Mr. O’Connell. In the bill that was finally passed in the Senate I think Senator Kilgore and some of the other Democratic Senators offered an amendment to the bill or a provision that provided for——
Mr. Tavenner. In conference between the Representatives of the Senate and the House, it was agreed to accept the House bill exactly as prepared and submitted by this committee, which was done.
How were you employed at the time you first became chairman of this committee?
Mr. O’Connell. I was the executive secretary of the Progressive Party in the State of Washington.
Mr. Tavenner. I believe you have told us that Mr. Robert J. Silberstein, executive secretary of the National Lawyers Guild, was one of the official family of the National Committee To Defeat the Mundt Bill.
Mr. O’Connell. My recollection is he was secretary. I don’t want to be held to it but I am pretty sure he was the secretary of the committee.
Mr. Tavenner. Was he a person known to you to be a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. O’Connell. No; I never knew Bob Silberstein to be a member of the Communist Party.
Mr. Scherer. I didn’t get the last answer.
Mr. O’Connell. No; I never knew or did not know that Bob Silberstein was a member of the Communist Party and I don’t know it now.