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

2092 COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES IN THE PEACE MOVEMENT
Mrs. PosNER. I continue to rely on the fifth amendment.
Mr. Doyle. Are there any other questions, Governor?
Mr. Tuck. I have no further questions.
Mr. Doyle. I just wish to make this observation, Witness. I was
in hopes, with your reputed connection with Women Strike for Peace,
that you might be able to give us some really bona fide history of the
organization.
Mrs. PosNER. Mr. Doyle, I shall be delighted to do it outside of
these chambers, which have a special character.
Mr. Doyle. I am not relating it to who is Communist in it or anything
of the sort, if there are any. I am relating to the history of the
organization. Certainly, I think I know enough of the organization
to know that no one needs to plead the fifth amendment when they
are asked about who are the officers of the group and whether or not
thej' have held meetings and who helped organize it. That is the way
I look at it. I was in hopes that you could frankly help us in that
element of our hearings.
Mrs. Posner. I shall be delighted to, Mr. Doyle. I understand
that hundreds of women have sent in letters, asking that they be called
as witnesses, in which event you would get a complete, nationwide
history of the movement.
Mr. Doyle. You do not answer the pertinent questions. You are
in a position, we happen to believe, as one of the outstanding leaders
in this organization, to give us the history. That is one reason we
are asking this question, to help us in our study. But you have
refused to do it by claiming the fifth amendment, even on questions
involving the history of the organization.
You see, this committee takes the position that you leaders, knowing
that all members in the group are not Communists by a long shot—
want to make it clear that this committee does not believe that, that
we know it is not true, but we do know that some are.
Mrs. PosNER. You see, we do not ask our members whether they
are or are not this, that, or the other thing.
Mr. Doyle. Of course not.
Mrs. Posner. If they want to work for peace, we love them.
Mr. Doyle. I raised that thought with you because I think that
the women who are not Communists, who are opposed to communism,
are entitled to know who in the organization is a Communist and
whether or not it has been infiltrated by Communists and, if so, where
they are lodged. That is the purpose of some of these questions.
There are women in this room who are not Communists and never
would be.
Here was your chance to clear it up for their records, how this
organization was started, as far as you are concerned, and who is in
it. But you have refused to do it.
I direct you once again to answer that question asked by Governor
Tuck.
Mrs. Posner. May I say one sentence before I answer?
Mr. Doyle. Make it short.
Mrs. Posner. I wUl.
The women in this movement are bright; they are educated; they
have love for children, which has motivated us.
Please let me answer.
No group of Communists could have duped these women into being
led away from an American democratic position.
I