Mr. Tavenner. Yes.
Mr. O’Connell. I, of course, of my own knowledge would not know if that is correct.
Mr. Tavenner. Did he remain on the executive committee of the Progressive Party after the time you say you discharged him from his paid position?
Mr. O’Connell. No, not as long as I was there. When I left in October of 1949, as I understand, in the early part of December a resolution was passed by the State board of the Progressive Party declaring my office vacant because I had not returned from the State of Montana. Either at that meeting or shortly after, Rabbitt was named by the executive committee. I think, first, the original title given to him was coordinator. Later I think he was made executive secretary. I know these things from what people have told me, but not of my own knowledge.
Mr. Tavenner. I am not sure that you have answered specifically my question relating to the testimony of Barbara Hartle insofar as it referred to you. Barbara Hartle testified that you attended Communist Party meetings in which she was present where all the persons present were members of the Communist Party. Did you attend any such meeting or meetings?
Mr. O’Connell I think my explanation of that was that if I sat in a Communist Party meeting or what she considered to be a Communist Party meeting where all present were Communists, I had no knowledge that they were Communists or it was a Communist Party meeting. Since I read the testimony yesterday, I tried to recall all the meetings out there where there would be a possibility she was present. I just cannot recall the occasions I saw Barbara Hartle out there—usually on the street or something of that kind—and I cannot recall any meeting that she sat in that I was in. I just cannot remember any single meeting that she sat in there where at least I knew she was there. She might have been in another room or some other place, but she was not visible to me anywhere.
Mr. Tavenner. Were you a member of the Communist Party during the period of time you were in the State of Washington?
Mr. O’Connell. I was not.
Mr. Tavenner. Were you at any time while in the State of Washington, that is, between 1944 and 1949, affiliated in any way with the Communist Party?
Mr. O’Connell. I was not.