◆ SpookStack

Wate: ss ae hoe + hp eee ™ a Oies wie Baga a ne, RAS Z * og Oh , Yofs . _ s- . os . -. . - Senator McClellan Maroh 2], 1957 = page 2 so-called “peace offensive" of the Commmists as the Stookholm Peace Petition. During this period aleo it has rejected proposals to send delegations to meetings of the World Peace Council on the grounds that the latter organisation was unéer Communist domination, and as recently as last fall oballenged this organization for ite failure to speak out against Soviet ailitary intervention in Bungary. Yar from deing merely aoquiescent in thee activities, Mr. Miste has been the prime mover in then, and more often than not has been the author of the letters and statenents that have implemented them. He has, indeed, frequently borne the brunt of socusations that the Fellowship was ®too hard” on the Commnists. To refer to therefore, as a "front*® for tho Commniste is as far from the truth as it would be to refer to Mr. Hoover as & front for juvenile delinquents. In the third place, i. Hoover errs again--as he has done before--in [Jetta the petition for the release of the Smith Act viotins as demonstrating - the Coummnist sympathies of those who circulated and signed it. The petition in question expresely noted that the signers were in fundamental disagreement with tha Communist position, but were led ta their action by a oomcern for =. 7 civil erties. It was sipned by many prominent Americans, including irs. Eleanor/Roosevelt. It represented the the convictions of many thousands of Americans who KAYO no wytpathy with Stalinist Cammnism whatever, that the Smith Act is ao iniquitous plece of legislation that ought to be repealed. Mr. Hoover appears to possess a vittually unchallenged reputation as \the final authority on Communist activities and personalities in the United Statese Hia worda on this and other ococasions suggest that the reputation is wiwarranted. It mist surely be a matter of grave concern for the Republic when ita ohief police officer 4e unable te distinguish between Communists and Anerioans who are loyal to basic Anerican doctrines. &lired_lassler e a, 7 as te ee ote, - ween - O63 Je Edgar Hoover