◆ SpookStack

ADDENDA Concerning one of the Communist meetings cited hercinbcfore, Colin Sell declared in FRIENDS JOURNAL, January Srh, that it represented "the desire of a specially interested aroup to delve more intensely into a par- ticular problem," One of the ministers to whom an invitation to attend this meeting was sent is not a member of any "specially interested group". He is not lacking in understanding of the Communists. This man received his in- vitation to the small mecting, at which only the Communist speaker was pre- Sented, through the mails -~ indicating that invitations were not contined toa small, interested group. FRIENDS JOURNAL, January th, contained 4 letter of protest from Howard E, Kershner against the practice of the Service Committee in employing Russian Cormmunist speakers for mectings arranged in the New York area. in his reply in the same issue of FRIENDS JOURNAL, Colin WJ Bell, Exceutive Secretar: Scerctary of AFSC, acknowledged that Communist speakers had been employed and, raore surprisingly stated: "It is to be expected that occasionally in the future, Russians may be included in AFSC programs when such a course is con- sidered helpful," Many Friends will be surprised and G intentions of the Service Committee, as exoresse to continue using Russian Communist speakers to propogate communism in our country. The question arises: "Do Friends approve of their much-beloved re- lief organization becoming an agency for the promotion of communism?" It is our belief that few Friends will approve such action, A former Friend, who spoke at a number of the Service Committee Institutes about l2 years ago writes: “Thad the feeling that Iwas thrown among ‘the intellectual, moral and social slums of communism and socialism and that I would like to take a bath, get into clean clothes, and get back inta the world of decent, intelligent people who accomplish worthwhile purposes, The same witer continued: ; “One Sthe speakers at a Service Committee meeting arranged in Whittier, California testifies that a young woman stood up ana said, "We Communists have a spiritual affiliation with Quakers!" Communists usually disguise themsclvcs but in at least two : American Friends Service Committee meetings at which I spoke, the Communists came out in the open. At one meeting in Whittier, Iwas the only speaker among six who was not a communist ora socialist, Icame back East deeply disturbed and went to Phila- delphia to get the facts and make a protest, In the Service Committee office, Iwas given the brushoff and the things Ire- . i ported were received with no sympathy at all, At the same time, Alger Hiss was being used as a Service Committce speakers." 5