C{jnnnittee to Aid Striking Seamen, 277 West Twenty-second Street,
Xew York City, with a letter Avhich is apparently a form letter photo-
graphed on this letterhead. On the side, under the heading "Ad-
visory Conunittee", among others, appears the name of Dorothy Ken-
yon. This letter is dated January 28, 1937. Were you a member of
that organization?

Miss Keny'on. I have already reported on that. I could find
absolutel}' nothing in my files, and I have absolutely no recollection.
I have been sympathetic in a number of strikes, and it is perfectly
possible that I may have sympathized with this. I know nothing
about it whatsoever.

Senator Hickenlooper. The Special Committee on Un-American
Activities in December 1944, in a report in appendix IX, I believe —
there is a typographical bobble here — cited it as a Communist front.

Miss Kenyon. At that time?

Senator Hickenlooper. The report was made in December 1944.
The date of the letter that I have is 1937.

Miss Kenyon. I certainly did not know that it was Comnuniist if
it was Connnunist, nor am I snre that I was on it.

Senator Hickenlooper. I do not know whether you were or not,
Judge. I merely showed yon the ])hotostat with the name "Dorothy
Kenyon"' on the side as a member of the advisory committee.

I have a photostat of a letterhead of the Conference on Pan Am-
erican Democracy, with oflices at 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. It

68970 — 50 — pt. 1 —14



200 STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY INVESTIGATION

is dated November 16, 1938, and in the list of sponsors printed on
the left-hand side of the letterhead is the name of Dorothy Kenyon.

Miss Kenyon. I have covered that already in my statement.

Senator Hickexloopeb. Just to refresh my recollection, were you
one of the sponsors of the organization ?

Miss Kenyon. Yes. I said that. I found the letterhead in my
file dated March 4, 1939, and I remember making a speech before that
organization, I think in 1938. On the letterhead was the name of
Senator Paul H. Douglas, Quincy Howe, Stanley Isaacs, and Dr.
Ralph W. Sockman, all good friends of mine. I didn't know the
Communists on it, if there were some.

Senator Hickenloopkr. I believe it is alleged there were some on it.

Miss KoNYON. I believe those gentlemen that I named were not
Conimunists or even considered so by this committee.

Senator Hickenlooper. Are you still a member of that organiza-
tion ?

Miss Kenyon. I have never heard of it in 10 or more years.

Senator Hickenlooper. Did you ever withdraw from it?

Miss I^nyon. Acording to this letterhead, I was a sponsor in 1939.

Senator Hickenlooper. 1938 is the date of this letter.

Miss Kenyon. I m sorry. The letter I have in my files is 1939.
I'm sorry.

Senator Hickenlooper. Then if this photostat is an accurate re-
production, you wei'e a sponsor in 1938, and also according to your
own letterhead in 1939 ?

Miss Kenyon. That's right. I told you it was in my file, which
brought me up a whole year longer than what you have.

Senator Hickenlooper. When was the last time you had any con-
nection at all with this organization ?

Miss Kenyon. So far as I know, March 4, 1939. I have never
heard of it since. I have difficulty remembering even this connec-
tion with it.

Senator Hickenloopeh. Attorney General Tom Clark's letters
to the Loyalty Review Board, released June 1, 1948, and September
21, 1948, cited it as subversive and Communist. It was cited as Com-
munist front by the Special Committee on un-American Activities
in its report March 29, 1944 ; also cited in the report of June 25, 1942.

The California Committee on un-American Activities, in its report,
1947, cited it as a Communist front, and it was cited as subversive and
un-American by the Special Committee of the House Committee on
Appropriations in its report of April 21, 1943.

Miss Kenyon. I do not think I need repeat my position.

Senator Tydings. We want to go along, if you will permit us, to,
for quite some time yet, but obviously there will be other members of
the committee who will want to ask you some questions, and I am won-
dering whether it would be convenient for you to stay over tonight
and come tomorrow to finish up.

Miss Kenyon. Could we possible finish tonight, Senator? I do
earn my bread and butter practicing law, and I have had several days
just knocked right out.

Senator Tydings. We will proceed, then.

Senator Hickenlooper, I believe you discussed the Neiw York
League of Women Shoppers, and your association with that. I have



STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY INVESTIGATION 201

uhat is alleged to be a photostatic copy of their letterhead of January
25. 11)40, in which you are listed, among others, as one of the sponsors.
Is that correct?

