IWCF 055 An Unamerican Activity

I was a Communist for THEBI. Starring Dana Andrews and an exciting tale. Of danger and espionage. I was a Communist for the FBI. Many of the incidents in the story you were about to hear are based on the actual records and authentic experiences of Matt Savedic two For nine fantastic years lived as a Communist for the FBI. Here is our star, Dana Andrews as Matt Savedic. For nine years, I lived on the brink of a volcano, a volcano called communism, a volcano which is centered in Soviet Russia, which is erupting all over the world through fishes in the social structure. The lava of communism has eaten its way until it has engulfed whole countries and subcontinence, burying freedom and the dignity of men as deep as Vesuvius buried POMPEII. That's the future the communists plan for free men everywhere. Mister with a warning from my story. It's the story of communism. In a moment, listen to Dana Andrews as Matt Savedic under cover man. Now Here is Dana Andrews as Matt Savedic under cover man. This story from the Confident. Your file is marked an un American activity. When the polit Bureau of the American Communist Party ordered my district leader to report to them in New York, I was instructed to take over his duties. That was a week ago, and I've heard nothing more from either the polit Bureau or my district leader. I don't like it because the closer you get to the top of the Red organization, the closer you're watched. And I know there's always a chance that i'd make a slip, a slip that could be fatal. I'm in my room assembling some new special study Party literature and extracting copies for the FBI when my phone rings. Hello, I'm calling from Number four. Yeah, wandered here immediately. Well, I'm putting together some packages. At the moment, I'll be over an r A. Car will be calling for you immediately. Don't keep the driver waiting. But look, I got no. I don't like that kind of phone call. It may mean nothing at all. Then again, when you're a Communist for the FBI, it may mean something very important. Number four is a Red meeting place used only in party emergencies and this obviously is an emergency. I put back the copies of red literature that I'd held out for the FBI, just in case my room is searched while I'm gone, and go out to wait for the car. That's the call for me. But there's no waiting. The car's at the curb. When I walk out of the building. My driver swings open the door. As I woke up to the car, he says, you read, yes, get in. What's up? We're late? I got Hey, what's the big rush about. Just take orders, comrade, My orders that will bring you to number four. Right now. This is number four. I've been here. We get out there waiting for you, and I have another job to do. Thanks. You're certainly never going to get into trouble for talking too much. All of our comrades. Had that driver's discretion, this meeting would have been necessary. I don't believe i've ever seen you before. Possibly not, but you'll know me well before the matter is finished. I'll get inside quickly, Comrade. The enemy may have spies watching this place. I'll go right up those stairs. Comrades, I know the way well. Before I take any more orders, I want to know who's giving them. You can call me Comrade Vaulters. I'm a member of the party's security committee. Now please walk up the stairs. There are others waiting for us. As we climb the long, dim lilit flight of stairs that rises to the party's dingy office, the fear that never leaves me rises too. There's a Red security officer at my back, and I don't know what's ahead. Then we reached the top of the stairs and I opened the office door. Fired another comrades Vedek has arrival. Get down to business. I've been sent here to warn you and to help direct your fight against one of Communism's worst enemies. The Washington Committee is preparing to subject this area to one of its degrading public circuses. One of our comrades. A security lists of those who will be subpoenatied, including the names of those rats who've actually volunteered to serve persecution as friendly witnesses. This meeting is to determine what action we should take against these swine. The reds reaction to Comrade Voter's announcement is so violent that I wish every fellow traveler and parlor pink in the country could hear it. They hate the Committee, of course, but their hatred for friendly witnesses is much deeper. They'd like to give them the sort of red justice that has purged thousands of innocence in the Communist homeland and its satellites. We ought to give them a trial and hang his admirable Comrade, but not practical. We could beat them at deliver fight. We've talked of the committee. The next suggestion was for a series of accidents to befall the deserting comrade. A speeding car on a dark night, a fall from a high building, all the impossible to prove murder methods that have ever been used before. It was an idea that appealed to this group of scared and frustrated Reds, and I knew I had to sidetrack them right then. And I didn't want to buck that mob. But some of the friendly witnesses are people who've made a mistake and they want to correctly. People on our side now who've seen the Red side and they don't like it. It was my job to protect those people, no matter how scared I was, so I stepped up and opened my big mouth. The Comrade