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Tae NY 100-25857 COE TIAL JOHN WILLIAMSON was convicted on October 14, 1949, in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, for violation of the Smith Act of 1940. On October 21,° 1949, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined $10,000 by Federal Judge HAROLD R, MEDINA. WILLIAMSON was released from federal prison on March dy 1955. He was gpranted permission to leave the United States voluntarily under warrant for deportation and de- part sted the United States for England on May 4, 52 * The "New York Herald Tribune" newspaper issue of dune 5, 1956, page via, contained an article entitled "Robeson Loses Passport Appeal." ‘This article reported that the United States Court of Appeals that date had unanimously upheld a district court order dismissing ROBESON's suit against Secretary of State JOHN POSTER DULLES. advised that on June 13, \ Goo, GI nergency Civil Liberties Committee (EC sponsored a concert at Town Hall, New York City. advised that this concert was held as a tribute to F RCBESON and the proceeds from same were to help pay the cost of ROBESON's sult for his passport, advised that 1,239 persons attended this affair. The "Daily Worker" issue of October 8, 1951, page ene, columns four and five, in an article entitled ‘150 Notables Form Emercency Civil Liberties Committee" reflected that the formation of the ECLG had been announced on October 7, 1951, It was shown that the purposes of the organization would be to help mobilige public opinion in support of the traditional American constitutional guarantees of civil ilitberties and to render aid to victims of abridgement of these liberties in politics, education and the professions. The founders, according to the article, included more than fifty members of the clergy and many educators and professionals,