Show Strange but hut True Admitted Commie Finally Admits He's Hes Communist By Frederick C. C Othman V WASHINGTON I I w was a s surprised surprised surprised sur sur- to get from the U. U S. S civil service commission an official official official of of- communication concerning a girl graduate high school that is who had landed herself a job as a federal clerk The TheU TheU TheU U S C S C wondered if I knew whether she was harboring any plots to overthrow her government government government govern govern- ment by force and violence I told Mme Frances Perkins and her fellow commissioners that I doubted whether this young lady had any such horrid ideas in her pretty little head That was that but I couldn't help thinking to what extreme lengths our Uncle Samuel a cautious f fellow e 11 o w who always wears his rubbers except when he forgets em now is going to squelch Communists This cogitating I was doing on my way to the capitol where the senate judiciary committee was figuring on a law which would force Communists to register register register reg reg- ister and slap em in jail if they And there was Chairman Chairman Chairman Chair Chair- man Herbert R. R OConnor O'Connor of Maryland asking each witness whether he was a member of the Communist party Redundant Question Some said they They got to testify Some refused to answer They weren't allowed to say a word Along came Arnold Arnold Arnold Arn Arn- old Johnson of New York the legislative representative of the Communist party He passed each senator a sheaf of documents documents documents docu docu- ments which identified him as one of the big bosses of com com- He started to read a statement Whoa said the chair chair- man The committee counsel in intoned intoned intoned in- in toned the usual questions Are you a member of the Communist Communist Communist party The big pink-faced pink Communist Communist Communist Johnson gulped Then he grinned Wasn't that he asked a redundant question Just uJust answer it it please said the senator from Maryland My liMy constitutional rights began the Communist who didn't want to say he was a Please an answer the question urged Sen The answer is obvious re replied replied re- re plied Communist Johnson wiping wiping wip wip- ping ing the smile from his face You answer It anyhow Insisted in insisted insisted in- in Senator Bert H H. Miller of Idaho It uIt is a matter of record re retorted retorted retorted re- re the Communist We Ve have asked the question politely said Sen I will first put my testimony testimony testimony mony in m the record parried parried- Johnson First you will answer the question snapped Sen It uIt is a ridiculous question roared Johnson And I suppose that's enough dialogue to give you the idea After some more palaver along this same line Johnson the Communist said yes es he was a Communist By now his face was wasas wasas wasas as red as his political beliefs If all this sounds a little Alice- Alice in m Im I'm just getting getting getting get get- ting a good start In a loud and booming voice Communist Johnson said that inthe inthe in m the opinion of the Communist party any law designed to curb Communism was a bad one He urged that the senate drop the whole idea Takes Down Do Words The stenographer solemnly took down for posterity his words and after half an hour of this Senator James O. O Eastland Eastland Eastland East- East land of Mississippi asked Johnson Johnson Johnson John John- son in m an event of a war between between between be be- tween the United States and Soviet Russia whose side would he be on You are asking a political question and you know it roared Johnson It is a very simple question interjected Senator I want a yes or no answer insisted Senator Eastland He never did get it but Communist Communist Communist Com Com- Johnson will be back later for more cross examination on whether hed he'd carry a gun to shoot Communists Anyhow I hope my girl graduate graduate graduate grad grad- does a good job for her government and I also hope my government worries no more about her Copyright United Feature Syn |