Mr. ARENS. Any other UAW posts?

Mr. VULETICH. No, I haven't.

Mr. ARENS. Tell us any other posts you may have held in any other labor organizations?

Mr. VULETICH. I have held a post in UE Local 601, in 1945, business agent for about 6 or 8 months, to the best of my recollection.

Mr. ARENS. Was that 1945?

Mr. VULETICH. I would say so. It was about around that time.
Mr. ARENS. What other posts have you held?

Mr. VULETICH. I have been steward in a pipe shop in local 610, Westinghouse area.

Mr. ARENS. All right, sir. Any other posts?

Mr. VULETICH. I don't recollect any others. That has been about 8 years ago or so. I can't recall back.

Mr. ARENS. You were with the Serbian Progressive Club for a while?

Mr. VULETICH. I was a member of the Serbian Progressive Club. Mr. ARENS. You were financial secretary, weren't you?

Mr. VULETICH. No, I wasn't.

Mr. ARENS. What was your post with the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. I was a steward.

Mr. ARENS. A steward?

Mr. VULETICH. A steward, a guy who pours the whisky across the bar.

Mr. ARENS. For the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. Yes.

Mr. ARENS. For what length of time were you a steward with the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. 1942-I can't recall the date. About 3 years, from 1942 up to 1946 or 1947, somewhere around there. I can't recall. 1946.

Mr. ARENS. Did you ever hold an office with the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. I believe I was on the executive board at one time. To the best of my knowledge, I think I did hold the executive board position.

Mr. ARENS. You are no longer affiliated with the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. I am not, sir.

Mr. ARENS. When did you disassociate yourself from the club?
Mr. VULETICH. Oh, it must have been-

Mr. ARENS. 1946-47?

Mr. VULETICH. Well, I can't exactly state the year, sir.

Mr. ARENS. Just your best recollection.

Mr. VULETICH. My best recollection of that would be in around about the middle part of 1946 or in around the early part of 1947. I couldn't safely say.

Mr. ARENS. Where and when were you born?

Mr. VULETICH. I was born in-this is going to be pretty hard for you to write down-I was born in 1908, under Austrian Hungarian Empire, Austria-Hungary, in a village by name of Poloy. I mean that is about the closest I can get to spell it.

Mr. ARENS. And the year, please?

Mr. VULETICH. The year that I was born? I have said 1908. Mr. ARENS. I beg your pardon. And when did you immigrate to the United States?

Mr. VULETICH. I came to the United States-that was quite some time ago, I may not give you a correct record, but I migrated in Italy, in Trieste port, I got on a boat there and traveled over with my mother. I was at age of between 11 and 12, and came here in 1921, I think, sometime in spring. I don't know whether it was March or April, but in about there.

Mr. ARENS. Where did you locate, if you please, sir?

Mr. VULETICH. My dad was living at the time. We came to 49thI don't know whether it is Plummer or Harrison or Allen or Butler Street, in Pittsburgh.

Mr. ARENS. What Serbian groups have you belonged to other than the Serbian Progressive Club; any others?

Mr. VULETICH. I belonged to the Serbian National Federation. Mr. ARENS. Identify that group, if you please.

Mr. VULETICH. The Serbian National Federation? It is easy to identify it. It is a beneficial society.

Mr. ARENS. How long have you been an affiliate or a member of that?

Mr. VULETICH. I have been affiliated with that group, a member of it, I guess since 1941 or 1940.

Mr. ARENS. Did you ever hold any post in the Serbian National Federation?

Mr. VULETICH. I have been a financial secretary for a year.

Mr. ARENS. Then you were never financial secretary of the Serbian Progressive Club? Your financial secretaryship was of the Serbian Federation, is that correct?

Mr. VULETICH. You are so correct, sir.

Mr. ARENS. Are there any other groups comparable to the Serbian National Federation of which you have been a member?

Mr. VULETICH. To the best of my knowledge, I can't recollect. Mr. ARENS. Who is Calvin Brook?

Mr. VULETICH. Brooks?

Mr. ARENS. B-r-o-o-k. Maybe it is Brooks. B-r-o-o-k-s. Either Brook or Brooks.

