Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I will state right now before this committee I will refuse to answer any questions in relation to persons, and I will claim my rights under the same reasons that I have done before. Mr. CLARDY. Let me see if I understand what you mean. Regardless of what the question may be, if it concerns some other person, you will refuse to answer it; am I correct in my understanding? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. No; that's not what I meant. I didn't mean to state it that way. I will limit my answers to the questions directed at me. Mr. CLARDY. I thought so. I ask, Mr. Chairman that he be directed to answer that question. Mr. VELDE. Certainly. You are directed to answer that question. Mr. FORER. Can we have the question again? Mr. TAVENNER. Will you read the question? (The reporter read the question as follows:) Were you acquainted in Flint with Mrs. Beatrice Churchill? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer for the reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Beatrice Churchill was a member of the Communist Party, according to her testimony, having entered the party at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She described, in the course of her testimony, the practice of the Communist Party to send young persons from the area of New York into Flint for the purpose of colonizing industry. Her testimony on that subject was very limited as far as you are concerned. In fact, she only refers in her testimony to you as the brother of Martin. She does describe Martin Trachtenberg and his wife Phyllis Trachtenberg as having been two of the colonizers who came into Flint. She says in regard to you: Max Trachtenberg was in Flint for quite some time but he was unable to seek employment; so, he went to Detroit. Of course, there is no dispute as to that. You have testified you did go to Detroit after having been in Flint for a short period of time. There was testimony before the committee regarding a young Communist League group in Flint and various meetings that were held by that group. Persons who were identified as members of that group included Bolza Baxter; Louis Baxter; Nadine Baxter; Lola Van der Does; Shirley Fox; Bruce Widmark; Pauline Widmark; Elsie White; Joy Trachtenberg; Phyllis Trachtenberg; and Max Trachtenberg. Were you identified with the Young Communist group of the Communist Party in Flint? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. At another place in the testimony this question was asked: Are you able to identify any other of the New York group? Did I understand you to say there is another one of these Trachtenbergs from New York? The witness had previously testified regarding your brother. The WITNESS. Yes. There is a Max Trachtenberg and Joy Trachtenberg, husband and wife. Max obtained employment in one of the factories, but it was found that he was a Communist, or closely associated with it, and before his 3-month period was up, was fired. Then he obtained employment with the city of Flint. Were you discharged from any employment while in Flint? Mr. TAVENNER. By whom? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. The Chevrolet Motor Co. Mr. TAVENNER. How soon after your employment began was it that you were discharged? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. It was, oh, about 3 or 4 days; maybe 5. It wasn't a week. Mr. TAVENNER. Will you give the date, please, when you were discharged? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I can't remember. Mr. TAVENNER. What was the nature of your employment? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. Oh, there was no steady job I was on. just various jobs, whatever they were short at I did. It was Mr. TAVENNER. Was that very soon after your arrival in Flint? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I can't remember how soon it was or how late it was. I can't remember. Mr. TAVENNER. What was the reason for your employment? Mr. FORER. Employment? Mr. TAVENNER. I mean your discharge. Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I don't know. Mr. TAVENNER. You have refused to answer the question before, but I would like to repeat it now. Had you, prior to your employment with Chevrolet Motor Co., become affiliated with the Communist Party in Flint? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Considerable testimony was taken at Flint regarding a Communist Party meeting at a farm near Lapeer in September 1949. The testimony was that that meeting was held for the purpose of disbanding the Young Communist Group within the Communist Party, that is, the group of young Communists, and to assign them to particular fields of activity, such as the Labor Youth League and the Progressive Party. Bolza Baxter took a very prominent part in that meeting. That was true also of Jack White and Jack Gore. Were you present at a meeting of that description? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Did you file a written application for your employment with Chrysler in Detroit? (At this point Max Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I think so. Mr. TAVENNER. I hand you a photostatic copy of an application and I will ask you to look at the last page and state whether or not the name appearing there, Max Trachtenberg, is a reproduction of your signature. (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. It's possible it could be mine. Mr. TAVENNER. You are satisfied it is yours from examining it? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. It's possible. I can't be satisfied, because no one could be satisfied; but it's possible. Mr. TAVENNER. I desire to offer the document in evidence and ask that it be marked "Trachtenberg Exhibit No. 1." 1 Mr. VELDE. Without objection. Mr. TAVENNER. It is noted from looking at the employment history in your application that you made no reference to Chevrolet Motor Co. at Flint, as having been an employer of yours. Will you verify my statement? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENRERG. I don't see anything on there about that. Mr. TAVENNER. Why don't you advise your employer in your application that you had been employed by Chevrolet Motor Co.? