Hearings

expulsions, especially those expulsions that were made because of spying against the Communist Party, so as not to create any fear on the part of the rank and file membership. They had I know at one time resorted to the practice of publishing pictures

Mr. TAVENNER. And also publishing names of those expelled? Mrs. BLAUVELT. Yes, sir; and I think even giving a biography of these people. That was the practice I think before even the time I was in the party.

Mr. TAVENNER. Did you find at any later date that any Communist Party organ did make public the fact of your expulsion and give a warning to other Communist Party members regarding you?

Mrs. BLAUVELT. Yes. In the September 1953 issue of Party Voice. It happened to come into my hands and I did find that a picture that had been taken of me at the expulsion meeting was printed, with a description:

This picture will identify one "Sylvia Vogel" as a police spy. She was expelled as such from the Brooklyn Communist Party. All decent people, especially trade unionists and progressives, are warned against her.

Mr. TAVENNER. I desire to offer in evidence the September 1953 issue of Party Voice and ask that it be marked "Blauvelt Exhibit 44" for identification purposes only and to be made a part of the committee files.

Mr. MOULDER. It is so ordered.

Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions to ask the witness at this time.

Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Willis, any questions?

Mr. WILLIS. No.

Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Frazier?

Mr. FRAZIER. No questions.

Mr. Chairman, I want to join other members of the committee in congratulating this lady and thanking her for the very valuable contribution she has made to the work of the committee. I am sorry wasn't here to hear the testimony the last 2 days.

Mr. WILLIS. Mr. Chairman, I too want to express for myself and for the committee the gratitude we hold for this witness. I know that Mrs. Blauvelt has been doing this yeoman work since 1943 and that was during a time when there were great indifference to what many of us feel to be the vital threat of the Communist conspiracy, so that you and the police department of which you are a member are not johnny-comelatelys in this fight but have been aware of it all along and didn't have to be prodded by this committee or the vociferous voices that made themselves heard when apparently it was popular for everybody to get into the act.

Yours was a very commendable piece of work and I wish you would express to the Police Department of New York City the gratitude of the committee.

Mr. Chairman, normally I think it would be done anyway, but I would like the record to show we think it would be well for the committee clerk to write not only to Mrs. Blauvelt but to the good Police Department of New York City in regard to this work in this struggle against those who would destroy our country.

Mr. MOULDER. That is a splendid suggestion and the clerk will prepare a letter commending Mrs. Blauvelt and expressing the committee's appreciation to her and to the Police Department of New York. I want to join with my colleagues also in expressing my appreciation for your appearance here before this committee.

You certainly are entitled to the gratitude of all the members of the committee and I know they join with us in expressing our appreciation for your work and your cooperation with the committee. Indeed, I think you are one of the most intelligent witnesses who has ever appeared before this committee, and your testimony has not only been interesting but it will be a very valuable contribution toward the work of the committee.

The committee will now adjourn and will go into executive session. (Whereupon, at 4 p. m. the committee was recessed, subject to call of the chairman.) (Previous testimony of Mrs. Mildred Blauvelt heard on May 3-4, 1955, is printed in Part III of this series.)