Mr. Willis. You did not want to inject yourself in it?
Mr. O’Connell. I did not want to write the articles, that is all.
Mr. Willis. I would say the best compliment to me in my district would be for the Daily Worker to say that I was a rotter.
Mr. O’Connell. Well, I think that would be true today. You would be surprised if you went out to the State of Montana and went into some of the mining camps and taverns and what not. For instance, we have a character in Butte by the name of Paddy King. Paddy sells the Daily Worker. He has silicosis. He is a real character around there. He goes all around the town. Everybody buys the Daily Worker from Paddy. They do not think much of it. Some of them read it, some of them throw it away, and so on.
Mr. Velde. Do you still read it?
Mr. O’Connell. No; I do not. Of course, I do not live in Butte any longer. I actually do not think I have seen the Daily Worker since they used to be delivered to our doors here in Washington.
Mr. Tavenner. Were you acquainted with Alexander Bittelman?
Mr. O’Connell. No. Who is he?
Mr. Tavenner. Alexander Bittelman has been identified in testimony as a functionary of the Communist Party in the city of New York.
Mr. O’Connell. I do not know any Alexander Bittelman.