DENIAL BY BRIDGES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20007, 4 August 1939, Page 7

DENIAL BY BRIDGES

COMMUNIST AGENT “RED-BAITING” JOKE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Asßn ) (Reed. Aug. 4, 9 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3. The Australian, Harry Bridges, called by the Government, testified at the hearing of the charges of Communist activities preferred against him, said that he once jokingly said he was a member of the Communist Party, but actually he has never been a member and he belonged only to trade unions. Bridges insisted, however, that it was his opinion that the Communist Party’s activities were open and not subversive. He believed in the democratic form of Government, but opposed the capitalist form of society which, to him meant, ex. ploitation of a lot of people for profit. He added that at the time of the maritime convention at Los Angeles in 1935, "red baiting" had become such a standing joke that everyone gave the Communist salute when entering the convention hall and addressed the chairman as “commissar chairman.” Apparently under considerable nervous strain, Bridges testified that about 20 years ago he had been a member of the Independent Workers of the World for a short .time until he found out what ;it stood for. He repeated 'again and. again .that he never was .a Communist and/ abhorred any revolutionary movement that would destroy democracy. Bridges later testified that he believed the Communists had "their weight behind me . . They make good militant trade union men,” he added.