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

2066 COIVIMUNIST ACTIVITIES IN THE PEACE MOVEMENT
It is imperative to bring everyone—men, women, youth and yes, even children
into the struggle. * * *
It is essential to give full support to the existing peace bodies, to their movements
and the struggles they initiate, to building and strengthening their organizations.
* * * It is also necessary to recognize the need for additional peace organizations
* * *.
Above all, Communists will intensify their work for peace, and their efforts to
build up peace organizations.
These very blunt Communist statements make one thing very clear:
Present Communist strategy gives No. 1 priority to peace agitation
and propaganda in the United States and all other non-Communist
nations. It calls for Communist infiltration of, and support for, existing
peace organizations, Communist or non-Communist. It calls
for the creation of new peace organizations, controlled or infiltrated
and manipulated by Communists. It calls for assemblies, picket lines,
marches, delegations, walks—every possible kind of demonstration for
so-called "peace."
Basically, it is because of the Communist directives I have just
quoted that these hearings are being held. Preliminary investigation
by the committee indicates that Communists in the United States, in
carrying out these directives—as they would be expected to do
have both infiltrated existing peace groups and created or infiltrated
newly formed organizations.
For reasons already discussed, this Communist activity intensifies
the security problems faced by this Nation. This is internal psychopolitical
warfare, directed by Moscow and waged withm our own
borders. The aim of this activity is not peace, but the undermining
and sabotage of the United States.
The questions of peace, disarmament, nuclear weapons testing, and
related matters are the gravest issues confronting the United States
today. It is vital that the U.S. Congress be informed whether, and
to what extent, concealed agents of a foreign power are attempting
to influence the decisions which must be made on these questions
and to influence the decisions so they wiU serve not the interests of
the United States of America, but a foreign power dedicated to the
destruction of freedom everywhere, including the United States of
America.
The subject of this inquiry is to determine the extent of Communist
infiltration in peace organizations, particularly in the Metropolitan
New York area and with special reference to the Women Strike
for Peace—and also to determine the degree to which Communists
have responded to the previously quoted directives that they engage
in such activity. Such information, as the resolution authorizing
these hearings indicates, is relevant to certain legislative proposals
now pending before the committee.
The committee wishes to emphasize these points before the hearings
begin
:
The fact that Communists are active in peace agitation does not
mean that everyone who agitates for peace is a Communist or even
a fellow traveler.
The fact that Communists have created and infiltrated peace organizations
does not mean that all peace groups are Communist or
that all members of them, or even a majority of them, are Communists,
Conununist sympathizers, or fellow travelers.
—