Communist activities in the peace movement (Women Strike for ...

COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES IN THE PEACE MOVEMENT 2185
Mr. NiTTLE. We suggest to you that, if you are refusing to answer
for the same reasons, one would think that your conscience would
require that you would respond in accordance with the rules of a
congressional committee. We wish you would confine yourself to
stating legal grounds for yom' refusal to testify.
(Witness conferred with counsel.)
Mr. Dark. Mr. Chairman, I am reminded by my counsel that
there seems to be no rule of the committee that requires me to say
I give the same answer, that if you wish each time I can—I see you
nodding your head, Mr. Bruce—that I can restate my ground each
time. I don't want to take up the time of this committee, but at
the same time I don't want to be put in the position of, I don't laiow,
trying to hide behind something. I am trying to stand for something
and to speak to you and the American people.
Mr. Doyle. I will go this far with you. Make the one-sentence
statement
Mr. Dark. Then, from then on I will be willing to say I stand
on
Mr. Doyle. That is a sentence, not a page.
Mr. Darr. No, it is a sentence.
Mr. Doyle. Go ahead.
Mr. Darr. All right. Thank you very much. Under the proper
circumstances, I would be happy to answer questions about my work
for peace; but I will not answer them here because, within the context
of this hearing, to answer any questions would be to cooperate with
a proceeding I must, in conscience and for the reasons given in my
statement you received, oppose as harmful to the democratic processes
and to the work for peace necessary for the survival of human
values and life in the nuclear age.
Mr. Doyle. That is period.
Mr. Darr. That is period.
Mr. Doyle. I appreciate your applauding the ruling of the
chairman.
Mr. Darr. And I appreciate your responding to my conscience, sir.
Mr. Nittle. Mr. Darr, among your occupations appears to be that
of chairman of the board of directors of the Greenwich Village Peace
Center, with offices at 133 West Third Street, New York City. Is
that not correct?
Mr. Darr. I refuse to answer for the grounds given.
Mr. Nittle. I hand you a copy of a mimeographed letter—
Mr. Darr. I refuse to accept the copy of the mimeographed letter
for the same reasons.
Mr. Nittle. We will pass it to your counsel. It is marked for
identification as Darr Exhibit No. 1. It is on the letterhead of the
Greenwich Village Peace Center, and I direct your attention to the
page thereof dated November 12, 1961, upon which appears your name
as John Darr, chairman of the board of directors. You are the John
Darr named thereon, are you not?
Mr. Darr. I refuse to answer on the same ground.
(Document marked "Darr Exhibit No. 1" and retained in committee
files.)
Mr. Nittle. Upon what date did you assume the chairmanship of
the board of directors?
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