end of the report, this commission believes that any loyalty-review program that might be adopted by the Territory would necessarily have to have, as the basis for the review of individual cases, an adequate required personal history form.

There have been times in the past when Communists have been elected or appointed to public office. It is not believed that the voters of the Territory knowingly would ever have placed a Communist in office and that no department head would have permitted a known Communist to obtain or remain in Territorial or county office or employment. Unless, however, some standardized procedure for the detection of subversives in public office and employment is established, the possibility will always exist that other Communists will be elected to office or serve as public employees.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

The importance to the Communist Party of placing its members in a position where they can indoctrinate young people is well recognized, and the obvious way of attaining that end is through infiltrating the educational system. The position of the Communist Party, U. S. A., with reference to the schools and the tasks assigned by it to Communist teachers are shown in annex 13.

It is mainly because of the known interest of the Communist Party, U. S. A., in the schools that this commission conducted a survey of the Territorial department of public instruction. The investigation was conducted chiefly through a study of official records, interviews with many witnesses on the four main islands of the Territory, and testimony taken under oath.

The reason for surveying any school system for evidence of subversive activities is not only to detect the presence of any Communist personnel, but also to determine the general pattern of Communist operations relating to the schools, if present. Nowadays, however, it is not generally possible to identify Communists by their own admissions. In most cases they may be exposed only by Communist Party documents or through testimony of ex-Communists. It has become increasingly difficult to obtain such evidence. Emphasis must therefore be laid on ascertaining matters of personal conduct and ethics which tend to show proCommunist inclinations, rather than proof of formal membership in a subversive group.

This commission believes that the participation of teachers in Communistfront organizations easily can earn for them the general repute of being Communists, or at least, of being pro-Communist in their sympathies. In the case of teachers, their acquiring such a reputation tends to impair public confidence in the schools, and their individual actions in association with persons engaged in subversive activities will set an unwanted example for students to follow. In the course of its survey, this commission has given specific attention to the cases about 50 teachers who have served in the public-school system since World War II. A small number of those teachers have participated in proCommunist activities, but no evidence has been discovered that would prove the presence now of a single Communist in the department of public instruction. However, because of the stringent security measures now practiced by Communists, no one can warrant with certainty that any school system is entirely free of Communist personnel.

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

This commission's investigation concerning the University of Hawaii was limited to the matter of communism, there having been no evidence obtained to indicate any other type of subversive activity there. The inquiry concerned faculty members, students, employees, and campus organizations, and was conducted generally in the same manner as was the survey of the public-school system. A more detailed report is contained in annex 13.

During 1935–41 a few faculty members and students at the university became interested, almost entirely from an intellectual standpoint, in the study and discussion of Marxist philosophy. This activity was largely of an unorganized nature, although it did often involve association with offcampus groups. A chapter of the pro-Communist American Student Union (see annex 25) was organized at the university in the fall of 1938, but gained little recognition and became defunct in a year or two.

In the fall of 1937, Dr. John E. Reinecke, then an instructor at the university. helped organize the pro-Communist Interprofessional Association, Honolulu chapter. (See annex 5.) Several university faculty members and students were

connected with the IPA, either as members, attendants at its meetings, or guest speakers. It does not appear, however, that the character of the IPA was appreciated fully by persons at the university.

For about a year after World War II, there existed at the university a student organization called the Hawaii Youth for Democracy. That it patterned itself after the American Youth for Democracy, a subversive and Communist group on the mainland, and was of specific interest to the Communist Party of Hawaii, is apparent. (See annex 10.) A significant influence on the HYD appears to have been exerted by Charles K. Fujimoto, who during 1945-46, was employed as a research chemist at the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, a division of the university. Fujimoto, who resigned his university position in 1948, to assume the chairmanship of the Communist Party of Hawaii, led discussion groups for university students at his home during 1946. Some of these students were

leaders in the HYD.

A very few members of the university staff (faculty and employees) have been associated with pro-Communist causes since World War II, but no evidence has been obtained to indicate that any of them, other than Fujimoto, has attempted to influence student thinking toward communism.