Miss Kexyon. No, that is absolutely not so, because I disagreed
violeniiv ^Yith them in about lUoO or 1937 and withdrew with a bang.
I remen'iber that very well indeed, so they probably just continued to
carry my name on the letterhead, which I am sorry to say many organ-
izations apj^ear to have done.

Senator HiCKEXLooPEr.. Did you withdraw in writing?

Miss Kexyon. I think I prcbably did. 1 know I had a great row
with them. I could find nothing in my files, but I don't keep files
forever and ever.

Senator Hickenlooper. At about what time did you withdraw from
that organization?

Miss Kenyox. That was 1937, I think — maybe it was earlier than
that. No. I think it was founded about 1935, and I think it was 1936
or li»37 when 1 withdrew as a sponsor. I Avas never a member.

I didn't approve of the way they handled things, and I told them so.

Senator Hickenlooper. 1 lien their use of your name on their letter-
head as late as January 25, 1940, was completely without your consent
and unauthorized?

Miss Kenyon. That's right.

Senator Hickexlooper. This organization was listed in 1944 by the
Special Committee on Un-American Activities as a Communist-con-
trolled front by indisputable documentary evidence obtained from the
files of the Communist Party in Philadelphia, according to the cita-
tion, and it was cited by the California Committee on Un-American
Activities in 1943 as one of the Communist-inspired and therefore
Communist-dominated and controlled consumer organizations.

Miss Kexyon^. That was my undei-standing, too, and that is one of
the reasons I withdrew from it.

Senator Hickexlooper. I merely wanted to get these things com-
pletely cleared up for the record.

I have a photostat of a letterhead of the Milk Consumers Protective
Committee, 215 Fourth Avenue, New York, New York. The date of
this is snpposed to be April 23, 1940, according to the photostat, and
under the heading ''advisory board'' is the name Dorothy Kenyon.
Do you recall the Milk Consumers Protective Committee?

Miss Kexyon. I covered that in my statement. I have absolutely
no i-ecol lection of any such thing, and I can find absolutely nothing in
my files.

Senator Hickexlooper. So that you cannot recall now whether or
not you ever were a member of it, or a member of the advisory board?

Miss Kexyox. That's right; that's right. It sounds so utterly
foreign to me that I would say I could not possibly have been, but
you do sometimes have a lapse of memory, especially about unimpor-
lant things.

Senator Hickexlooper. I think it is very apparent that a number
of these organizations have been free with your name. Judge Kenyon.
They have taken rather unusual liberties.

Miss Kexyon. I think so too. Senator. It is unfortunate to be a
liberal and a fighter for causes. It is probably better not to belong
to anvthing.



202 STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY INVEISTIGATION

Senator Hickenlooper. Do vou recall the organization called the
Associated Blind, Inc.?

Miss Kenyon. This is conipletel}^ new.

Senator Hickenioopek. Anion o; the list of sponsors on this letter-
head is "Honorable Dorothy Ken3'on, Justice." I am merely asking
you about the organization.

Miss Kenyon. This, of course, is completely new, and I remember
absolutely nothing about it. I don't know anything about it at all.

Senator Hickenlooper. You have no recollection of the organiza-
tion ?

Miss Kenyon. No. I would say I had never heard of it.

Senator Hickenlooper. Is that the fact, that you have never heard
of it, so far as you remember?

Miss Kenyon. That is right, yes. I haven't any recollection what-
soever of such a name.

Senator Hickenlooper. Therefore the inclusion of your name as a
sponsor of that organization would have been without your authority
or consent ?

Miss Kenyon. I would say so ; I would say so.

Senator Hickenlooper. This organization is cited as a Communist-
front organization by the Special C'ouDnittee on Un-American Ac-
tivities in December 1944.

I have a photostat of an alleged program of the American Eussian
Institute, or I should say it ap])ears to be an invitation to a dinner
given by tlie American laissian Instiiute, a dinner and presentation
of its first annual award to Franklin D. Eoosevelt for outstanding
service in furthering American-Soviet relations, given on Tuesday,
May 7, 1946, at 6 : -)(> o'clock in the grand ballroom of the Hotel Penn-
sylvania, in New York. On the list of sponsors — a partial list, it
says — appears the name "Dorothy Kenyon." Do you recall that
dinner of that organization?

Miss Kenyon. I also covered that in my remarks. I do not recall
the dinner, but I did say that, being a Rooseveltian, a devoted Roose-
veltian, it might not have been strange if I had sponsored such a
dinner in his honor.

Senator Hickenlooper. The American Russian Institute for Cul-
tural Relations With the Soviet Union w^as cited by the California
Committee on Un-American Activities in its report in 1948.

