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OFFICE OF CIVILIAN DEFENSE January 9, 1942 Dos. iy dearlic. Attorney General. s | > g wonder if it wuld be possthle for you to run down for ne’ through the F.deral Bureau of Investigation, Colonel Donovan's Naval Taspectorss and the Dies Comittee, what they really have on Joe Lash. : He tumed in to the Navy the ‘absolute truth on all his former connections —- that he had never signed a Commmist Party card, that he had, however, been very close to the Party, and he told them all that he had made a break with them at the time of the Nazi-Russian Pact, and since that time had never done anything but work for those who upheld the interests of this countrys I know this to be so, both in his public and private situation. I think to hound someone who has lived up to his convictions is really unwise procedure. He was not accepted by the Navy, Se, but was never told why. I feel quite sure it was because he was so honest ani in telling of his fomer connections. ; re His investi, ator told someone that the people who knew hin, like Dr. William Allen Neilsen, ex-President of Gnith, and Dr. Alvin Johnson, were high in their praise of him, but that others poke of his former connections. It-has a very bad effect upon youth in general when they thihk something unjust is being done, where people have honestly lived up to their convictions. I am seriously wrried, nct about what will be done to Joe, for practically the whole board of International Student Service is back of him, because he has done such very good work for them as their General Secrdtary, but I am worried for the effect it will have on the groups with which he has been ‘working. 4, Today, I got a message from our Youth Activities representative, Miss Jandlscaver, which reads as follows: "TY thought that you would want to know that Mr. Robert E. Stripling, who is Special Investigator for the Dies _ Committee, phoned to find out if Joe Lash were employed by use I said noe He went on to ask if he were serving in any capacity at all with our division. I told him that Joe was serving in an advisory capacity on our Executive Committee along with the others (mentioning the names). He wahted to know if he were receiving remuneration. I —-.. ..._ teld him he was getting expenses. I don't know what all this means, but I hope it doesn't mean trouble for Joe." é. ip -oPIE DESTROYED 4, . i “ - w ry cee mee te nn ne nee errr Y sme amet mea mt mene er a - vee