Stephen T. Murin and Claude W. White, students enrolled at the university, are of some interest. Murin, who formerly lived in Pennsylvania and came to Hawaii in 1947, has been identified as having been a member of the Communist Party in his home State. He was so identified by Matthew Cvetic, a former FBI undercover agent in the Communist Party in western Pennsylvania. Murin has served as chairman of the Hawaii Civil Liberties Committee, a Communist front organization. In the fall of 1950 that group changed its name to Hawar Civil Rights Congress and affiliated itself with the Civil Rights Congress, well known national Communist-front organization. Murin continued as chairman of the HCRC until he was succeeded by Claude W. White in February 1951. At that time Murin became vice chairman of the HCRC. There is no evidence at hand to indicate either of these students has attemped to further the interests of the HCRC on the university campus.

The survey made by this Commission failed to disclose that any Communists are employed by the University of Hawaii. The present administration and faculty appear to be conscious of the danger of communism and have taken steps to keep it from the campus.

POLITICAL ACTION

Not until the year 1946 were Communists to become prominent in the elections of the Territory. It was in that year that the CIO Territorial Political Action Committee (usually referred to as CIO-PAC) was activated. Because the CIOPAC has been the subject of investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee, no further discussion of that matter appears necessary. However, this commission believes that no unfavorable implication should be drawn against any person merely because, as a candidate in 1946, he accepted the endorsement of the CIO-PAC.

The next major effort of the Communist Party in the field of political action was its infiltration and attempt to control the Democratic Party of Hawaii in 1948. In the election of Democratic Party precinct club officers in April 1948, the Communists exerted strong efforts to win control of certain clubs. As a result of their concerted efforts, they and persons directly subject to heir influence won a sizable minority of the precinct club offices. Because of their control of some precinct clubs, the Communists were able to obtain appointment of persons of their choice as election officials.

The Communist infiltration of the Democratic Party appears to have been planned well in advance, because by the time the Territorial convention of the Democratic Party was held at McKinley High School Auditorium, Honolulu, on May 2, 1948, a relatively large number of Communists had been chosen as delegates or alternate delegates to that convention. Information available to this Commission indicates that 41 Communist Party members held credentials at the convention. Of those, five had been members of the executive board of the Communist Party of Hawaii:

Jack W. Hall

Koichi Imori
Jack H. Kawano
Jack Denichi Kimoto

Ralph V. Vossbrink

Several Communist Party members secured appointments to the standing committees of the Democratic convention.

Previous to the holding of the convention, Jack H. Kawano and Isaac K. Kauwe, who have admitted their former Communist Party membership, were elected to the Territorial Central Committee of the Democratic Party. Another person elected to that committee was Thomas S. Yagi, one of he "Reluctant 39." In May 1948, two identified members of the Communist Party were elected officers of the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party.

There is evidence that illegal means may have been employed either by or for the benefit of Communists who infiltrated the Democratic Party in 1948. To illustrate: Three persons not legally domiciled in the 30th Precinct, 4th District, executed false declarations that they resided there. All three chose the same address, that being the home of an employee in the ILWU regional office. One of the false registrants was similarly employed. All three of the false registrants have been identified with the ILWU or with the leftwing element of the Democratic Party. As a result of their actions, the three persons were able to obtain official positions in the 1948 elections, two as inspectors of election and the other as clerk. Another elector of the 30th Precinct brought statutory proceedings in 1950 to debar the three false registrants from the rolls of the precinct. After a hearing, the board of registration of electors, District of Oahu, ordered the names of all three stricken. In those proceedings, one respondent admitted that he had improperly registered in the 30th Precinct.

Two witnesses subpenaed to testify during the proceedings of this commission admitted their membership in the Democratic Party and that they were Democratic precinct club and election officials in the 1948 elections. When asked to provide information concerning the Communist Party's plan to infiltrate and control the Democratic Party, each of these witnesses refused to testify, invoking the right against self-incrimination.

In 1949, many Democrats began to examine critically the status of their party. In June 1949, a resolution was introduced before the Territorial central committee which required that all prospective Democratic Party members swear that they were not and had never been members of the Communist Party or any other subversive organization. However, after a bitterly contested 3-hour session highlighted by an exchange of invectives between the "right" and "left-wing" committee members, the resolution was rejected by a vote of 8-7 (15 committee members being absent).

