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
I wanted to make this explanation principally so the committee would
understand that I have asked the witness to confine his testimony today
principally to his own activities. I did not want the committee to feel
that the witness was attempting to relate what he had done alone as a
matter of his own choice.
Mr. DENNETT. Thank you.
Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Dennett can be subpenaed to appear in California when
hearings are held there; the subcommittee could resume hearings here
at a later date if we feel it is necessary to secure his additional
information.
Mr. TAVENNER. Continuing with the subject of the old-age pension, were
you active in it in your individual capacity?
Mr. DENNETT. No; I was not. I spoke before it on a number of times on
invitation of the leaders to indicate some labor support because I was
representing the State CIO at that time.
Mr. TAVENNER. Tell us briefly to what extent was the Communist Party
successful in the accomplishment of the two purposes you stated the
Communists had in interesting the leadership of the old-age pension
unit.
Mr. DENNETT. As I indicated at the outset, the first leaders of the
pension union--president, vice president, and some of the other
officers--were anti-Communist people. And it did not take too long
before they came into conflict with those Communists who were trying to
make certain that the organization carried out these purposes which I
have indicated.
I believe that the first president of the organization left it very
quickly. Later on another person took over as a president of the
organization, who was a member of the Communist Party, and he remained
a leader for quite a long time. Ultimately he got into conflict with
the Communist Party, and the Communist Party did what we call a hatchet
job on him.
Mr. TAVENNER. Who was he?
Mr. DENNETT. A man by the name of N. P. Atkinson. And Atkinson was
expelled from the party. And when he was expelled from the party he was
also pushed out of the pension union.
Mr. TAVENNER. After Communist Party overtures to the leadership of the
union was any effort made to capture the rank and file?
Mr. DENNETT. Yes. There was a considerable effort made. A person by the
name of William J. Pennock, whom I have mentioned before, who is now
deceased--Pennock was a very successful figure in this work because he
was such a tireless worker.
(Representative Harold H. Velde left the hearing room at this point.)
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