Mr. VULETICH. I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. Did you ever know a man by the name of Calvin Brook or Brooks?

Mr. VULETICH. I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. Who is Charles Vuich? Did you ever know a man by that name?

Mr. VULETICH. Vuich was a member of Serbian Progressive Club. If he is still here, I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. Is that where you knew him?

Mr. VULETICH. I don't-I imagine. It would be about the place. Mr. ARENS. When did you last see him?

Mr. VULETICH. Well, to tell you truth, I live 3 miles away from the same guy and I don't think I have seen him in the last 8, 9 months or a year. I am busy working, I work 6 or 7 days a week, second shift. I don't have much time to see much people.

Mr. ARENS. What is the status of the Serbian Progressive Club? Is it still in existence?

Mr. VULETICH. I assume it is. I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. When were you last there?

Mr. VULETICH. It must have been about 4 years ago or better. Mr. ARENS. What was Brook's occupation?

Mr. VULETICH. Sir, I don't have no defense counsel. I am here inyself.

Mr. ARENS. I assure you your rights under the Constitution will be protected by this committee. What was Brook's occupation? Mr. VULETICH. I don't know a man, I have stated previously. I never seen the boy.

Mr. ARENS. Wasn't he engaged in some kind of printing or publishing business?

Mr. VULETICI. I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. If you don't know, just tell us, that is all.

Mr. VULETICH. I don't know.

Mr. ARENS. If you don't know, that is just what we want you to tell us. Were you ever identified or affiliated with the American Slav Congress?

Mr. VULETICH. I will invoke my privilege of the fifth amendment on that.

Mr. ARENS. You feel that if you would tell us about any identification or association you have with the American Slav Congress it might furnish information which could be used against you in a criminal proceeding; is that right?

Mr. VULETICH. That is right. I don't know. I invoke my privilege of the fifth amendment which gives me the privilege not to witness against myself.

Mr. ARENS. In a criminal proceeding?

Mr. VULETICH. Whatever it may concern.

Mr. ARENS. Who is Marco Godich? Do you know him?

Mr. VULETICH. The guy is a beer distributor.

Mr. ARENS. Beg pardon?

Mr. VULETICH. A beer distributor.

Mr. ARENS. What has been the nature of your acquaintanceship with him?

Mr. VULETICH. Nothing, I don't even buy beer off the guy.

Mr. ARENS. How do you know there is such a man?

Mr. VUELTICH. He has ads in the paper, he has calendars.

Mr. ARENS. Do you know him personally?

Mr. VULETICH. I know the guy to see him.

Mr. ARENS. When did you last see him?

Mr. VULETICH. I didn't see the guy maybe 4 or 5 months, I don't know. As I stated, I work second shift. I don't have time.

Mr. ARENS. Have you ever been in intimate contact or association with Godich?

Mr. VULETICH. I decline to answer on the fifth amendment. Mr. ARENS. Were you a close associate of one Steve Nelson or did you know Steve Nelson?

Mr. VULETICH. I don't know the man. I decline under the fifth amendment.

Mr. ARENS. Let me just say this to you in all fairness, Mr. Vuletich. If you don't know him you can't possibly be incriminated for saying "no."

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Mr. VULETICH. Sir, I don't know the story of the whole thing. I will just use the fifth amendment. I will invoke the fifth amendment for protecting myself against witness against myself.

Mr. ARENS. You are not entitled to do that unless you honestly think in your heart that the information you would give in response to the question could be used in a criminal proceeding against you, for something you have done that is wrong, a violation of the law. Mr. VULETICH. I will invoke the fifth amendment.

Mr. ARENS. Did you know George Pirensky with the American Slav Congress?

Mr. VULETICH. Sir, I will invoke the fifth amendment. I don't know him.

Mr. ARENS. Did you ever know a man by the name of Matt Cvetic? Mr. VULETICH. I will invoke the fifth amendment.

Mr. ARENS. Do you know what strong-arming means, strongarming?

Mr. VULETICH. Strong-arming, sir?

Mr. ARENS. Yes. That term "strong-arming," does it mean anything to you at all?

Mr. VULETICH. I don't know what meaning I would get sir, out of strong-arming. What would that mean to me?

