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apap, dee ape ee e Tota . . - " Rae at 3 ACR edt Wy | seh Deepen ie ten funpranigsiptre Mo ae os ieee if woot 4, ‘ * ¢- . Cy . . a ae sae NE 100-32986 - i a | CONFIBENTIAL a an employee". - by The "New York Herald Tribune", a nowspaper published in New York City, on March 11, 1954, publishe4 an article which reflected that in testimony given by PETER A. GRAGIS of Levit- town, Long Island, a self-described former Cor munist, GRAGIS testified that he received a letter from Dr. KUNSTEIN asking for contributions for the American Committee for Spanish Freedon. GRAGIS stated that he collected $22 from fellow employees at . the Federal Telecommunications Laboratories, Nutley, Ne Je, and that he made out a check to Dr. EINSTEIN fo:* that amounts. The purpose of the committee was to collect funcs to help hospitalized veterans of the Spanish Civil War aid their de- pendents. The American Committee for Spanish Freedom was cited as Commnist by Attorney General Tom Clark in a lete ter to the Loyalty Review Board released April 27, 1949. The Newark Evening News on March 11, 195, published | an articie which reflected that the subject had denied receiving money in 1%,5 for the American Committee for Spanish Freedom. He stated "I cannot remember ever receiving money for such purpose and have no further comment", GRAGIS has advised that in 195 the engineers at the Federal Teleconmmunications Laboratory in N. J. were attempt- ing to unionize the entire staff at this plant. EINSTEIN had discussed the matter with SHADOWITZ and GRAGIS and recommended that they continus their efforts to form a union. Sometime in the latter part of 1945, EINSTEIN contacted him and asked him if he would collect funds for the American Committee for Spanish Freedom. GRAGIS was unable to elaborate on the method of this contact but does know that EINSTEIN did contact him. . GRAGIS then collected donations from varieus unrecealled FIL employees. He collected $21, which he deposited in his per sonal account at the Bank of Great'Neck, N. ¥Y. He then drew - @ check which he forwarded to Dr. EINSTEIN. He was unable . to recall whether he had handed it to him personally or mailed it to hims When EINSTEIN mentioned the collection was for the American Committee for Spanish Freedom, GRAGIS stated, he at that time recognized the fact that this conmittee had some =; affiliation with Communist activities, The check drawn by ~.