Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2

by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities

TESTIMONY OF ROBERT B. KRAHL, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS COUNSEL, JAY G. SYKES

Mr. Wheeler. Would you state your full name?

Mr. Krahl. My name is Robert B. Krahl.

Mr. Wheeler. Will you spell the last name?

Mr. Krahl. K-r-a-h-l.

Mr. Wheeler. I see you are represented by counsel.

Will counsel identify himself for the record?

Mr. Sykes. Jay G. Sykes.

Mr. Wheeler. When were you born, Mr. Krahl?

Mr. Krahl. To the best of my knowledge, I was born on February 6, 1925.

Mr. Wheeler. Where do you presently reside?

Mr. Krahl. I live in Seattle.

Mr. Wheeler. What is your present occupation?

Mr. Krahl. I am unemployed.

Mr. Wheeler. What was your occupation before becoming unemployed?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. With the chairman’s permission, I would like to make a very, very short statement, less than a hundred words.

Mr. Moulder. What was the question, Mr. Wheeler?

(The pending question was read by the reporter.)

Mr. Moulder. That question calls for an answer, not a statement. And you can reply or give the answer, and then make any explanation you wish if it is relevant to the question and your answer.

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Well, I have been employed with odd jobs the past 9 months; haven’t really been employed. I just worked a few days here and there.

Mr. Wheeler. Would you relate to the committee your occupational background for the past 5 years?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. To the best of my knowledge—let’s see; 5 years would be around 1950. I think I have worked as a waiter, I have worked as a draftsman, I have done a little extra work as a casual laborer, worked a little time in a sawmill—I think that about covers it.

Mr. Wheeler. What is your educational background?

Mr. Krahl. I graduated from high school. I have got a couple of years of college. I haven’t graduated from college.

Mr. Wheeler. What college did you attend?

Mr. Krahl. The University of Arizona.

Mr. Wheeler. When did you cease your studies there?

Mr. Krahl. I think it was around the end of 1947.

Mr. Wheeler. How were you employed from 1947 to 1950?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. From 1947 until 1950 I worked as a seaman part of that time; I think most of that time.

Mr. Wheeler. Have you served in the Armed Forces?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Yes; I have.

Mr. Wheeler. In what branch of the service did you serve?

Mr. Krahl. In the United States Army.

Mr. Wheeler. What were your dates of service?

Mr. Krahl. I am not sure, but I think it was around the beginning of 1951 until about the end of it, probably 2 weeks after the first of the year, until a week prior to Christmas 1951, I am pretty sure.

Mr. Wheeler. What type of discharge did you receive?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I received a general discharge under honorable conditions.

Mr. Wheeler. Are you familiar with the committee called the Youth Committee that is within the circles of the Communist Party in King County?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. At this point, Mr. Chairman, I would like to invoke the fifth amendment on the ground that I think that this may lead into questions which could force me to testify against myself.

Mr. Wheeler. Are you acquainted with Mrs. Barbara Hartle?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I give the same answer, for the reasons previously stated.

Mr. Moulder. You decline to answer for the same reason?

Mr. Krahl. I decline to answer for the reasons previously stated.

Mr. Wheeler. I would like to refer to part 2 of a document entitled “Investigation of Communist Activities in the Pacific Northwest Area.” It is a copy of the transcript of hearings held here last June. Mrs. Hartle is testifying:

About 1949 and 1950, the last year that I was in Seattle—a youth committee was set up which I worked with, controlled, and guided all of its activities and tried to train the youth along Communist Party lines; and on that youth committee I remember a young man named Al Cumming, Robert Krahl, Calvin Harris.

Are you acquainted with Mr. Al Cumming?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I invoke the fifth amendment for the reasons previously stated. I believe that is the way to work it.

Mr. Wheeler. What were the functions of the youth committee of the Communist Party?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I again invoke the fifth amendment on the grounds previously stated, and refuse to answer.

Mr. Wheeler. Was Mrs. Hartle correct when she identified you as a member of the Communist Party, a member of the youth committee?

Mr. Krahl. I give the same answer, for the same reasons.

Mr. Wheeler. Are you a member of the Communist Party today?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I give the same answer, for the same reasons.

Mr. Wheeler. No further questions, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Moulder. Do you decline to answer as to whether or not you are a member of the Communist Party today, and, as the reason for your refusal, do you invoke the fifth amendment?

Mr. Krahl. That is correct; yes.

Mr. Moulder. Mr. Velde, any questions?

Mr. Velde. Were you a member of the Communist Party during the time you were in the Army?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. For the reasons previously stated, I must invoke the fifth amendment and refuse to answer.

Mr. Velde. I take it that you will refuse to give this committee the benefit of your knowledge concerning the Communist Party activities, and rely on the fifth amendment whenever you are questioned about anything touching on communism. Is that correct?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I refuse to answer that question for the same reasons and the reasons I have previously stated.

Mr. Velde. That is all.

Mr. Moulder. How long were you in the service? I forgot the period of time. That is, in the armed services of the United States.

Mr. Krahl. About a year. Just under a year.

Mr. Moulder. Was that the full period of your enlistment, the time you served, or were you discharged prior to the termination of your period of enlistment?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Well, I was drafted. I didn’t enlist.

Mr. Moulder. Why were you discharged?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. I decline to answer, reluctantly, because I am a little—I don’t really understand where this question of waiver comes in. So I decline to answer that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment, and for the reasons that I have previously stated.

Mr. Moulder. Where were you stationed while in the service?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Well, I was stationed for a while at Fort Ord. I think it was a few days. And then I served the rest of my time at Camp Roberts.

Mr. Moulder. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? I believe the question was asked in another form.

Mr. Krahl. Mr. Chairman, I decline to answer that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment, and for the reasons I have previously stated.

Mr. Velde. Did I understand you to say that you were given a general discharge under honorable conditions from the Army?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. That is what I said; that is correct.

Mr. Velde. That is not as high class a discharge as an honorable discharge; is it?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Well, I really don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that.

Mr. Velde. Don’t you have any idea why you weren’t given an honorable discharge instead of a general discharge?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. At this point I invoke the fifth amendment and decline to answer that question on the grounds that I have previously stated.

Mr. Velde. That is all.

Mr. Moulder. Do you know whether or not you were discharged for security reasons?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly invoke the fifth amendment again, and for the same reasons, the reasons that I have previously stated.

Mr. Moulder. While you were serving in the armed services were you at any time engaged in any un-American or subversive activities?

(The witness confers with his counsel.)

Mr. Krahl. Mr. Chairman, I decline to answer that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment and for the reasons previously stated.

Mr. Moulder. The witness is excused.

Call your next witness.

Mr. Wheeler. Mr. Robert Miller.

Mr. Moulder. Put up your right hand and be sworn.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony which you are about to give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?

Mr. Miller. I do, sir.