Miss Kenyon. Are you talking about the same organization. Sen-
ator, or is this another one ?

Senator Hickenlooper. It says "American Russian Institute for
Cultural Relations With the Soviet Union." Perhaps I had better
look it up in the citations.

Senator Tydings. AVhile Senator Hickenlooper is looking that up,
do some of these organizations have a parent body wnth branches in
the various States, some of those that have been enumerated, like the
Maryland Division or the California Division, or is there one organ-
ization that covers the country with a mantle? Do they have State
chapters?

Miss Kenyon. Of what ?

Senator Tydings. Any of these organizations.

Miss Kenyon. Do you mean, do I know ?

Senator Tydings. Do you know ?

Miss Kenyon. No.



STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY INVESTIGATION 203

Senator Tydings. The reason I asked yon is that there was put
in evidence yesterday in one of the cases an exhibit where they had
a Maryhmd chapter, and I was woiuUn-inir Avhether or not tliey had
chapters over the country in otlier States, because — and I don't say
this is a fact, but I think it is a U)<>ical inference — one of the chapters
nii<rht have a connotation that the ])arent body might not have, and
vice versa, for that matter, so I tliink that when Ave go into the State
fiiulinas on any of them we ought to know whether there are State
chapters there. We (h)n't know exactly what is being referred to.

Miss Kenyox. Unfortunately 1 know so little about these organiza-
tions that have been mentioned that I am not the authority to tell you
what their organization is.

.^"enator 1Ii(!vt,xi.( oper. Of course, the oidv reason these orfjaniza-
lions ai-e brought up is that your name appears on all of them as a
sponsor or adviser or something of that kind, and I merely wanted
!o })robe that situation a little.

Aliss Kexyox. That's right.

Senator Hickenlooper. 1 think perhaps I should not press this for
tlie moment, because this program says "The American Russian Insti-
tute cordially invites," et cetera, and the citation refers to the or-
ganization "American Russian Institute for Cultural Relations With
the Soviet Union.'' That is the citation of its Communist activities.
There is some addition to the name as contained in the program. It
may not be the same, and I shall therefore pass it up.

The organization known as "Descendants of the American Revolu-
tion" — are you familiar with that?

Miss Kexyox. Yes. That is not on this list. I have, however, a
inemory of that which is very clear, because that, again, Avas one of
the organizations that I neA-er Avould become a member of. I Avas
associated Avith them at the start and I didn't like them, and I just
droj^jied them as fast as I could.

The idea Avas a A^ery nice idea, and I think it Avas Helen Hall, of
XeAv York, Avho told me that some Quaker lady Avliose name I forgot
liad thought up the idea of having some Descendants of the American
Revolution avIio might have a slightly diti'erent program from that of
the I). A. R. It sounded to me like an interesting idea. Dr. John
Haynes Holmes, as I recall, was interested and Avas an adviser, and
also, if I recall, Mary Simkhovitch, the very fine Avoman in NeAv York
Avho Avas for long the head of Greenwich House. We explored the
itlea. and I may haAe been on that advisory committee for a little
while, but A^ery soon I saAv a little bit of some other people Avho
were Avorking in it and, as I say, I didn't like them at all and I got
out as delicately but as fast as I could. That Avas all back in the
early, or the middle of the lOoO's, I would have said. I remember
the idea intrigued me, but I did not like the people Avho were trying
to j)ut it into effect. They struggled to get me to join.

Senator Hickexlooper. The photostat AA'hich I liaA'e lists "Dorotliy
Kenyon, prominent attorney" as a member of the advisory board.

Miss Kexyox. As I say, I may have been on the advisory board for
a year, along Avith John Haynes Holmes and Mary Simkriovitch, but
1 got out very fast. What is'the date on that 'i

Senator Hickexlooper. There is no date that I notice.



204 STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY IINVEISTIGATION

Miss Kenyon. It was the middle 1930's, I tliinlv. Oh, yes, they
are both on there. Isn't that wonderful ! My memory was good.

That idea did interest me.

Senator Hickenlooper. And that was when, did you sa}^ ?

Miss Kenyon. It was around the middle 1930's, I would have said.
I am not too clear about that. As I say, I haven't had a chance to
look it up. I do have the recollection.

Senator Hickenlooper. Your memory is good about that organiza-
tion in the 1930's?

Miss Kenyon. Yes, I i-emember that very much, because 1 was
really interested in that idea. Most of these others I know nothing
about because I had nothing to do with them.

