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rn er 4 Pa & Office Mevtorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT To ..: MR. D. M. LADD... i DATE: March 20, 1546 From : J. C. STRICKLAND mf 5:20 PM SUBJECT: ED'IN G. BROWN SAC Van Pelt, San Francisco, called and furnished the contents = of two letters which came to their attention in connection with Brown and which Mr. Van Pelt thought would be of interest. The first is a letter addressed to Brown, dated January of «1946, fron the\Americanizationommitte 1 ‘omicron Epsilon Fraternity a e University of San Francisco. It points out lad that in a newspaper dispatch from New York on January 8, the Director publicly stated that the American Youth for Democracy is the successor of the \foung. Communist League and that it is noted Brown has been listed as a spon or for ' a banquet honoring the American Youth for Democracy held on Saturday, November 10, 1945, at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. The letter goes on to say that As veterans who fought to prevent these United States from becoming a Godless totalitarian state, we cannot believe that you as an American citizen knowingly gave your consent to the aid and support of the American Youth for Democracy. Our membership comprising over 70 per cent of the student body at ‘this university would like a written expression of your stand on the American Youth for Democracy." pi On February 1, 1946, Brown replied to@@ thanking him for his letter and stating: "I have refused at all times to become a sponsor of any organiza- tion or any meeting until I have first investigated its background. I knew that the. Young Communist League or some similar organization had participated in the formation of the American Youth for Democracy. I, therefore, called the young lady who asked me to become a sponsor . for the dinner, not the organization, and asked her if there was any truth in the assertion that the American Youth for Democracy was Communistic in either origin or intent. She advised me that it was not in any manner, shape or form Communistic, although some members of the Young Communist League had at one time belonged. She told me that they were affiliated with many church groups. I also advised her that the organizaticn encouraged young people to participate in Government and that it fought racial intolerance and religtous bigotry. “I would consider it a pleasure to discuss with you at length organizations such as this. You have fought and died for a terrific cause but the real fight has now begun. Merely being against some organization is not sufficient. Active participation to hold the things \you won must never cease." von ; RECORDED 7 13 Mr. Van Pelt stated he was sending this infermation to the Bureau by Yetter. Y TNDEXED ~ if ” : 7 Le eCS:ECD e — they ¥