INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA ACTIV ITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1947 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ་ SUBCOMMITTEE OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES, New York, N. Y. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., in room 2301, United States Courthouse, Foley Square, New York City. Present: Hon. Richard M. Nixon, chairman, subcommittee; Hon. Richard B. Vail, member; Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, member; Robert E. Stripling, Esq., chief investigator; Louis J. Russell, Esq., investigator. The CHAIRMAN. We will call the meeting to order. The record will show that this is a meeting of a subcommittee of the Committee on Un-American Activities of the House of Representatives, consisting of Mr. Vail, Mr. Bonner, and Mr. Nixon as chairman, called for the purpose of hearing additional testimony in the Eisler case. Mr. Stripling, will you proceed with your first witness. Mr. STRIPLING. The first witness will be Mr. Samuel Liptzen. TESTIMONY OF SAMUEL LIPTZEN (The witness was duly sworn by the chairman.) Mr. STRIPLING. You are here in response to a subpena which was served upon you at this date. Are you represented by counsel? Mr. LIPTZEN. If it is necessary. Mr. STRIPLING. Do you want counsel here with you? Mr. LIPTZEN. Yes. Mr. STRIPLING. Who is your counsel? Mr. LIPTZEN. Mr. Kuntz. Mr. STRIPLING. Before we proceed with the testimony from Mr. Liptzen I would like to refer to a subpena which was served upon Mr. Liptzen on February 4 by Mr. Stephen W. Birmingham, a person authorized by the chairman to serve such subpena, the subpena requiring Mr. Liptsen to be and appear before the full committee of the Committee on un-American Activities, House of Representatives, of which the Honorable J. Parnell Thomas is chairman, at 10 a. m., room 226, Old House Office Building, Washington, D. C., on February 6, 1947. On the morning of February 6, 1947, Mr. Liptsen sent the following telegram, which was received at the office of the chairman. The telegram reads as follows: 1 Congressman J. PARNELL THOMAS, Un-American Activities Committee, Old House Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Critical illness of one very dear to me requires my presence at bedside. Am therefore unable to appear on February 6. Will attend any other day you set after this week. Please notify me. Signed, "Samuel Liptzen." Mr. STRIPLING. Now, Mr. Liptzen, would you state for the record the reasons why you could not appear before the full committee on February 6? Mr. LIPTZEN. The missus with whom I have the rooms, she was first operated on in New York on the gall bladder in the Lebanon Hospital. When she felt a little better she went to her family in Boston, and then she got sich again and she was operated on for cancer at the Peter Van Briggan Hospital. Her name is Annie Halland, and I am only the one who was to take care, and I had to make the arrangements, and I had to come to Boston and be present when she was operated on. Mr. STRIPLING. What days were you in Boston? Mr. LIPTZEN. On February 6, the date I was called. Mr. STRIPLING. You were served on February 4 with the subpena? Mr. LIPTZEN. On February 4, when I called up Boston what was going on, they told me that she was going to be operated on in the morning and I should be there, because she wanted me to make arrangements about getting some money from New York and hospitalization, so I was there and then came back on Sunday. Mr. STRIPLING. What day did you go there? Mr. LIPTZEN. It was on the next morning, I believe. Mr. STRIPLING. You were served with a subpena on Tuesday to appear on Thursday in Washington? Mr. LIPTZEN. Yes. Thursday I was in Boston and Friday. Mr. STRIPLING. What is the relationship-is there any family relationship between you and this woman? Mr. LIPTZEN. We had rooms together, and when I was sick for a long time she took care of me and she was very fine to take care of me. Now we are partners of the rooms, and even the rent we are paying together. Mr. STRIPLING. Is Mr. Liptzen's explanation of this satisfactory to all the members? Mr. VAIL. The fact of relationship hasn't been established. Mr. STRIPLING. There is no blood relationship between you and the person who you said was very dear to you? Mr. LIPTZEN. No. Mr. STRIPLING. No marital relationship? Mr. LIPTZEN. No. Mr. STRIPLING. In other words, you own or rent rooms together? Mr. LIPTZEN. Yes. Mr. STRIPLING. Do you own certain property together? Mr. LIPTZEN. Property, no. Mr. STRIPLING. You live in the same house? Mr. LIPTZEN. In the same apartment, and she took care of me when I was sick for a long time, so that is why now when she is sick and it is a question of cancer, taking care of her and everything that is in the house and I don't know what to do or what to arrange without talking to her. |