Investigation of Communist Activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
History
Investigation of Communist Activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Communism -- Washington (State) -- Seattle
Mr. TAVENNER. Was it basically an actual part of the Communist
Party plan of recruitment and indoctrination?
Mr. DENNETT. Yes, it was. I thought we were quite successful,
too.
Mr. TAVENNER. What age group attended that camp?
Mr. DENNETT. Well, at that particular camp the age limits
were not restricted too narrowly. Ordinarily the age limit would be in
the teens for the Young Pioneers. Some of them did get up just beyond,
up into the early twenties. These young people were of mixed age and
grouping.
Mr. TAVENNER. I hand you another document which we found among
the documents you turned over to the committee, and I will ask you to
identify it, if you will, as a flier advertising the camp to which you
refer.
(Document handed to the witness.)
Mr. DENNETT. Oh, yes. This was circulated by the party to
its branches, and was especially circulated among what we called the
language sections.
The language sections were organizations such as the Finnish
Federation, and there were some Slavic organizations; there were some
Jewish organizations, which were national in form. I mean only members
of those particular national groups belonged to those organizations.
And we were trying to offer them an opportunity to see to it that
their children had a chance to go to a summer camp and to have as much
prestige and as much satisfaction as people who went to YMCA or YWCA
camps, or Girl Scout or Boy Scout camps.
We were trying to rival them, compete.
Mr. TAVENNER. In other words, was the Communist Party
selecting what was probably to the interests of a group of people and
attempting to use it for the benefit, and the advancement of Communist
Party purposes?
Mr. DENNETT. Very true.
Mr. TAVENNER. I desire to offer the document in evidence,
and ask that it be marked “Dennett Exhibit No. 2,” and that it be
incorporated in the transcript of the record.
Mr. MOULDER. The exhibit offered in evidence, marked “Exhibit
Dennett No. 2,” for identification, will be admitted as a part of the
record.
DENNETT EXHIBIT NO. 2
PIONEER’S SUMMER CAMP
On the other side of this page are the questions which will have
to be filled out in detail by all the children who wish to go to
the camp, or by their parents. The Pioneer Summer Camp this year
will be held at Pine Lake, 30 miles outside of Seattle. The camp
will open on July 10, and will last for a period of one month
unless too many children who wish to go cannot be accommodated
during this time. If such is the case, the camp will last for 6
instead of 4 weeks. Each child will remain for a period of two
weeks.
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