Did you confer at any time with any one from Pittsburgh with reference to the strategy and planning of the fight against the Mundt bill in that area?
Mr. O’Connell. No, sir, I did not. You mean by that a personal conference with somebody from there?
Mr. Tavenner. Yes.
Mr. O’Connell. No, I did not.
Mr. Tavenner. Were you aware of the fact that it was the Communist Party in that area which led and headed the fight against the Mundt bill in connection with the program of the National Committee To Defeat the Mundt Bill.
Mr. O’Connell. No, I was not aware of that. I think as far as the western area was concerned, I think the only contact we had was with Alexander Wright, who was I think executive secretary of the Progressive Party out there and I never talked with him personally.
I think he corresponded with the committee or sent some communication and we in turn sent a wire or material to him but I don’t remember any contact with anybody else.
Mr. Tavenner. Was he known to you to be a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. O’Connell. No, he was not. In fact, I don’t know him. I have never even met him. Whatever communication we had was by mail or by wire, as I remember. I don’t know him at all.
Mr. Tavenner. He was identified by Matthew Cvetic as an active member of the Communist Party.