meetings of Communist parties held in Moscow at the time. Mr. Jackson has spoken frankly of his veneration for Lenin, the patron saint of the CPSU. An editorial written by him in the Worker of April 24, 1960, page 2, reads in part as follows: Lenin: his truth goes marching on. *** The mighty U.S.S.R. and the great fraternity of socialist countries, where almost a billion people dwell, are his living monument. *** With the establishment of the Soviet Union, mankind had attained the first government in the history of the world which by its very nature requires, and is wholly dedicated to the cause of peace. *** The truth for our time is revealed in the life and works of Lenin. HERBERT APTHEKER The close interlocking relationship between the CPSU and the CPUSA was further revealed on the occasion of Herbert Aptheker's visit to Moscow in September 1966. The Pravda of September 2, 1966, reported that "One of the leading figures of the Communist Party, Herbert Aptheker, Director of the American Institute of Marxist Studies" gave a speech at a meeting in Moscow on September 1 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Communist Party. The meeting was organized, according to the Pravda, by the Soviet Communist Party Central Committee's Marxism-Leninism Institute, the Academy of Social Sciences, the Central Committee's Higher Party School, and the Institute of History of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. Other speakers included: P. N. Pospelov, director of the Marxism-Leninism Institute; "Worker" Moscow correspondent Art Shields; and Canadian Communist, Alfred Dewhurst. The English-language publication Tass of September 2 reported that a taped talk by Mr. Aptheker was carried by Moscow television on September 1, 1966. VICTOR PERLO A striking demonstration of the subordination of the Communist Party, U.S.A., to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union is to be found in the multifarious activities of Victor Perlo, who, after serving as an economist for the American Government for a period of 14 years, was revealed in sworn testimony before a congressional committee as having been the head of an underground Communist espionage ring working in the U.S. Government since 1944. Perlo subsequently invoked the fifth amendment in refusing to answer all questions regarding his Communist Party membership. 34 On March 26, 1961, the (Communist) Worker announced with pride that "beginning with the April 2 issue, we will publish weekly a column on the economic situation by Victor Perlo, well known economist." The Worker claimed that since 1947 Perlo had been "an economic consultant for unions and progressive organizations, an author, lecturer, and teacher." Perlo's "major works" were listed, including "U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.," "American Imperialism," "Empire of High Finance," and "Dollars and Sense of Disarmament"-all of them hostile to the American Government. 24"Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage in the U.S. Government," July, August, and September 1948, before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. "Interlocking Subversion in Government Departments," Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, pt. 7 May 12, 1953. Perlo has used his column in the Worker and other Communist publications to hail the achievements of the Soviet Union. The following headlines will illustrate: Rising Soviet Living Standards (the Worker, Jan. 23, 1966, p. 5). How the Soviet Economy Works (People's World, Oct. 28, 1961, p. 7). In 1965, Perlo digressed from his economic writing to attack American policy in Vietnam. For example: Aggression in Vietnam.. Why does Johnson follow the "hawks" rather than the "doves"? (The Worker, Feb. 28, 1965, p. 5.) The big vultures prey on Vietnam. (People's World, July 24, 1965, p. 6.) Vietnam roulette the war is revealed as a major, imperialist war for colonial conquest. (The Worker, July 25, 1965, p. 5.) In 1954, Perlo conducted a course at the Jefferson School of Social Science on "Stalin's Economic Problems of Socialism in the U.S.S.R." [This school has been cited as subversive by the Attorney General.] Let us look at some examples of Victor Perlo's direct service to the Soviet apparatus. Articles by and references to Victor Perlo appeared with considerable frequency in the Soviet periodical Mezhdunarodnaia Zhizn' (International Affairs). This magazine is issued by the All-Union Society "Znaniye" (Knowledge) in Moscow in three separate versions-in English, French, and Russian. Here are a few specific instances: Mezhdunarodnaia Zhizn' of June 1962 carried an article by Victor Perlo entitled "Economic or Military Upsurge?" It dealt with problems of slow economic growth in the United States and with Kennedy administration policy. No comments were added concerning the author. The article was written in New York in May, 1962. This Mezhdunarodnaia Zhizn' of September 1964 printed an article "Washington Economic Strategy," by Victor Perlo, and in connection with it referred to Perlo as a well-known American economist. article, which was written in New York in July 1964, deals with continuing prosperity in the United States, the new policy of budgetary deficits as an economic stimulus, the tax cut, President Johnson's antipoverty program, the prospect of an overcapacity situation and recession, world economic growth, and capitalist policies. Mezhdunarodnaia Zhizn' of May 1965 included an article by Victor Perlo entitled "The Dollar Operates in Latin America," which was written in New York in April 1965. It