CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES House of Representatives
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES Seventy-Third Congress
JOHN W.McCORMACK, Massachusetts, Chairman SAMUEL DICKSON, New York, Vice Chairman CARL M. WEIDEMAN, Michigan CHARLES KRAMER, California THOMAS A. JENKINS, Ohio J. WILL-TAYLOR, Tennessee U. S. GUYER, Kansas
Hon. Thomas W. Hardwick, Counsel F. P. Randolph, Secretary
Subcommittee for this hearing
JOHN W.McCORMACK, Massachusetts, Chairman SAMUEL DICKSON, New York
INVESTIGATION OF UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
[For release for morning papers, Nov 26, 1934]
STATEMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES, MADE BY JOHN W.McCORMACK (MASSACHUSETTS), CHAIRMAN, AND SAMUEL DICKSON (NEW YORK), VICE CHAIRMAN, SITTING AS A SUBCOMMITTEE
New York, Saturday, November 24, 1934. This committee has had no evidence before it that would in the slightest degree warrant calling before it such men as John W. Davis, Gen. Hugh Johnson, General Harbord, Thomas W. Lamont, Admiral Sims, or Hanford MacNider.
The committee will not take cognizance of names brought into the testimony which constitute mere hearsay.
This committee is not concerned with premature newspaper accounts, especially when given and published prior to the taking of the testimony.
As the result of information which has been in possession of this committee for some time, it was decided to hear the story of Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler and such others as might have knowledge germane to the issue.
In the course of his sworn testimony, General Butler testified that about July 1, 1933, a telephone call from Washington to his home in Newton Square, Pa. near Philadelphia, asked for an interview with two unnamed Legionnaires.
Later that same day he was visited by one Gerald C. MacGuire, of New York, and William Doyle, of Boston, Mass., and as Butler testified, the latter prominent in Legion affairs of that State.
According to Butler's testimony, MacGuire and Doyle suggested to him that he become a candidate for national commander of the American Legion at its convention at Chicago to be held in October 1933 and further stated that he told him that he was not interested and realized that he could not be elected commander.
According to his further testimony, they discussed ways and means of his becoming a delegate, even suggesting that he might be named from Hawaii. This is the only conference Doyle attended.
Butler further testified that MacGuire returned on several other occasions and suggested to him that he go to the Legion convention at Chicago and make a speech urging a resolution, the import being that the United States return to the gold standard.
Butler testified that he told him that "I don't know a damn thing about gold."
Butler further testified that on this occasion MacGuire showed him a bank book, the pages of which were flipped, indicating deposits of approximately $42,000.
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