voters, Comra voters, Yes, Comra SVEETI, I'd like the floor for a minute, you have it, okay. From the first place, I want all the commerce to know that I hate these rats who are willing to become friendly witnesses. However, any action against these people before they testify would reveal that we have a source of information close to the committee. Why just what would you do about these traders? Well, before the subpoenas are issued, I'd talk to them. Some of us would remind them of the party's purposes. Others would talk about a member's obligations. And if that fails, Comra. Well, if that fails, Comrade voters, after the subpoenas are issued, it's time enough for coercion. No, the threat of violence is enough if it's accompanied by a smear campaign and phone calls over fifteen minutes, stay and night. Besides, right now we should spend our time and energy preparing our campaign against the real enemy, the Committee. Do you have any suggestions concerning that, TUMRANI? Yes, if you'd like to hear them, we would. My suggestion is to organize every group in the city in which any of our comrades are members into public opposition to the Committee. And its persecution. You mean labor. Unions, industrial councils, business organizations and so forth. Yes, we paid ads in all the papers announcing the Committee and its unconstitutional violation of the Bill of Riots. Talking like in idiots, I'm talking as acting district leader, and I'm telling you how to organize public opinion against the Committee. Force them to stop their vicious harassment of party members. Asthetic. You know that we don't have enough party members and any labor union, any industrial council, any organization in this city will force any one of those groups to pay for ads attacking the Committee. Don't be naive, comrade voters. These organizations won't know anything about the ads they're supposed to be sponsoring until they've read them in the papers. Will place the ads, we'll pay for them, The organizations will disclaim them. Won't do any good because the ads will be signed by comrades as members of the various organizations. Individual obviously, and like most people, comrade voters, you don't read the small end up in advertisements. Our ads will be signed by say Matthew Savedic for the Independent Workers as Society. Oh no, that won't mean a things. But will to the casual reader, and particularly when the Matthew Savedic is in normal size died the Independent Workers Association and tied four times that size, and for the so small it can hardly be read with the rids enthusiastic acceptance of my plan for attacking the Committee. I was also able to wangle an agreement to try my suggestion for dealing with the friendly witnesses. Then the meeting broke up and I hurted to make my report to the FBI. This is important startling news, Matt. The Washington Bureau is going to be greatly disturbed and learning that the Commis have a pipeline from the committee. What about the friendly witnesses. We can't do a thing for them officially at this time without taking a chance on exposing you. We're not supposed to know that the Reds have a list of those being subpoenia. But these particular people are genuinely on our side now they're trying to help us. We have to protect them. I don't mean to sound heartless, Matt, but they're bound to be casualties in any war, even a cold war. Tell us a poenees are issued any protection these people will have to be given obliquely by you. I see, don't take. Any unnecessary chances, Matt what you've told me, it's obvious that the Reds are frightened, and frightened men are always the most dangerous. Yeah, I have a Washington once any more details will contact you. Good luck man. Strictly unofficially, I wish you hadn't stuck your neck out quite so far. During the next few days, I was on Quite America round organizing the Red's campaign against the Committee, and at the same time planning evidence that I hoped the FBI could use to frustrate the campaign. I almost forgot the problem of the friendly witnesses. Then the subpoenas ratied, and comrade voters paid me a visit. The hierarchy is quite unhappy with your cover set. What do you mean. About the handling of the friendly witnesses. Although in my reports I've stressed the seeming excellence of your proposed campaign against the Committee, I've been forced also to report the failure of your plan for handling our traitors. Mere talking to them has done nothing to change their minds. Then our comrades can have done a very good job of talking. You think you could do better. Certainly if I hadn't been so busy with this other man that case. Forget the other matter for a day or two. Yeah, yes, you talk with these white, livid weaklings, show them the error of their ways, Okay, and be your most persuasive comrade. If your plan fails, the responsibility will be yours alone. Then the group deciding your punishment may not include a comrade Svetti to sidetracked their violence. The responsibility will be yours alone. Volters is right, no matter what happens, the responsibility is mine alone. If the friendly witness is wilt under pressure, I'll feel responsible to the American people if they don't wilt, if they testify against the communists, I'll be the guy held responsible. I'll be the guy who pays. Now back to Danna Andrews starring as Matt Savedic