was not accompanied by any references to the standing of the author. In this article, Perlo wrote of profits from U.S. investments in Latin America, the area's economic dependence on the United States, the growth of light and secondary industry, the Alliance for Progress and U.S. support of reactionary regimes, the Johnson administration's abandonment of reform aims, and failure to alleviate Latin America's social contradictions. International Affairs of December 1965 printed an article by Victor Perlo, "The U.S. Boom; Vietnam War Phase" written in New York in September 1965. In connection with this article Perlo was presented to the reader as "an American economist." Among the various topics are the growing military spending factor in business activity, defense production (including napalm), unemployment and the antipoverty program, installment buying, and balance-of-payment problems. In articles written by Soviet authors and published in International Affairs, Victor Perlo is referred to as "a U.S. economist" (August 1965, p. 36, first column) and as "a well-known American economist" (March 1966, p. 99, first column).3 35 The above list may be amplified from other Soviet sources which have published articles by Victor Perlo. The Moscow Pravda published a Perlo article on "Nelson Rockefeller's Dangerous Demagogy," which was broadcast over the Soviet Home Service from Moscow on December 22, 1959. The same radio service broadcast on October 18, 1959, the following eulogy of Soviet Prime Minister N. S. Khrushchev, by Victor Perlo, "U.S. economist”: The (Moscow) New Times, No. 28, for July 1960, page 10, disclosed how highly Mr. Perlo was rated by the Soviet apparatus. We submit an excerpt: Mr. Victor Perlo, who has come to Moscow at the invitation of Soviet scientific organizations to read a series of lectures, is a well-known specialist in statistics and economics. In the thirties he was one of the group of young Government experts engaged in working out U.S. economic problems. Their findings were used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for formulating his New Deal. Mr. Perlo is the author of several important works on the U.S. economy. Some of his books have been translated into the Russian: "American Imperialism" (1951), “The Negro in Southern Agriculture" (1954), and "The Empire of High Finance" (1958). Some time ago he wrote "The Dollars and Sense of Disarmament" in collaboration with Carl Marzani. In the New Times, No. 5, dated January 1960, at page 17, the following New Year greeting from Victor Perlo was printed: Best wishes to the Soviet people for 1960. *** May millions of Americans shout loudly what I know is in their hearts-Yea! to the Khrushchev proposal for complete disarmament. Mr. Perlo has been a consistent Soviet apologist. An article over his name, headed, "American Economist," which was published in the New Times, No. 43, for October 25, 1961, at pages 10 and 11, included the following: When I visited the Soviet Union last year economists and planners mentioned the 20-year plan on which they were working. I obtained an impression that this was a planning effort of enormous scope, * * * Now I find the first fruits of their work embodied in the draft program of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. *** If the stated goals are reached-and they will be the U.S.S.R. will during this decade surpass the United States economically, *** *** We can clearly "foresee" that Soviet power output will surpass that of the United States before 1980, even if U.S. output continues to grow as in recent years. I visited the great Stalingrad works, and the Metallichesky plant in Leningrad where its turbines were made. I was tremendously impressed with their mag nificent accomplishment. *** *** Great strides have been made in recent years in improving the organization and economic arrangements of the collective-farm system, * * * The period of greatest success in Soviet agriculture lies ahead. * * * *** The Soviet Communist Party considers that the struggle for peaceful coexistence is the central objective of the foreign policy of the Soviet Union. * * * In my own country, the most aggressive imperialists have consolidated their grip on the affairs of state, are pressing forward to increase militarism in every way, *** 35 Reported in a study made by Dr. Sergius Yakobson of the Legislative Reference Service of the Library of Congress, dated Sept. 12, 1966, on Victor Perlo. The new program of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, as its contents become known, and even more as it comes to life, will be of inestimable value to the American people in winning significant improvements in our own life. In an article in connection with which he was referred to as an "American journalist," Mr. Perlo reviews a book on the Kennedy assassination entitled "Oswald: Assassin or Fall Guy?" by Joachim Joesten. This review was printed in the (Moscow) New Times, No. 38, for September 23, 1964, at pages 30 and 31. In it Perlo told his Moscow readers that: Regardless of details, the killing was used by the ultras to try to incite antiCommunist hysteria, using the fabricated "leftism" of Oswald. GUS HALL (Also known as Arvo Kusta Halberg) On February 2, 1960, Leonard Patterson, a former member of the Communist Party, U.S.A., and a graduate of the Lenin School, testified before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee that Gus Hall had been a fellow student at the Lenin School in Moscow during the early 1930's. He testified that the following leading members of the CPUSA were