Mr. O’Connell. As I remember, I had been down here, as I said earlier, from March until I returned to Montana to take the bar examinations, and then I was out there in the State of Montana getting ready to establish my law practice and I got this wire from Mr. Silberstein to come back, or to come on down. Now what arrangements were made to send me funds, I don’t know whether Mr. Silberstein——
Mr. Tavenner. I hand you a second telegram addressed to you under date of July 26, 1950, signed “Silberstein,” and charged to the account of the National Lawyers Guild, and obtained by this committee in the same manner as the former telegram, reading as follows:
Sorry funds not available here. Proceed other plans.
Does that refresh your recollection?
Mr. O’Connell. What this would mean, as far as I can recollect now, was that of course I informed him I had no funds to come down here, to fly or whatever it was, and that unless I had them I would not be able to come and would stay out in the State of Montana.
Mr. Tavenner. What was meant by that part of the telegram which suggested that you “proceed other plans?”
Mr. O’Connell. The thing, I am sure I can’t remember now but I am sure I told Mr. Silberstein that I had no funds of my own to advance to come down to Washington and do any kind of work down here, and that unless I got funds I would not be able to come.
Mr. Tavenner. That explanation would not be responsive to the language of the telegram. The telegram says “proceed other plans.”
Mr. O’Connell. It says, “Proceed other plans.”
Mr. Tavenner. “Proceed other plans.”