Mr. ARENS. Have you ever engaged in any strong-arm tactics?
Mr. VULETICH. Me, strong-arm tactics? No, sir.

Mr. ARENS. Roughing up people?

Mr. VULETICH. Not me. I don't believe in that. I can truthfully tell you that, I don't believe in roughing up nobody, and I don't believe to be roughed up, either.

Mr. ARENS. I am not asking this facetiously at all.

Mr. VULETICH. I don't believe in roughing up. I don't think it is proper.

Mr. ARENS. Are you cognizant of any strong-arm roughing up by any of your intimate associates? If you are, tell us if you are, and if you don't, tell us.

Mr. VULETICH. Repeat that, please.

Mr. ARENS. Have any of your intimate associates been engaging in any strong-arm tactics, roughing up?

Mr. VULETICH. Well, sir, I haven't been in any fights. The only time I have put people out, when I was bartending and if they got unruly by drinking I had to put them out to keep order.

Mr. ARENS. That was back in the Serbian Progressive Club?

Mr. VULETICH. That is all. That was the only kind of strong arming I had to use.

Mr. ARENS. Who is president of the Serbian Progressive Club? Mr. VULETICH. Who is president? I don't know. I don't belong to the organization any more.

Mr. ARENS. Who was president when you were bartender?

Mr. VULETICH. Milosh Knesvich.

Mr. ARENS. Mr. Chairman, in the presence of this witness-are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? Mr. VULETICH. I will invoke the fifth amendment.

Mr. ARENS. You understand that if you have never been a member of the Communist Party, you are not entitled to invoke the privilege! Mr. VULETICH. I am understanding, sir, that I invoke the fifth amendment to protect myself against witnessing against myself.

Mr. ARENS. Well, let me test this, so you understand. Have you ever murdered anybody?

Mr. VULETICH. Why ask me such a question? I have a family.

Mr. ARENS. You have never murdered anybody?

Mr. VULETICH. And I don't intend to, neither.

Mr. ARENS. So a truthful answer to that question is "No."

Mr. VULETICH. I don't like to murder nobody.

Mr. ARENS. If you have never murdered anybody, the truthful answer is "No, I have never murdered anybody." Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Mr. VULETICH. My answer is the same.

Mr. ARENS. That you invoke the privilege under the fifth amendment?

Mr. VULETICH. Right.

Mr. ARENS. Do you feel if you told me the truth in response to that question, you might furnish information that could be used against you in a criminal proceeding? Is that correct?

Mr. VULETICH. My answer is the same.

Mr. ARENS. What do you mean?

Mr. VULETICH. I invoke the fifth amendment to protect myself against witnessing against myself.

Senator BUTLER. I think the witness should know that you can only invoke that privilege on the basis that what you say may form the basis of a criminal prosecution against you, and if you have that fear or that reasonable belief, you can invoke the fifth amendment. Is that why you invoke it?

Mr. VULETICH. Sir, I invoke the fifth amendment because I don't know the whole dealings of what is going on, so I am invoking the fifth amendment to protect myself against witnessing against myself.

Senator BUTLER. I do not want to see you get into any trouble, Mr. Vuletich. I honestly do not believe that you have the legal right to do that.

Mr. ARENS. You understand further that if you decline to give the information to this committee which we are entitled to receive, that you could be subject to a contempt prosecution?

Mr. VULETICH. I invoke the fifth amendment.

Mr. ARENS. Well, do you understand that?

Mr. VULETICH. The Senator said it is O. K. for me to invoke the fifth amendment.

Senator BUTLER. I think you must give the answer, the reason why

Mr. VULETICH. To the best of my ability I am doing the best I can. Senator BUTLER. The only reason you can do it is because it would tend to incriminate you in a criminal prosecution.

Mr. ARENS. Mr. Joe Mazzei, please. Mr. Mazzei, you have previously been sworn and have identified yourself?

Mr. MAZZEI. Yes, sir.

Mr. ARENS. During the course of your service in the Communist Party at the behest of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, did you have occasion to come in contact or to know the witness who has just testified? Mr. Mike Vuletich?

Mr. MAZZEI. Yes, sir.