CVETIC EXHIBIT 52-43 (Page 2) Date Hon. Harry A. Truman President of the United States White House Washington, D. C. Doar Mr. President: As American citizens, unchallenged as yot by the Rankin-Thomas Committee and therefore in the eyes even of the most exacting critics eligible to speak out, we address this open letter to you Mr. President. We are perplexed and therefore in the circumstance deeply concorned, It is the status of "our" prisoner of war or political prisoner, Gerhart Eisler, that disturbs us. We are writing, Mr. President, directly to you, the Chief Executivo of the Government, concerning the present status of this man. Gerhart Eisler came to the United States through no fault of his That he remained has been our fault not his for he has remained as a political prisoner. own. Landod on our shores before the war by virtue of a transit visa, Gerhart Eisler repeatedly asked to be sent to Mexico, the place he had chosen for refuge from Hitler. This request was as repeatedly denied. During the war years no charges were made against this man. His conduct was in overy respect consistent with his magnificent anti-fascist European record. We shall not recapitulate the facts, They are a matter of court record and as such are roadily available. Now we refuse to permit him to return to his fatherland although an exit permit was once granted him, he had purchased his ticket and was ready to sail. Gerhart Eisler was hailed before the Un-American Activities Committee; alleged by it to be contemptuous of its dignity and procedure, and court proceedings brought against him. He has, on numerous occasions, been called an international spy but the record offers no proof. Was he arrested as we believe, solely to prevent his return to Germany? The record shows that Eisler was brought before Justice Holtzoff on a motion to dismiss the indictment against him. It shows that Justice Holtzoff, while legal adviser to the F.B.I., had participated in F.B.I. invostigations of aliens and Communists, including an investigation of Eisler and that the Justice had a personal hatred of Communists as shown by his sponsoring of anti-Communist legislation. Gerhart Eisler's caso was tried in every metropolitan paper in the None of these charges, made against him, were proven in any court of But the press has convicted him, villified him, and tried to make his name an anathema, land. law. Those who have tostified against him are almost exclusively men and women who openly proclaimed that they were spies, agents, provocateurs, or renegades from Communism. CVETIC EXHIBIT 52-43 (Page 3) 2 Through two years of persecution, this man has steadfastly made but one request: SEND ME HOME! Yet, he is held a political prisoner in the land, the democratic practices of which once were the envy of all mankind. We ask you, Mr. President: Why? There is in our question no implied acceptance of Gerhart Eisler's political or philosophical views. There is implied, however, this query: Whither American justice? Viewed in the light of numerous other events, this case becomes the more perplexing. The Department of Justice is at this very moment beginning deportation proceedings against a number of men and women whom it alleges are "undesirable aliens". Most of them have roots in this country. Some have been here many years. But Gerhart Eisler, whose record is that of a European anti-fascist fighter, a man who fought Hitler in Germany and the minions of Hitler and Mussolini in Spain, a man whose roots are in Europe, is held here against his will although it is alleged he too is a dangerous and undesirable alien. Are there then some so-called undesirable aliens we dare not send home? But where is the consistency or legal basis for our arbitrary course? The facts, Mr. President, smack more of persecution than due process of law. The elements of persecution revealed by an objective examination of the record are alien to our traditions of democracy. They present a dangerous alarming picture. That is what has impelled the writing of this, an open letter to you. European and South American critics of American democracy have found in the Eisler case much helpful ammunition. In fact, what has passed for due process of law in this case has caused an every growing number of loyal Americans seriously to ponder the course of American justice at this hour. Since the war, ox-kings, fleeing from an angry and outraged people, have found refuge here. So too have other noted friends of Hitler fascism. They remain in peace. They seemingly have found a congenial atmosphere. No effort is made to hamper or hinder their goings or their comings. But this anti-fascist can't go back to the land from which some of these fascists have fled! There are elements of persecution here, Mr. President, that are incomprehensible to us. We are asking you to intervene and to take those steps which in some small measure will clear our name of the opprobrium attached to it through this case. We are requesting that you direct the proper agency to place Gerhart Eisler aboard ship and that he be permitted to go to that section of Germany for which he expresses a preference. by the facts, We believe that no other course of procedure to be justified We are asking, Mr. President, that you act at once, taking such steps as are nooded in the premises. uopwa 16-47 Yours very truly, signature DR. HARRY F. WARD CVETIC EXHIBIT 52-45 CIVIL RIGHTS CONGRESS 205 EAST 42nd STREET, NEW YORK 17, N. Y. MURRAY HILL 4-6640 RAYMOND C. INGERSOLL National Treasurer November 10, 1948 Nat'l Honorary Chairman Nat'l Vice Chairman GEORGE F. ADDES HUGH BRYSON CHARLES COLLINS HON. JERRY J. O'CONNELL PAUL ROBESON AUBREY WILLIAMS Dear Theresa, HAROLD CRISTOFFI , a leader of the U.A.W., CIO, who has been a victim of a Taft-Hartley frame-up, is making a tour of the country for the purpose of mobilizing support behind his case and raising funds for the appeals that are now pending in the courts. He will also include in his speaking engagemonta as appeal for support for G.R.C. and its various cases, and for membership in C.R.C. Yours very truly, ميعا LW GOLDSMITH Letad CVETIC EXHIBIT 52-46 (Page 1) CIVIL RIGHTS CONGRESS 205 EAST 42nd STREET, NEW YORK 17, N. Y. MURRAY HILL 4-6640 RAYMOND C. INGERSOLL National Treasurer Oct. 22, 1948 DR. HARRY F. WARD Nat'l Honorary Chairman Nat'l Vice Chairman CHARLES COLLINS REV. CHARLES A. HILL LEE PRESSMAN MIRANDA SMITH Theresa Turner Dear Theresa: Just a few comments on our conference. First, let me express the great pleasure which I experienced in being in Pittsburgh again and having the opportunity to discuss with old friends the new situation. I believe the conference laid a base from which to broaden our organization to advance the political understanding of the people and of this drive against our constitutional rights and to move some forces into action around the campaigns which were outlined. It was obvious to all that organizationally the con- Perhaps there are a number of reasons for the narrow- There were no white ministers there, yet I am sure that there is more than one white minister who can be won to this fight of which so large a content lies in the realm of morals. There were a few trade unionists; nor were those who were there prepared to speak. neither white nor Negro The press was not represented only our dear friends to the far left. preparation for getting out a release. Undoubtedly, more work in steel and mining would have gotten some representatives there. |