In January 1950, it was announced that all units of the ILWU had been notified to establish "political committees" before February 1. These committees were to function in connection with the election of delegates to the Hawaii State Constitutional Convention to be held in April 1950. The political committees were to remain intact for the fall elections as well.

In the constitutional convention election, two of the 63 offices were won by Richard M. Kageyama, a former member of the Communist Party, and Frank G. Silva, one of the "Reluctant 39". The reported connection of these two men with Communist activities was not known to the electorate at the time. Kageyama resigned from the convention after testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee that he was at one time a member of the Communist Party. Silva was subpenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee, but refused to testify on the ground that his testimony might tend to incriminate him. Silva was asked to resign from his office of delegate to the constitutional convention, but refused to do so. He was then expelled from the convention. Since the Communist infiltration of the Democratic Party was exposed by the House committee hearings, the Democratic Party has split into "right" and “left” groups. Within each group there are many persons who are actively seeking to remove all traces of Communist influence from the Democratic Party.

OBSERVATIONS BY THE COMMISSION

Perhaps the most serious aspect of the problem of combating subversive activi ties is the uncritical acceptance by many persons of the propaganda of subversive groups and, strangely, a reluctance to accept (or even examine the basis for) authoritative warnings of the dangers of communism. This strongly suggests that the average person has not been adequately prepared-in the schools and churches, at home, and by the press-to comprehend the nature of communism. This commission believes that the battle against communism and other subversive movements must be waged on two fronts. On the one side, all institutions of education and propagation of knowledge must be dedicated to the proposition

that all persons within their reach shall be apprised of the heritage of America and the ideals of democracy. So grounded, they will not trade their birthright of constitutional liberties for an illusory facade of perfection which hides a totalitarian despotism. On the other side, there is need for a continuing study and exposure of all subversive movements by properly constituted agencies, Federal and local.

This commission believes that American governments and private institutions have, in general, until recent times failed to inform the American people of the true nature of communism, which appears in this country in the guise of the Communist Party, U. S. A. and a myriad of "fronts," Communist-line publications, and other knowing and unwitting elements of the Communist apparatus. To place but a share of the blame, the schools must be named as among those who have failed in this task.

Many persons who testified before this commission, or were interviewed by its staff, were educated in the public schools of Hawaii. Several who admitted some connection with Communist activities volunteered the criticism that they had not, but should have, been warned in school against the dangers of communism. One witness before this commission, at the conclusion of his testimony, asked, "May I make one final statement before I leave?" He then volunteered these remarks:

"I believe that a lot of this thing would not have come about if the American education system had been changed, had approached this thing in a more realistic manner. Just as venereal disease, sex, and any other thing has been a hush-hush subject. Because this is the reason why I am firmly convinced of this, is because up until the time I was approached by Charlie Fujimoto I had no inkling of what the Communist Party was about. My sole purpose was to better the unions in Hawaii and the people, the children today and the children to come. If they are still hush-hush on this matter it is a bad thing. 'Let's not talk about.' I think that is one of the main reasons why such a rapid growth during 1946 and 1947 took place within the Communist Party, because I say it is easily 75 percent of them that don't know what the heck they were going into. And I think it is about time that we make a realistic approach to this matter and let the people of Hawaii and of the United States know just what the heck it is about. And if by letting them know, letting the people honestly know what this is all about, if in the future they feel that that is the form of government they want, then it is up to the American people. That is democracy, I believe. But to keep it hidden and then to have some guy, who is a professional out to recruit, to come up and present it to them, well, gentlemen, it is just like shooting fish in a barrel. That is the way I feel about it."

It has come to the attention of this commission that some teachers consider the subject of communism to be a "controversial issue" and that, in conformity with certain professional doctrines, it should be taught with no attempt on the part of the teacher to influence the student's judgment. This commission believes that most subjects should be taught impartially, leaving it to the student to decide each issue for himself, but points out that the good or evil of communism (that is, of the Russian-directed penetration of the United States) is no more a controversial issue than is treason. The policy of the United States is clear on that. This commission concurs with the view of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, D. W. Harold Loper, that "where the question of communism is concerned, such academic impartiality is a sign of uncritical thinking." (See annex 13.)

