Mr. Tavenner. Grants totaling $900 were made to the International Juridical Association. Do you recall the circumstances under which that grant was made?
Mr. O’Connell. No, I really can’t recall the circumstances now. It is apparently a very small grant. I don’t know what it was used for. It must have been in connection with some particular labor legal problem that may have been involved as far as the Wagner Act was concerned or NLRB or something of that nature.
Mr. Tavenner. Grants totaling $4,250 were made to the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties. That is an organization you did know about; isn’t it? In fact, the amount was increased after 1942 to a total of $56,000. You were acquainted with that organization; weren’t you?
Mr. O’Connell. I knew of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties, yes, and I am sure that grants were made, I would say on an annual basis to the National Federation, I don’t know what amounts specifically, but whether that total amount is correct or not I cannot say.
Mr. Tavenner. Are you familiar with the citation of that organization?
Mr. O’Connell. No; I am not.
Mr. Tavenner. Let me read it to you. It was cited as subversive and Communist by Attorney General Tom Clark on December 4, 1947; it was also cited by Attorney General Francis Biddle September 24, 1942, in the following language:
Part of what Lenin called the solar system of organizations, ostensibly having no connection with the Communist Party, by which Communists attempt to create sympathizers and supporters of their program. It was established as a result of a conference on constitutional liberties held in Washington, D. C., June 7-9, 1940. The defense of Communist leaders such as Sam Darcy and Robert Wood, party secretaries for Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, have been major efforts of the federation.
What purpose did the trustees of your foundation have in making $56,000 of grants to that organization?
Mr. O’Connell. Well, of course, if I had the specific application before me I could tell you, but I am sure that the application set out that it would be used for the defense of various labor leaders who were under attack of any kind, particularly from the civil liberties point of view.