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I don't know. Mr. TEVENNER. A further examination of your application shows. that you were engaged in your own business at 1805 Pasadena, Flint, from June 1946 to January 1950, when you have just advised us you were in Flint for less than a year. Why did you make that misstatement in your application? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the reasons stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Isn't the actual reason why you made those misstatements in your application the fact that you desired to deceive your employer as to what your occupation had been and what your background was in order that you might more easily enter upon the work of the Communist Party within the union working at that place? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the reasons I stated before, and I would also like to add that where I worked there are thousands and thousands of workers, from all over the country, with different and various backgrounds who come to work in Detroit. In fact, the big motor corporations go down and recruit people you would call colonizers to work in Detroit. In fact, I think Representative Clardy was born in Missouri. can be termed a colonizer for coming to Michigan. He Mr. TAVENNER. I notice in another place on your application that you stated you had lived at Flint for 42 years when you told us a few moments ago you had lived there for less than 1 year. Was that an untruthful statement in your application? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. Well, if that's the statement of mine on there, then it's inaccurate. Mr. TAVENNER. Inaccurate? 1 Retained in the files of the committee. You mean false, don't you? (At this point Mr. Trachtenberg conferred with Mr. Forer.) Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I said what I meant. I said it was inaccurate. Mr. TAVENNER. That is what you meant? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. Inaccurate. Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Trachtenberg, are you now a member of the Communist Party? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons I stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Were you a member of the Communist Party at any time while employed by Chrysler Motors? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. Were you a member of the Communist Party in the State of New York before coming to Flint? Mr. TRACHTENBERG. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons I have stated before. Mr. TAVENNER. I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman. Mr. CLARDY. No questions. Mr. MOULDER. No questions. Mr. VELDE. I have no further questions. The witness is dismissed. The committee will stand in recess until 2 o'clock this afternoon. (Whereupon at 11:02 a. m., the hearing was recessed, to reconvene at 2 p. m. of the same day.) AFTERNOON SESSION (At the hour of 2:07 p. m., of the same day, the hearing was resumed, the following committee members being present: Representatives Kit Clardy (presiding), Gordon H. Scherer, and Francis E. Walter.) Mr. CLARDY. The committee will be in session. Let the record show the chairman has appointed a subcommittee, consisting of Congressman Scherer, Walter, Moulder and myself. Do you have a witness ready, Mr. Counsel? Mr. TAVENNER. Yes, sir. I would like to call Mr. Alfred Millstein. please. Will you come forward, Mr. Millstein? Mr. Chairman, Mr. Millstein requested that he be put over until tomorrow, which was agreed to some days ago; but counsel saw me yesterday and I thought was going to have the witness available today. Mr. APPELL. Millstein was in the room this morning. Mr. CLARDY. Is he in the room now? Mr. TAVENNER. I feel there probably has been some misunderstanding as to the time for his appearance. Mr. CLARDY. I had understood we had agreed to bring him on tomorrow. Will counsel identify himself? Mr. WISTRAND. Bruce Wistrand. Mr. CLARDY. Of Flint, Mich.? Mr. WISTRAND. Yes, sir. TESTIMONY OF PAUL G. SIMON, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS COUNSEL, BRUCE WISTRAND Mr. TAVENNER. What is your name, please, sir? Mr. SIMON. My name is Paul G. Simon. Mr. TAVENNER. When and where were you born, Mr. Simon? Mr. TAVENNER. Will you spell the name, please? Mr. SIMON. H-a-m-a-d-a-n. Mr. TAVENNER. And what was the date of your birth? Mr. TAVENNER. Are you a naturalized American citizen? Mr. TAVENNER. Surely. (At this point Mr. Simon conferred with Mr. Wistrand.) Mr. SIMON. Yes; I am. Mr. TAVENNER. When were you naturalized and where? Mr. SIMON. May I have the permission to check my records, please? Mr. TAVENNER. Surely. Mr. SIMON. I was naturalized December the 8th, 1948, at Genesee County, Flint, Mich. Mr. TAVENNER. Under what name were you naturalized? Mr. SIMON. Paul George Simon. Mr. TAVENNER. Is that your name at birth, or had your name prior to that been changed? Mr. SIMON. Yes. Mr. TAVENNER. What do you mean by "Yes"? Mr. SIMON. I would like to indicate here, due to the fact I am foreign-born, and also that at the time of my birth-rather, my father died prior to me being born and, as a result of that, there was a lotit created many problems. Mr. TAVENNER. Now, I am not interested in any reason for the change of name, but in order to get your identity correct I want to know if you have used any name other than your present name, Paul G. Simon. There is nothing mysterious about it. Mr. SIMON. In France I went by the name of Paul Badal. And that Badal is my mother's maiden name. Mr. TAVENNER. When did you change the name to Simon, or when did you first become known as Paul G. Simon? Mr. SIMON. I adopted my stepfather's last name, and his name is Simon. Mr. TAVENNER. When did you adopt that name? Mr. SIMON. I would like to indicate here, due to the language difficulties at that time, that later on in school I adopted it as a last name. Mr. TAVENNER. Was that before you came to the United States or after you came to the United States? Mr. SIMON. You mean when I adopted it to Simon? Mr. TAVENNER. Yes. |