Senator Higkenloopicr. The Descendants of the American Revolu-
tion are described by the Special Committee on Un-American Activi-
ties in its report of June 1942, as —

A Communist-front organization set up as a radical imitation of the Daughters
of tlie American Revolution. The Descendants have uniformly adhered to the
line of the Communist Party.

It was cited as a Communist front by the California Committee on
ITn- American Activities in its report in 1948 ; cited as "subversive and
un-American" by the Special Subconnnittee of the House Committee
on Appropriations in its report of April 21, 1943.

Miss Kenyon. My feeling was sound. I might say that quite a
number of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War — on the
right side.

Senator Hickenlooper. In the New York Journal-American of
Sunday, March 12, 1950, under a story with a byline by Howard
Rushmore, you are quoted — and I shall show you the entire story

Miss Kenyon. Yes; thank you very much.

Senator Hickenlooper. As saying, "Perhaps I was a sucker," when
letterheads listed your name nmong the sponsors of Communist-front
organizations dating from 1935 until 1949 and, "Denied in many in-
stances that the use of her name had been authorized on stationery
of organizations listed as Communist by Congress or the Attorney
General." and, "Declared McCarthy w^as attempting 'to make people
afraid of supporting popular ideas.' "

I wonder if that statement that "Perhaps I was a sucker" when
letterheads listed her name among sponsors of the Communist organ-
izations is an accurate statement.

Miss Kenyon. I may have said that perhaps in certain instances
I was a sucker, as who has not been, and I remember LaGuardia'i's
statement that when he made a mistake, it was a "beaut," and I may
have made one or two of those myself. When I have made a mis-
take, however, I think it has always been from generous motives, and
never because of selfish political motivations.

Senator Hickenlooper. Do you have a copy of this?

Miss Kenyon. I have it right here. My counsel did not let me
read it until this moment.

Senator Hickenlooper. You are welcome to look at this, but if
you have a copy of it we might as well keep this file together.

I have here a news story. Judge Kenyon, taken from the Times
Record of Troy, N. Y., Tuesday evening, January 17, 1950, headed



STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY INVESTIGATION 205

"Hiss trial seen example of civil liberties hysteria"; subheading
"Dorothy Kenyon, former judge, speaks at annual YAVCA dinner."
The story is as follows, and is under date of January 17, 1950 :

The current perjury trial of Alger Hiss was cited last night by former New
York City Municipal Court Judge I)orothy Kenyon as "a perfect example of a
sacrifice to the hysteria created by the Congressional Committee on Un-American
Activities." Speaking before a large gathering at a membership dinner at the
Troy VWCA, Judge Kenyon claimed. "Lawyers agree tliat tliere is not one shred
of respectable evidence to prove that Hiss did what he is charged with doing."
She added that in spite of this, Mr. Hiss "will be lucky if he can get a hung jury
in his second trial."

Now, for the })urpose of my question. Judge, I do not intend to read
any more of tliis. I expect to offer the entire story in evidence, and
you uuiy read it all if 3^ou want to, in evidence or anything else. But
for the purpose of my question I will ask you, is that a substantially
accurate statement of what you said in that speech?

Miss Kenyon. There is one sentence in there which is not correct,
where I am quoted as saying that lawyers agreed there was no evi-
dence — did3^ousay?

Senator HiCKKXLoorER. I shall read the quotation again, and I Avill
be glad to hand you the story.

Miss Kexyon. Thank you very much.

Senator Hickenlooper. The quotation here is as follows :

Judge Kenyon claimed "lawyers agree there is not one shred of respectable
evidence to prove tliat Hiss did what he is charged with doing." She added that
in spite of this Mr. Hiss "will be lucky if he can get a hung jury in his second
trial."

^fy question is as to the accuracy of the alleged quotation, which is
alleged in the story to be a direct quote from your statement. I have no
objection — in fact, it is perfectly all right with me if the whole stor}^
goes in the record.

Senator Tydings. Either way you want it.

Miss Kenyon. It makes no diflference to me, because I said every-
thing except that one thing, as I recall it.

Senator Hickenlooper. It will be put in the record.

Miss Kenyon. May I make a conmient in respect to that?

Senator Tydings. You. may.

Miss Kenyon. I made the remark quoted in substantially those
words, that it was a product of the hysteria created by the Congres-
sional Committee on Un-American Activities. I was asked in the
question pei'iod about the Hiss case, which many people have said too
many things about already, and if I can very briefly summarize what
I said about it, it was this : I did say that he would be lucky if he got
a second hung jury. I also said, which is not here, that in the present
condition of hysteria in tlie country it was almost impossible, it seemed
to me, to find a jury who had not perhaps already gotten some percon-
ceived idea of tlie issues, and tlierefore would be disqualified by having
made up their minds in advance, and that I really thought it Avould be
almost impossible to get what you would call a fair trial with a jury
completely objective for at least 2 years in the present temper of the
country.

