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4 a em Al Es PAUL ROBESON ALN INTSRVAL SECURITY = ¢ nirecter, rer PNA Wei id July 6, 1945 ppeak at the Monroe Doctrine Oretorical Contest on April 12, 1945 spon- i = —_ _ ee ee ee ored by the "Herald-American". According to informants, PATTERSON re- fused to accept the responsibility ofmking a decision regarding this appearance and requested the opinion of officials at CPA headquarters. Informants advised that PATTERSON and CPA officials debated the propriety of ROJESON appearing on what they termed an enemy platform, but after dis- ‘eussing the matter thoroughly with KOR2IS CHILDS, OTTO-WANGERIN, Daily ‘Worker Representative, DAVIR.ANGLESTEIN, Educational Director, District “No. 8,CPA, AND PHIL BART, PATTERSON advised ROBESON to accept the invi- tation. Informants state that because PATTERSON was pressed for time he attempted to persuade one of the Cpa officials at headquarters to write ROBESON'S talk. PATTERSON indicated to one of the informants, however, that he was left with the responsibility of obtaining someone to write the speech and ENGLESTEIN offered to review it and make suggestions following the preparation. The Abraham Lincoln School, alleged comunist front organization, capitalized on the subject's Chicago engagement to benefit the School's treasury by several thousand dollars, A $100-per—couple dinner was held | on April 15, 1945 at the Standard Club under the auspices of the School and netted a profit of $5,000. The dinner was attended by one hundred ten persons, the majority of whom are reliably reported to be members of the CPA or sympathizers with that organization. According to informants, ROBESON in his talk on this occasion praised BROADER and the CPA for its stand on the Negro and anti-Semitic questions. According to PATTERSON, the same material used in this talk was also to be used in ROBESON's talks pefore audiences in two large Jewish temples, merely amitting specific men- tion of the CPA or identifying the philosophy of the CPA by name. Informants advised that ROBESON maintained a rigorous schedule during his stay in Chicago during April and May, sanetimes making two or three appearances in addition to his performances in "Othello", It was also reported by informants that PATTERSON was besieged with requests for the subject's appearance and many of the requests were made by representa- tives of alleged communist front groups which desired to capltalize on ROBESON's popularity to increase the financial success of events. Several , union officials, most of whom are reportedly members or functionaries of the CPA and associates of PATTERSON, also sought and obtained ROBESON'S presence at affairs. The largest union~sponsored affair was the United Nations Day, under the auspices of United Packinghouse Workers of America- CIO, which was attended by approximately five thousand members, half of whom were white and half Negro. Arrangements for ROBESON's appearances on this occasion were made with PATTERSON by HERBER® MAR, reportedly a prominent member of the CPA and District Director of UPWA. Try tL bet te C- According ‘a ROBESON also attended a membership mest- ria-CI0, Local 453, on Mar 1753 loi fe