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. No. The will established, I think I can explain
it, the will established three trusts, one that was called the Robert
Marshall Foundation, we were denoted always as the trade-union trust.
The second trust was a civil-liberties trust and 5 trustees, not all
of the 5 trustees on the trade-union trust, were trustees on the
civil-liberties trust. There were 15.
Mr. TAVENNER. Were you on both?
Mr. O’CONNELL. No, I was only on the trade union trust.
Mr. TAVENNER. Do you have any knowledge of the payment from
this other trust--that is, the civil-liberties trust--of the grant of
$20,000 for defense of Remington?
Mr. O’CONNELL. I know nothing about it except, was that
contained in Mr. Dies’ speech? Was that reported----
Mr. TAVENNER. No.
Mr. O’CONNELL. I really personally have no--I am not a member
of that civil-liberties trust and I don’t know. There is also a
wilderness area trust that is set up in the will and I am not a trustee
on that fund either.
Mr. TAVENNER. Was the only fund of which you were a trustee
the one which provided for the promotion of an economic system in the
United States based upon the theory of production for use?
Mr. O’CONNELL. Which the trustees abandoned and decided to
eliminate at the very first meeting of the trustees that was held.
Mr. TAVENNER. Let us see the nature of the grants and we can
determine more about whether they did actually abandon it or not. How
long did this trust continue to operate? How long was it active?
Mr. O’CONNELL. I think we actually made grants from, if I
remember correctly, 1940 until 1950. I am not sure whether we made any
grants in 1950 or not. We have not met in the last 5 years, I know
that. If I remember correctly, there is approximately $41,000 left in
the fund of which I am a trustee and there have been no meetings of the
trustees in at least the last 4 or 5 years.
Mr. TAVENNER. The committee has information that grants were
made in 1941 and 1942 by the Robert Marshall Foundation to the American
Youth Congress for the total of $10,250. Do you know who solicited
those grants?
Mr. O’CONNELL. No. An actual application would be made to Mr.
George Marshall as manager of the trust by the organization that was
involved--by the American Youth Congress. I can’t recall the reason for
the grant. My offhand guess would be that the American Youth Congress
was proposing to establish some kind of a labor secretary or labor
division of the Youth Congress or something, and they would tie it
in actually to the provision of the will as far as the trade union,
development of trade unions were concerned, organization of unemployed
youth, I imagine.
Mr. TAVENNER. Did you, as a trustee, do anything to ascertain
how the money was being used after the grants were made?
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