Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., area. Hearings, Part 3United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
History
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., area. Hearings, Part 3
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Communism -- Washington (State) -- Seattle
Mr. O’CONNELL. I mean instead of letting the thing come to
trial, instead of letting the issue come to trial on facts, to be
tried on the facts, and so on, he and his attorneys hid behind his
legislative immunity that he was in the State of Washington by virtue
of a subpena to appear before the legislative committee of the State of
Washington and under the laws of the State could not be legally served
with a summons and sued in the State. The case was dismissed on that
ground.
Mr. TAVENNER. Was this the testimony to which you referred:
I will ask you, Professor, Do you know a former Congressman from
Montana by the name of Jerry O’Connell?
Mr. BUDENZ. Yes, sir.
Question. Do you know whether or not Mr. O’Connell was a member of
the Communist Party?
Mr. BUDENZ. Not that specific. I know that he was one
whom the party felt it must take care of because of his agreement
constantly with the party line. This came up in the case of
Congressman John T. Bernard, of Minnesota, and Congressman
O’Connell. The discussion came up in the national headquarters
of the Communist Party in the committee headed by William Winant
about how to take care of these Congressmen because they agreed
with the party line. And it was agreed that Bernard and O’Connell
both would get jobs with the International Workers Order, this
Communist-controlled front to which I have referred.
Now, it is my impression that--well, I know that Bernard got
it, and it is my impression that Mr. O’Connell temporarily also
received that cynosure through the cooperation of the party. I
heard the discussion in the party circles first, and later on I
heard that it was to be accomplished.
That is the testimony to which you refer?
Mr. O’CONNELL. That is the testimony to which I refer.
Mr. TAVENNER. You were employed by the International Workers
Order, were you not?
Mr. O’CONNELL. In order not to prolong it--Congressman Willis
did not hear this, but yesterday I testified about my connections with
the International Workers Order. The original contact, as I remember,
was made by Peter Shipka to advise the local Serbs and Croats which
existed in the city of Butte. It was, as I remember, during a period
when I think Hitler had already invaded Yugoslavia and it was a
question of whether they were supporting Milhailovich or Pavlich. There
was a lot of dissension going on between the Serbs and Croats. I was
asked to go down and advise with them and help with them. Many of them
I knew because of my political candidacies for legislature and for the
railroad and public service commission and for Congress there.
Mr. TAVENNER. That is all in the record.
Mr. O’CONNELL. Yes. Then I was sent on a specific job to do
with reference to these coal miners at Steamboat Springs who were
applying for citizenship and were members of the International Workers
Order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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