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184 UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES IN CALIFORNIA other democratic countries, pretending to be what is called a democratic country ; then it reversed its p-evious position and instead of denouncing Roosevelt they became his most active supporters and became interested in all kinds of reforms whieh they had previously denounced as bour- geoisie reformation, and they didn’t fullow their former line with refer- ence to Democracy. And in this respect, this conference, the southern conference, was the kind of organization that they needed and in which with respect io pol] taxes and race relations and things of this kind, their interest was paramount ; and at the same time they were doing this they were trying to improve friendly relations between the Soviet Union and the democratic countries in order thai the Soviet Union could have allies against Germany in the event of war. And they, at the same time, were trying to infiltrate into high positions in our government and to get a better organization and to obtain important government jobs, and things of this sort, things of this kind. And by taking advantage of these things, such as social reforms, they were able to increase their effectiveness in that direction. Q. Was a magazine or newspaper published in order to launch this organization ? A. Yes, the New South. Q. Who edited the New South? A. T did. Q. For how long & period? outbreak of the war ir > Europe i in Totembes 1938. Q. A great many prominent people in governmental circles were very interested in the southern conference, were they not! A. Yes, many prominent officials, such as the Supreme Court Justice and, while he wasn’t an official of the government, and the wife of the President of the United States—were induced to speak there. Of course, T should make it clear that Mrs. Roosevelt obviously didn't know that this was a Communist organized affair when she accepted, and a letter was sent by the President of the United States to this conference, and it was obtained through the Communist Party, of course, without Mr. Roosevelt's knowledge. This was Communist-inspired and he certainly didn't know the man he was talking to when sitting in his car, about the conference; and about this letter; this was one of the highest ‘offcials i in the Communist Party in the United States. Q. You knew this man! A. Yes, Jknew this man intimately for many years. Q. And you worked with this man intimately for many years! A. Yes, and the man frequently was a guest at both the White House and llyde Park. * Q. Was that an example, Mr. Crouch, of the technique used by the Communist Party to dupe sincere people with humanitarian motives, who were taken advantage of by the Communist Party for its own ends? A. Yes, avery typical example, and one of the must classic examples that I know of, and there have been aA of such organizations such as fyo- 1525 a-Sb : 4 oo) | 4 Load | |