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 honestly can’t remember anything about it. I
didn’t even know it existed as far as I can remember. When I was down
here in Congress there were a lot of newspapers and I am trying to
think of some of them. A lot of them came in.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. O’Connell, were you acquainted with John T.
Bernard, former Member of Congress?
Mr. O’CONNELL. Yes, sir; I was a Member of the House in the
75th Congress with Mr. Bernard and I have seen him on several occasions
since that time and I am acquainted with Mr. Bernard.
Mr. TAVENNER. I have before me the January 8, 1938, issue of
the Daily Worker carrying an article entitled “‘I Am for the Loyalists
and China,’ Police Captain Declares at Lincoln Vets Trial.” The last
paragraph of this article states as follows:
A dinner in honor of Robert Raven was given by the friends of the
Abraham Lincoln Brigade last night at the Aldine Club, 200 Fifth
Avenue. Congressman John T. Bernard, Farmer-Laborite of Minnesota,
paid tribute to the heroic death of Raven, and gave some account
of his experiences while visiting Spanish battle-grounds with
Jerry O’Connell, Congressman of Montana. Other speakers were Steve
Nelson. * * *
Did you accompany John T. Bernard to the Spanish battlefields?
Mr. O’CONNELL. Yes, sir.
Mr. TAVENNER. When were you in Spain and for what period of
time?
Mr. O’CONNELL. You are really getting into ancient history. My
best recollection was that we were in Spain, I would say sometime in
the month of October 1938 or maybe the latter part of October or early
November 1938, somewhere in that period.
Mr. TAVENNER. How long were you there?
Mr. O’CONNELL. I would say about 3 weeks.
Mr. TAVENNER. As part of your experience there, did you
and Mr. Bernard take part in the review of the American Brigade,
Anglo-American Brigade, on the occasion of the celebration of the
anniversary of the Russian Revolution? Do you recall reviewing the
troops?
Mr. O’CONNELL. I remember reviewing the troops but not
in connection with any celebration of the Russian Revolution. As
I remember, the only troops we reviewed were troops that came up
when there was a change of command. The command of the brigade was
to be taken over by somebody, I can’t remember who they were now,
but certainly not in connection with any celebration of the Soviet
Revolution. At least I certainly was not informed that that was the
case. I had been active, while I was a Member of Congress, before I
went to Spain I was very decidedly and very specifically on the side
of the Spanish Republic, I did everything I could to promote American
policy to help and to aid the Spanish Loyalists. They were the legally
elected government of Spain, they were being attacked by Hitler and
Mussolini as I saw it, and in my opinion it was the beginning, in fact
the first battlefield of World War II.
Mr. TAVENNER. Will you tell the committee, please, who invited
you and the circumstances under which you made the trip?
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