radio address
by an OPA official would be propitious in the public interest, and makes plans for
such broadcast; establishes and maintains good relations with the various broad-
casting studios; organizes meetings and is responsible for the selection of the
proper speaker, requiring close contacts with the various groups and with the
numerous speakers available for outside speaking engagements; is responsible for
the selection of the subject material to be incorporated in such public addresses
and the subsequent preparation of the address.
Minimum qualifications. — Applicants must have had 5 years of comprehensive
and progressively responsible experience in (1) writing or editing for a metro-
politan newspaper, national magazine, news or information service operating on
a national scale, college or university agricultural extension service, or Federal or
State department or agency; or (2) radio broadcasting, including educational or
informational radio work requiring the preparation or the supervision of the
preparation of educational or informational radio manuscripts and the manag-
ing and broadcasting or recording for broadcasting of radio programs ; or (3) adver-
tising experience as a copy writer or account executive which must have been
experience involving use of varied media; or (4) informational or public relations
experience with such agencies as civic or governmental organizations or with
public or private educational institutions; or (5) any combination of the above
types of experience.
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA 69
The experience offered