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grec ae ER — impatient teetttitedaadiatatiibaiee * | Senstor Monpaze. Is that a proper basis for investigating Dr. King or anyone else} 7 Mr. Apama. It is, where you have information indicating that the Communist Party is and has made efforts to to influence an in- dividual. I would say that that would normally be considered within the current criteria. _ Senator Moxpatz. You would consider that to be a valid basis for investigating today ? Mr. Apams. The movement itself, but not the individual. Senator Moxparz. How do you investigate a movement without in- vestigating individuaisf _. Mr. Apaus. You do get into a gray area. The main thing would be if we had an organization today that we saw the Communist Party vitating to, trying to work in positions of leadership, we would be interested in opening an investigation on Communist infiltration of that organization to see if it was affecting it. Senator Monvate. All right, now let’s go back specifically. I gather there never was any question raised about whether Dr. King was & Communist. That was never char Mr. Apaxus. Not as a Communist Party member, no, sir. Senator Monpae. That’s right. Or that he was about to commit, or had committed acts of violence Mr. Apams. No. . Senator Moxva.e. But the reason for investigating him apparently was that he was subject to Communist influence. Now what makes that a justified reason for investigating him? Is it a crime to be approached by someone who is a Communist ? Mr. Apams. No. Senator Monpare. What is the legal basis for that investigation! Mr. Apams. The basis would be the Communist influence on him and the effect it would have on the organization. It would be in connection with our basic investigation of the Communist Party. Senator Moxpae. Well, as I understand the law to read, it is not a crime to be a member of the Communist Party. ; Mr. Anas. That is correct. Senator Monxpa.z. How can it be s crime to know someone who is a member of the Communist Party ? Mr. Apams. It is not. Senator Monpa.e. How do you investigate something as tenuous as that? What is the basis for it legally t Mr. Apaams. Well, it fails into the area of, one, the intelligence juris- diction of the activities of the Communist Party to have a situation where an individual in an organization, a leader of an organization, efforts are being made to influence him and to achieve control over the organization, and it is part of the overall investigation of the party trying to exert this influence as to are they successful, are they taking . over the black movement or the civil rights movement. It is just like we tried to make clear in investigations that were more prevalent yeara ago but still occur on the Communist influence in Jabor uniona. We tried to tell everybody we interview we are not interested in labor mat- ters. We are not trying to inquire into that. We are interested in the effect of the Communist Party on this union. ‘at conde Tete aM aq te eee oo bs