It is believed that it should be the policy of our schools to see that teachers apprise themselves of the facts concerning communism and that the curriculum contain provision for imparting those facts to students.

A serious problem is presented in the form of the self-styled "liberal" who insists on his right to support causes without knowing (and, seemingly, without caring) what the true natures of those causes are. This uncritical acceptance of things as they seem to be presents a problem to be solved by those who shape individual thinking and public opinion, not by legislation.

The recent remarks of a Federal judge in Hawaii, having been made during the incumbency of this commission and being related to matters within its inquiry, are deemed a matter of necessary comment. In April 1950, the Committee on Un-American Activities of the United States House of Representatives held public hearings in Honolulu. At these hearings, 39 witnesses refused to answer questions touching their alleged Communist Party affiliations, as result of which they were indicted and tried in the United States District Court for Hawaii for

the offense of contempt of Congress. The presiding judge acquitted the 39 accused, basing his judgment on a recent decision of the United States Supreme Court. Concerning that decision and the local judge's interpretation thereof, this commission expresses no opinion. However, after having directed the acquittals and having disposed of the justiciable matters pending, the judge then gratuitously expressed his personal views on the subject of the Communist Party in Hawaii. That he cared to do so, whether on the bench or as a private citizen, was his undoubted right; but, that he should express the view, concerning the Communist Party, that-"So far as I am concerned, people who choose to may belong to it," is believed by this commission to be extremely regrettable, considering the source. (See annex 4.)

This commission also believes that the individual and concerted actions of some persons, who, under the banner of anticommunism, have attempted to preempt the governmental function of investigation and exposure of communism in Hawaii, have been ill advised. The motives of persons so engaged have been varied, and it is not said that they were not good, but the participants seldom have been equipped by training or with authority to perform their self-appointed tasks. Libelous lists of names of alleged "subversives" have been circulated. "Guilt by association," in the sheerest sense of the phrase, has been advocated. "Book burning" has been suggested.

Recalling its earlier statement that the attack on communism must be twofold-through education and by the maintenance of proper security procedures— this commission strongly suggests that individual citizens and their clubs and other organizations concentrate their energies in this field on making American democracy work and continue to work, and that they leave the matter of inves tigating and exposing subversive persons to the proper governmental authorities.

OTHER SUBJECTS OF INVESTIGATION

In conducting its inquiry, the commission on subversive activities has attempted to determine whether any subversive activities, other than communism, are current in the Territory of Hawaii. In that regard, attention has been given to the list of organizations classified by the United States Attorney General as "totalitarian," "Fascist," "subversive," and the like.

No evidence of the existence of fascism was discovered. In addition to the usual methods of inquiry, an investigator of the commission interviewed Charles K. Fujimoto, chairman of the Communist Party of Hawaii, and Stephen T. Murin, who was then chairman of the Hawaii Civil Rights Congress, successor to the Hawaii Civil Liberties Committee, a Communist-front organization. Each was asked whether he had any information tending to show the existence of Fascist activities in Hawaii. Each replied in the negative. Fujimoto added that he considered a certain local anti-Communist organization to be "Fascist.” but that he did not think that its individual members were Fasists. (The description of anti-Communist groups as "Fascist" is universal among Communists.) Two other persons identified as Communists in sworn testimony were asked if they had any evidence of fascism here. They offered none.

This commission also has attempted to determine whether there exist in the Territory of Hawaii any pro-Japan organizations that might be classified as "totalitarian" by the Attorney General of the United States. The results of this investigation were negative. Although there were in Hawaii at the end of World War II a very few alien Japanese who apparently held the view that Japan had not been defeated (this die-hard element being referred to as "katta gumi"), it appears that no significant number of persons still hold that belief, that those who do are not an organized group, and that they are not engaged in subversive activities.

Except for organizations mentioned earlier in this report, no evidence was found that would indicate the presence in Hawaii of any group cited by the Attorney General, or of any other organizations or activities that could be termed "subversive" within the concept of the legislature, as expressed in Joint Resolu tion 5.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the facts reported above, the Commission on Subversive Activities recommends that the legislature consider the enactment of appropriate legislation to accomplish the following ends:

(A) That a review be made of the loyalty of public officers and employees in a manner similar to that which has been conducted by the Federal Government since 1947.