also students at this school: Steve Nelson, Jennie Cooper, William Odell Nowell (deceased), Beatrice Siskind, Morris Childs, Bill Lawrence, Philip Frankfeld, Vera Hathaway, Manya Riess (deceased), George Hewitt (deceased), and others.3 36 Mr. Patterson testified he had been Gus Hall's roommate at the Lenin School and that both attended lectures on military strategy and tactics, sabotage, use of explosives, and guerrilla warfare. While in Moscow Gus Hall was, according to Patterson's testimony, a member of the Young Communist International Commission of the American Young Communist League. Meetings of the 12th plenary session of the executive committee of the Communist International, at which Hall was present, were addressed by leading members of the Russian Communist Party, including Otto Kuusinen, Ossip Piatnitsky, and Dimitri Manuilsky. Hall's Moscow training brought early dividends for communism. The transcript of proceedings in the municipal court of Minneapolis, as of April 20, 1934, shows that Hall, under the name of Arvo Halberg, was convicted of rioting. During the trial, Halberg testified that he approved of the Soviet Government in comparison with the American Government and that he would be willing to fight and with arms to overthrow the Government of the United States. John P. Frey, former president of the Metal Trades Department of the AFL has referred to Hall (Halberg) as the leader of a dynamite crew in and about Warren, Ohio. He (Hall) was indicted on July 8, 1937, by a Trumbull County, Ohio, grand jury on a charge of possession and use of explosives during a strike at the Republic Steel plant in Warren, Ohio. He escaped a heavy penalty by pleading guilty to a lesser charge of malicious destruction of property, and was fined $500. In his keynote speech at the 17th National Convention of the CPUSA Hall indicated how firmly the American Communist Party is tied to the CPSU. He bore witness to the "confusion and bewilder 36"Communist Leadership, Tough Guy Takes Charge," testimony by and about Gus Hall, before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, pp. 35 and 36. ment" which prevailed in the CPUSA between its 16th and 17th convention, "resulting from the revelations of the 20th congress of the CPSU concerning the weaknesses and mistakes of the Stalin era." He called attention to the "historic visit of Khrushchev to this country and its momentous consequences." 37 Hall has been quick to endorse every twist and turn of Soviet policy. In 1961, as general secretary of the CPUSA, he released a statement endorsing the draft program of the CPSU even before that program had been formally adopted in October. Hall declared that "In sharp contrast to the dangerous repression of liberty in our land, the draft program of the Communist Party sets forth the everexpanding democracy in government and within the Communist Party itself." 38 Symbolic of the closeness of his party's ties with the CPSU was Gus Hall's tribute to the CPSU's patron saint, Lenin, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Lenin's birth. Hall assured his followers that "as history unfolds, it brings with it an ever-greater appreciation by ever larger sections of the population of the greatness of V. I. Lenin and his teachings." 39 The Moscow meetings which Gus Hall attended gave him opportunities to meet representatives of other Communist parties and to coordinate the policy of the CPUSA with them. He was accompanied to some of these meetings by Arnold Johnson, member of the National Committee of the CPUSA and its national legislative director. Johnson, in an article under a Moscow byline, described Hall's meetings in Moscow with representatives of the Communist parties of Venezuela and Australia. 40 Moscow has found it expedient to moderate its demands upon its satellite parties and grant minor dispensations. Thus Gus Hall has been able to criticize the Soviet Union publicly for its recent imprisonment of two Russian writers who smuggled to the West their works critical of the Soviet Union." By this device of permitting a Communist reader outside Russia to voice fringe criticism calculated to be domestically popular, the Soviet Communist Party hopes to confuse the outside world into accepting its current line that Moscow communism is showing moderation and tolerance. [Implicit even in this line is the recognition of Moscow control-in order to "permit" criticism, Moscow must be in a position to stop it if so desired.] Moscow has put Gus Hall to good use in filling its anti-American propaganda arsenal. The Moscow radio of February 26, 1966, broadcast Gus Hall's speech on the occasion of the 42d anniversary of the Worker in which he declared that U.S. foreign policy was characterized by aggression, intrigue, and subversion. Hall has utilized almost every available occasion to sing the praises of the Soviet Union. In a Political Affairs article appearing in February 1961, he voiced his enthusiasm as follows: The forward march of Socialist and Communist construction has also advanced to a new and higher stage. The Soviet Union is now moving along the new hitherto untraveled but exciting path toward a Communist society. He urged his comrades to follow Lenin's advice that "Communists must not stew in their own juice, but learn to penetrate into prohibited 37 Political Affairs, January 1960, "Our Sights to the Future" by Gus Hall. 38 New York Times, Aug. 2, 1961, p. 9. 39 The Worker, Apr. 24, 1960, p. 9. 40 The Worker, Sept. 18, 1966, p. 3. 41 St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, Feb. 26, 1966. 70-589-67-3 |