However, Mortimer was operating under authority of the top apparatus of the party, namely, the central committee in New York City. And he completely disregarded any advice or counsel which was offered by the district bureau or the district leaders of the Communist Party in this area. It was our policy to not disturb the existing unions to change affiliation. To us that was ridiculous and had no point of value. Our concern was to not have our members upset or disturbed in those organizations. Mr. TAVENNER. It may be of importance for us to know the year in which this incident occurred. Mr. DENNETT. I would have to consult my records, but I can assure you I have records on that. I have extensive correspondence with Mr. Mortimer on that subject. Mr. TAVENNER. That will be satisfactory. Mr. VELDE. Is the Walter Stack, to whom you referred, the same Walter Stack who was convicted of violation of the Smith Act? Mr. BENNETT. I don’t know what his violation is, but I am sure he is the man who was very prominent in the marine firemen’s union over a great many years. He came from here when I knew him. Mr. VELDE. I feel certain that it is one and the same person. I noted in the newspaper the other day that his appeal was turned down by the United States circuit court of appeals. Mr. DENNETT. In the national conventions of the CIO, after my first experience, which was highly unsatisfactory, with Mr. Lee Pressman, I complained so bitterly when I came back to the district that the next convention I went to I was instructed before I left that I should work through Reid Robinson, who was president of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers of America at that time. Mr. Robinson proved to be a very cooperative man and readily discussed party affairs with me. That was in 1939. Mr. TAVENNER. You say you were given instructions to work through Robinson. Was that an instruction from your union as such, or was it an instruction from the Communist Party? Mr. DENNETT. That was from the Communist Party. (The witness confers with his counsel.) Mr. DENNETT. My counsel thinks that I have not sufficiently identified Mr. Lee Pressman. He was at the time I knew him general counsel of the CIO. Mr. TAVENNER. Will you proceed, please. Mr. DENNETT. My relations with Mr. Reid Robinson were quite satisfactory except that at a little bit later date, when I was under sharp attack because of the growing split between left and right wings in the State CIO in this State, I tried to get Mr. Reid Robinson to come to this State to try to pacify the situation, and he was fearful of doing so for fear he would get into more complications than he could solve. So he deserted me when I needed help. Earlier, of course, I knew Ferdinand Smith from the National Maritime Union of America. I believe he has been deported from the United States. Mr. TAVENNER. That is correct. Mr. DENNETT. It is the same person. I had known him over a period of several years.