and I was a Communist for the FBI and the second act of. Our story or else, there's no other interpretation of common voters orders from to talk to the deserting comrades and dissuade them from appearing before the committee as friendly witnesses. As soon as I feel it's safe to leave, I go out to a phone booth and call the FBI. Hello, Warren speaking, I'm calling from a phone booth. I recognize your voice. Go ahead, now that the subpoenas have been served, the heat is on on you, yes, and I'm supposed to transfer it to our friends. We can help now, how. By giving our friends a little vacation before you reach them. I'm supposed to get to them immediately. Give us half an hour before you're trying to see any of them. Then go to the list of friends alphabetically. I can't prove anything against you if you can't find anyone to talk to. I hope that's the right answer. It has to be. We can't take a chance at one of the witnesses identifying you as the gounu. Put the heat on them. Okay, anything more? Yeah. One of our men spotted a couple of Security Committee goons getting off a plane about twenty minutes ago. Watch your step. Thanks, thanks a lot. I wait a half an hour before trying to reach the first of the friendly witnesses. Voters has ordered me to pressure, but my FBI contact has made good on his promise. When I returned to comrade Voters at number four, I'm forced to report that all of those party traders have been taken into protective custody. I don't end for you your position, Comrades Vidick. It was you who persuaded the group to delay punishing these rats. Yes, but to protect the party. Protecting the party is the business of the Security Committee. I'll explain the situation to the Security Committee. They want to talk to me, they do. In fact, two of the comrades arrived in town just a short time ago. For your sake, I hope your campaign against the Committee is more successful than your suggestion for handling rats. For the next few days, we're all too busy making last minute preparations for the Committee hearings for voters or his two goons to give me any trouble. They're hanging around, of course, but the local comrades, swallowing their own propaganda, are so confident of chasing the Committee right out of town that the goons adopt an attitude of wait and see. The night before the first day of the hearing, the entire group meets at Number four for a final report and briefing. Quiet please, on tomorrow, comrades, in the hearing room of the Washington Committee, we will. Fight the battle for freedom. The night and tomorrow morning, every newspaper in the city will carry pages of ads denouncing the Committee and its flagrant violations of the Bill of Rights. Outside the building, protesting working men and women will pick at the hearing. Yes, Comrade Mercer, I'd like to make certain that all comrades who've been designated to pick it as working mothers make orange much to borrow their babies for the duration. Of the. Voters cam Ryan, I would like to remind the war veteran who was under subpoena to wear his combat medals to the hearings andrew throw them at the Committee's feet when he's called upon the testify. The Red's attitude has done a complete about face since the night of the first meeting in number four. Then they were frightened and frustrated, But tonight they're ready to man the barricades behind the protection of the Fifth Amendment. Of course, one misguided idealist even goes so far as to compare this meeting with those held in seventeen seventy six. And as the comrades grow more exuberant, I grow more depressed. As soon as I can, I get away to phone the FBI and make my last report before the hearings. But I don't have to make the call. I'm waiting at a street corner for the light to change when a car pulls up beside me, and my FBI contact says, get. In quick, man, okay man. We ought to be safe. Now let's have the final rundown. It doesn't look good for our signer for you, for either. How it's happened. The reds are really organized this time, everything from babes in arms among the pickets to veterans with war medals among the witnesses. What's their editude confident? Those scheduled to appear before the committee tomorrow are going through last minute rehearsals with the lawyers. The picket chairmen are making a final check of the groups. Voters and the goon squad are still at number four. Are they anticipating any violent I haven't heard of it. If they are, say five me back near number four and drop me. Okay, why I want to have a talk with voters about violence. I have an idea that may save my neck. I'm glad you came back, comradez Vedik. I was just discussing you with comrades Mercer and Ryan. Now thought came to me, and while I was on my way home, that seems so important that I came right back. You're full of thoughts and ideas, aren't you, Comrade Oh. I try to give the party the benefit of any idea I may have, Comrade Mercer, such. As don't use violence against rats. Yes, I still feel that any violence would have engendered serious reactions against the party. What was this new great thought of yours? I wanted to warn you against any violence on the picket lines tomorrow. We weren't anticipating any What made you think of it? Nothing? Really, It just occurred to me that reactionary members of some of the unions or industrial councils whose names were