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. My best recollection is that that employment
was over a period of maybe 5 or 6 months. It might have been 7 or 8. It
was not very long, and I don’t think I could put it in the precise year
or years that were involved.
Mr. TAVENNER. Was it resumed at a later date?
Mr. O’CONNELL. No; it was not resumed at any later date.
Mr. TAVENNER. Did you receive any compensation or money from
the IWO for anything other than the services you have mentioned?
Mr. O’CONNELL. No; I certainly don’t recollect any.
Mr. TAVENNER. Will you tell the committee, please, whether you
had any employment since 1930 other than the positions you have already
described and other than those matters related to the practice of law?
Mr. O’CONNELL. Well, going back in 1930, I was still a student
in St. Charles College.
Mr. TAVENNER. We can pass that up.
Mr. O’CONNELL. At Helena. Of course, during the summer months
I was employed in the Anaconda Copper Mining Co.’s mines at Butte while
I went to school. I think the summer of 1932 I was employed by the
Industrial Accident Board of the State of Montana settling compensation
cases during that period. I think I told about my employment with the
Democratic National Committee while I was back here.
I also had some employment as legal adviser to the State income-tax
division of the State board of equalization of the State of Montana
while I was running for State railroad and public service commissioner
in Montana and before my election to that post. Then I think I have
detailed all of the rest of it.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. O’Connell, you spoke of being instrumental
in organizing an old-age pension initiative, I believe you call it, in
the State of Montana in 1939.
Mr. O’CONNELL. As I remember, we were trying to put it on the
1940 ballot in Montana.
Mr. TAVENNER. You are familiar, I suppose, with the Washington
State Pension Union?
Mr. O’CONNELL. Yes; I am. I would like to say that at the time
I was organizing the clubs in Montana I knew nothing whatever of the
existence of the Washington Pension Union of the State of Washington,
or any of its officers, or anybody connected with it. My first
connection with the organization and the group was when I went to the
State of Washington in 1944. Those contacts were made in my position as
executive secretary of the Democratic Party.
Mr. TAVENNER. You were also familiar, of course, with the
Washington Commonwealth Federation, were you not?
Mr. O’CONNELL. I really couldn’t say that I was, Mr.
Tavenner. I think the Washington Commonwealth Federation was still in
existence when I went to the State of Washington in 1944, but if I
remember correctly, shortly after the elections in November of 1944
the Washington Commonwealth Federation was dissolved but I had no
connection with the Washington Commonwealth Federation at all.
Mr. TAVENNER. Did you become acquainted with Barbara Hartle
after you became a resident of the State of Washington?
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