In regard to this matter of evidence, what I said, in substance, was
that there wasn't a shred of direct evidence except what Mr. Whittaker
Chambers had said, plus the documents which also went back to Mv.



c
in



206 STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY IX^•E1STIGATI0N

Chambers, because he had produced them. In fact, I think that is
louohly what I said. There ^Yas some discussion of the whole subject
on the part of the audience and myself. I think that there are a num-
ber of lawyers who ao-ree with that position.

I do not know Mv. Hiss or Mr. Chambers or any of the parties

involved. .

Senator Tydings. The exhibit will be printed m the record.

[From Troy (N. T.) Times Record, January 17, 1950]

Hiss Trial Seen Example of Civil Liberty IIvsteei a— Dcrotht Kenyon,
Former Judge. Speaks at Annx'al YWCA Dinner

The Piirrent perjiirv trial of Alser Hiss was cited last night by former New
York City MnnieipalVourt .Indue Dorothy Kenyon as "a perfect example of a
sacrifice to the hysteria created by the Congressional Committee on Un-American

Speaking before a large gathering at a membership dinner at tlie Troy YWCA,
.Judge Kenvon claimed "lawyers agree there is not one shred of respectable, evi-
dence to prove that Hiss did what he is charged with doing." She added that
in spite of this Mr. Hiss "will be^ lucky if he can get a hung jury in his second

trial "

Tlie case of the former State Department official came up during .Judge
Ivenvon's discussion on the status of civil liberties in the United States and in
the 'world She charged that '•under J. Parnell Thomas (former Republican
Representative from New .Jersey) the House Un-American Activities Committee
made accusations l)ased on the flimsiest hearsay."

The loyalty tests of Federal emv)b'yees, the Feinberg law, and wire tapping also
ame in for criticism from Judge Kenyon, a practicing attorney, who is now serv-

o- on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

She declared that the Federal loyalty tests "contain no elements of a fair
trial" and pointed out that the accused employees "do not even know the nature
of the charges which are brought against them."

Characterizing the Feinberg law, wniich was recently declared unconstitutional,
as an -invitation to tattle on teacher," Judge Kenyon called it a violation of
academic freed<.m. She expressed the hope that the law "which is certain to
be drawn up to replace it" (the Feinberg law) will be drafted with more caution

Judtte Kenvon told the gathering that "the people of the United States will
soon he presented with a United Nations covenant on human rights which will
include a mechanism for enforcement." She said that Americans must decide if
they are willing to guarantee these rights and submit our violations of them

""The examp*ie\'he United States sets in the world will decide whether
the democratic ideal will stand or fall," she asserted.

"If we are going to win the battle of ideas we have to put into practice our
ideals of civil liberties," Judge Ivenyon said, concluding with a plea for America
to "get over the hysteria and end the witch hunting." „ , , . t ,• rr

Judge Kenvon was introduced by Mrs. Margaret Spencer, Rabbi Julius^ li.
Gutmann of the Third Street Temple led the devotional services, and Mrs. Gor-
man R. Clarke, executive director of the Troy YWCA, gave the invocation.

The program was under the direction of Mrs. Sterling P. Olmsted of the public
affairs committee.

Senator Hickenlooper. Just as a matter of interest in your phi-
losophy, which you have referred to in the past, Judge, I believe you
graduated from what schools?

]Miss Kexyon. Smith College.

Senator Hickenlooper. That was in 1908 ? ^^ . . ^

Miss Kenyon. Yes, that's right; and New York University l^aw
School. Harvard was not open then to women, otherwise I would
have done what my brothers did, _ i • i? 4^1

Senator Hickenlooper. Do you recall writing something tor tli*^
Decennial Class Book of 1918?



STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE LOYALTY IXVESTIGATION 207

Miss Kfxyox. 10 is ? 1 am afraid. Senator, you have tlie advantage
of nie. 1 haven't the faintest idea of what folly I may have connnit-

ted at that point. , , , ^ n i

Senator TydixCxS. I don't think you would have been old enou<>li

to write in 1018. ^ ^ v i ^

Miss Kenyon. Very sweet of you, but I was. I hope you did not

mean mature. • -j. n

Senator HickkxL(M)i>er. T am just wondering if you recall.

Miss Kexyox. 1 don't recall one thing about it.