Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
History
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Communism -- Washington (State) -- Seattle
Tom Rabbitt became a very powerful and influential man in that
organization. He did so very largely because he succeeded in being
elected to the Washington State Legislature as a Democrat, and, in
the State legislature as a State senator, was able to embarrass the
governor and the administration on their promises to aid the elderly
people on the pension program. His efforts were heralded as making a
real--well, he was considered to be a real political leader because he
had succeeded in a situation where it was vitally important.
My counsel reminds me that Mr. Rabbitt has been before this committee,
and he appeared in your executive session last June.
Mr. Rabbitt found that there was an enormous amount of work to be done
in that organization, and he had to call for help. And he built up a
comparatively important machine with which he worked.
Mr. TAVENNER. You have told us that the Communist Party, upon seeing
the great potentialities in this new organization, decided to do
something about it. Tell the committee just what it did and the methods
it used to gain control of the Old-Age Pension Union.
Mr. DENNETT. It concentrated first at the top levels of the
organization. It wanted to get strong leadership there capable of
carrying two important points: first, that they carry on a relentless
struggle for better and more welfare assistance to the aged people
so as to insure their loyalty and support among those members; they
wanted, next, to be certain that a large body of people became ardent
supporters and friends of the Soviet Union so that it would be possible
to defend the political policies of the Communist Party in that respect
and to give assistance to the Communist program in this area.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, as indicated by his testimony, the
knowledge of this witness is very great concerning the scientific
features of communism and how it operates in the Northwest.
Because of the limit of time, we have had to confine ourselves to the
high spots. I will ask, if we are to conclude his testimony today, that
Mr. Dennett confine his testimony chiefly to his own activities and
circumstances surrounding them; otherwise we will be unable to complete
what we had planned today.
Mr. MOULDER. Yes. As you say, it is very important testimony. We are
grateful to receive it. I believe any additional information which he
might wish to submit could be submitted in writing to the committee at
a later date. I mean after we have concluded our hearings.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, it is obvious we will have a great deal of
work ahead of us in connection with documentary information which he
has at hand, as well as to give this witness time to explain fully the
implications of his statements today.
Mr. MOULDER. It may be possible when the hearings are held in Los
Angeles in June that additional hearings could be held here to complete
the testimony of Mr. Dennett.
Mr. TAVENNER. Certainly further consideration will have to be given to
that.
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