Page 32 - Report on the National Lawyers Guild, legal bulwark of the Communist Party

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THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD
3. Committees Investigating Communism house committee on un-american activities
COMMUNIST PARTY, U. S. A.
NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD
In January 1939, the New York City Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild sent a resolution to the New York State Assembly and the U. S. House of Repre- sentatives stating:
It is with real Hitler brazenness that
Dies asks Congress for more funds—to
be exact, for $150,000—in order that his
gang can help the Nazi bunds and the
Wall Street Tories tear down American
democracy. Every American should
answer this insolence with an increasing
stream of protests to his Congressman
urging an end to the Dies outfit. Let appropriated to it, and Congress establish a committee to
ferret out the un-American forces which Dies witch-hunters are hiding. (Edi- torial, Daily Worker, January 23, 1939, p. 6).
Attention, AH Readers!
Write your Congress today on dis- solving the Dies Committee * * *
"2. That we urge Congress to request the Department of Justice to carry on an investigation of un-American and sub- versive activities * * *
{National Issues, January 1939, p. 18, Worker, January 23, 1939, pp. 1 and 4).
Published monthly by National Com-
mittee, Communist Partv).
The November 18, 1939, issue of the
Daily Worker-, page 6, editorialized favorably on the Guild pamphlet and concluded:
"Not another cent for Dies: This should be the thunderous demand of the American people upon the Januar.v Congress."
Abolish the Un-American Dies and
Smith Committees (Resolution Adopted by the National Committee of the Com-
munist Party, U. S. A., February 1940, The Communist, March 1940, page 216).
In November 1939, the San Francisco Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild released a pamphlet entitled "In the Court of Public Opinion, Indictment, People of the United States of America vs. the Dies Committee." This pam- phlet contained the statement: "Propa- ganda groups such as the Dies Com- mittee must be condemned by the Am- erican people, if American democracy and the Bill of Rights are to be main- tained" {Daily Worker, November 15, 1939, p. 1).
Now, Therefore, Belt Resolved: That
the House of Representatives be urged to deny the request of Chairman Dies for an additional one hundred thousand dollars as a supplemental appropriation for the Dies Committee to investigate un-American activities.
That the House of Representatives be urged to discontinue and disband the Dies Committee except for the sub- mission of a report on its activities and that the Dies Committee be directed forthwith to turn over to the Depart- ment of Justice or other appropriate governmental agencies any information which might be of aid to such govern- mental agencies in the performance of their duties (Fourth Annual Convention,
National Lawyers Guild, May 29-June 2 1940, National Laivyers Guild Ouar- terly, vol. 3, No. 2, July 1940, p. 121).
* * * the National I>awyers ments of fascism as the Dies Committee Guild in convention assembled urges * * * (Manifesto of the National * * * the abolition of the Dies
Committee, Communist Party, USA, Committee * * * (Resolution, adopted at its Plenary Meeting, June Fifth National Convention, National
An end must be put to such instru-
1941, 1941, p. 681). Lawyers Guild Review, vol. I No. 4,
28-29, 1941, The Communist, August Lawyers Guild, May-June
But why does the Congress of the June 1941, p. 67). ^^^ ^^ United States continue to vote confi- By letter of February 7, 1942, the dence in Mr. Dies, and provide him New York City Chapter of the Guild
"1. That we urge the resolution to continue the Dies Committee be dis- approved and that no further funds be
"3. That we urge the legislature of the State of New York to memorialize the Congress of the United States to discharge the Dies Committee for the reasons hereinabove set forth" (Daily