I got a transfer card from this individual together with a note saying if I contact her I was to say I was Evelyn’s cousin. I believe she was living at McLean Gardens at that time. I called and made an appointment to meet her. She was quite cautious about the way this meeting should take place. We met at Union Station and had dinner later. I learned later she was working for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.
“Question. Where did she come from?
“Mrs. Markward. New York.
“Question. What was the purpose of your contacting her?
“Mrs. Markward. I contacted her as Evelyn’s cousin.
“Question. Did you pick her up on your rolls?
“Mrs. Markward. Because of her working with the UNRRA in the State Department, I could not transfer her in our organization as such. However, I talked to her. She seemed extremely capable and a good Communist. So I spoke to Elizabeth Searle about seeing if she could be picked up by some organization that did take members working for the Government and Elizabeth Searle took the address and how to get in touch with her and said she would see what could be done.
“Question. Did you subsequently see Ruth Rifkin?
“Mrs. Markward. Yes. She seemed disturbed by the manner in which she had been contacted and she asked if this other person was all right. I went to Elizabeth Searle about this and she said it was all right because this other person was in a position that it would be assumed she was calling about union business. Ruth Rifkin and I had dinner together at the time we had this conversation. Ruth Rifkin told me she was not in a position with UNRRA that she wanted to seem identified with a union. Elizabeth Searle told me to tell her not to call and talk to me over the telephone, so I had no further contact with her.”
That is the testimony relating to her.
Mr. O’Connell. Now I want to clarify—was she with UNRRA?
Mr. Tavenner. According to the testimony of Mrs. Markward she was.
Mr. O’Connell. When?
Mr. Tavenner. In the State Department.
Mr. O’Connell. I think UNRRA had been, I think it had actually been discontinued by 1948.
Mr. Tavenner. Suppose it was discontinued.
Mr. O’Connell. What I want to point out is that my relationship with her is I brought her material to transcribe or to mimeograph and so on. My recollection is she was running a secretarial shop.
Mr. Tavenner. Which of course was a period after UNRRA had been disbanded.