using in tomorrow ads might come to the hearings and try to stir up trouble. I see, and you want to urge us against using violence. I'll go further than that. As acting district leader, I absolutely forbid it. You are forbidding me to use my old judgment a party. The body is no place for anyone with a yellow streak of his back. If anyone gives. Us trouble tomorrow, we're going to fight back. Maybe if we cracked a few heads, we'll make some red blooded cons. Hello is this Jake Martin, head of the Labor Division of the Steel Industry Council. I just called to tell you that there's an ad in tomorrow morning's paper which gives the impression that the Steel Industry Council is supporting the communists in their attacks on the Committee. There are other ads purporting to show that many of the labor unions are also behind the reds in their fight against the Committee. Into their filthy work. Uh you know where we can fight these people who are. Responsible, Well, mister Martin, a lot of them will be picketing the Chambers building that's where the Committee is holding its hearings the next morning. The comrades are jubilant, living on a strict diet of propaganda. They're the world's greatest suckers for the printed lie. They've all read the ads in the papers, and even though they know how the ads were inserted, they've kitted themselves into believing that the city's entire populace is rising behind them to drive the Committee into hiding up in the committee room, the friendly witnesses are giving damning evidence against the party and various party members down on the street. The pickets are proudly carrying their signs, too blinded to realize that the expression in the eyes of the average passing American is a mixture of growing hatred and contempt. I'm standing off at one side watching the scene when I see a group of shirt sleeved working men approach, led by a man I know as Jake Martin, the Steel Industry Council labor leader. Over to where hidden from the reds, I can be handy when Jake wants to ask a question. My timing is good. Those running this red bray, I don't know for sure, but they seem to be taking orders on that big fellow over there by the statue, the one with the two thugs standing in the back of him. That's the man I think they call him. Comrade Volters, Comrade an I'm my boys. We'll teach these stunts to use the name of labor for their dirty propaganda. You boys classed up the pigot line. But leave that comrade Bullers to me. Now, let's go. As soon as the two lines crash into each other, the police move in and I get out of the area. There aren't many comrades present at Number four that night, and of those who are there, I'm the only one without a bandage, which doesn't please Comrade Volters at all. Where were you when the fighting was going on? Comrades vedick phoning headquarters in New York, only to report that, despite my warnings, despite my absolute order, you had deliberately engaged in street fighting. You reported that direct to headquarters or you sniffed. I'll teach you to run to head down before I knock you down. It won't hurt the party any if I get violent with you. Now, listen, you listen now. Look, I didn't start anything first. I knew about the street fighters were when the guy came up and hung one of my jaws. You threatened to use violence last night, Comrade Voters, I reported that too, together with the fact that you've played right into the hands of the Committee, giving them valuable propaganda to use against the party. You're to report to the Central Committee in New York tomorrow morning. No, I'm not going back. It'll be suicide. I wouldn't be surprised. Commerce. It's a pity too. It's such an Unamerican activity. Why didn't you tell me what you had in mind when you asked me to drive you back near number four. Man, I was afraid the Bureau couldn't endorse the integation of his feet fight. I didn't see any other way to save my neck. You were right on both comps. Incidentally, the launching an office picked up the REDHO was passing along information he felt from the committee's file. Was he working for the committee? Oh? His girlfriend was a secretary in the committee office. She was transferred though she had no idea he was a communist. They're not going together anymore. What you mean? I had a girl once, but not anymore. I guess that's part of being a communist. For the FBI, the Committee and Comrade Voters have left our city, but the scars they left on the park they will be a long time in healing because I was right and Voters was wrong. The local comrades are working over time and trying to make me forget that they were against me. I have a lot of invitations these days, but I'm not accepting any The people I'd like to be with, plain average everyday Americans want no part of me, and I want no part of the Reds except as a communist for the FBI, So I choose to walk alone. Dana Andrews will return in just a moment. This is Dana Andrews. The struggle between freedom and communism affects your life every day, directly or indirectly through battle, tolls or taxes. It's a struggle you can't afford to lose. Although, to protect innocent persons, the names, dates, and places are fictitious, the danger they worn against is very real. Next week we'll bring you another strange adventure based on the fantastic experiences of Matsavetic. Join us, won't you? B