Mr. WHEELER. State your name, please.
Mr. MILLER. My name is Robert Miller.
Mr. WHEELER. When were you born, Mr. Miller?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my knowledge, November 22, 1922.
Mr. WHEELER. Where do you presently reside?
Mr. MILLER. Seattle, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. What has been your educational background?
Mr. MILLER. General, normal grammar school. I don’t know whether you
call it junior or senior. And up to the third year of high school.
Mr. WHEELER. Are you currently employed?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. How are you employed?
Mr. MILLER. I am an appliance, radio and television repair man, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Is that here in Seattle?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. And what has your employment background been, say since
1940?
Mr. MILLER. Since 1940, part of the time in the shipyards, part of the
time in Boeing Airplane Co. Part of the time also was spent in the
Armed Forces during the period which you mentioned.
Mr. WHEELER. What is your military service record?
Mr. MILLER. I was inducted into the Navy, and, the best I can recall,
the dates are from June of 1945 until March of 1946.
Mr. WHEELER. What type of discharge did you receive?
Mr. MILLER. It is difficult for me to answer that. I believe it was an
honorable discharge. There is some question now that you bring it up,
as to whether it was what the Navy refers to as a battleship discharge,
which I think they reserve to only those who have served overseas.
There are no peculiarities in regard to my discharge, if that is the
intent of the question.
Mr. WHEELER. When were you employed at Boeing Aircraft?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my knowledge, with interruptions, of course,
it was in 1943. I do not know now when I was last employed by Boeing
Aircraft except to place it in relation to an event which would be
several months prior to the strike which has been mentioned, of course,
in the proceedings. I could not recall even the month or the year
involved.
Mr. WHEELER. How were your services terminated at Boeing?
Mr. MILLER. My services were terminated for lack of attendance there.
Mr. WHEELER. Lack of attendance at work?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. While at Boeing were you a member of any union?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. What union was it?
Mr. MILLER. The Aeronautical Mechanics Union,[1] sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Are you still a member?
Mr. MILLER. No, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Why are you no longer a member of the union?
Mr. MILLER. Because when I was terminated from Boeing Aircraft I saw no
reasons for further continuing membership, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. I see you are represented by counsel.
Will you identify yourself, please?
Mr. RINGOLD. My name is Solie, S-o-l-i-e, M. Ringold, R-i-n-g-o-l-d. I
am an attorney practicing law in the city of Seattle.
Mr. WHEELER. Do you know a person by the name of Barbara Hartle?
Mr. MILLER. I have known her in the past, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Under what circumstances have you known her?
Mr. MILLER. I recall one. I have eaten dinner with her at my
father-in-law’s establishment.
Mr. WHEELER. Did you ever see her on any other occasion?
Mr. MILLER. I have seen her on television, perhaps on the street, and I
may have other than that.
Mr. WHEELER. Do you recall ever meeting her in connection with
Communist Party activities?
Mr. MILLER. It is difficult to say as to what were the connections. I
would say that perhaps it was in relation to the Communist Party, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Have you been a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. When did you first become a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my knowledge, in 1943, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. What were the circumstances under which you joined the
Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. It is difficult to reach back that far for me and determine
just what motivated my becoming a member. The only thing that I can
recall is I attended several open Communist Party meetings during that
period of time and I saw nothing at variance with what I believed to be
for the common good of the people of the country. I thereupon became
active, and I could not even recall the initial period of action, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Who contacted you to get you in the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. That I could not recall at this time, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. After you joined the Communist Party were you assigned to
any particular group or unit?
Mr. MILLER. Not at any time that I recall, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Not at all?
Mr. MILLER. Not that I can recall, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. How long were you a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. There were perhaps interruptions while I was in the
service; I believe there were. To the best of my knowledge. I was
probably a member of the Communist Party from 1943 until 1948, the best
I can recall. I believe there was a period of time there that I was not
a member, and it is hard for me to distinguish between what is actual
membership and carrying of a card, if there is such a thing, or payment
of dues, and whether I just worked with them. It is difficult to reach
that far back in my mind, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. During this 1943-48 period I believe you stated you were
in the United States Navy. Is that correct?
Mr. MILLER. For a portion of that--from 1945 until 1946. Approximately
9 months, to the best of my knowledge.
Mr. WHEELER. When did you say your employment terminated at Boeing
Aircraft?
Mr. MILLER. I cannot name a date. I can only relate it to some several
months prior to the major strike which they had. I could not name the
date.
Mr. WHEELER. Was that in 1943 or 1944?
Mr. MILLER. No. Could someone refresh me as to when the strike occurred
at Boeing Aircraft Co.?
It was 1946 or 1947; I believe in there, at the time which I was
terminated.
Mr. WHEELER. Were you a member of the Communist Party while employed at
Boeing?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Were you employed at Boeing when you became a member of
the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. I do not recall. I think I was perhaps a member prior to
going to Boeing Aircraft Co. I do not recall, however.
Mr. WHEELER. Mrs. Hartle, in previous testimony before the committee,
went into quite a bit of detail on the efforts of the Communist Party
to infiltrate Boeing Aircraft. Do you have any knowledge along those
lines?
Mr. MILLER. The answer that you want from me is whether there was any
direction as far as I was concerned, as to where to get employment. Is
that, as I understand, the intent of the question?
Mr. WHEELER. Yes.
Mr. MILLER. At no time, to the best of my recollection, was I directed
to go anywhere to work or to do any specific thing, as I can recall it
now.
Mr. VELDE. Do you have knowledge of any attempt by the Communist Party
to infiltrate the Boeing plant?
Mr. MILLER. I have no specific knowledge which I can testify as to
facts, sir. I assume that is what you want, only things I know to be
fact.
Mr. VELDE. Yes.
Mr. WHEELER. Did you ever hold an office in the Aero Mechanics Union?
Mr. MILLER. Yes. I was at one time a shop steward, at one time a shop
committeeman, and, if memory serves me right, I was president of one
of the locals during the war. I am not too clear on whether that was
president or vice president, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. To your knowledge, were there any other members of the
Communist Party in the Aero Mechanics Union?
Mr. MILLER. I do not know with any degree of certainty anyone at Boeing
while I was there who might have been members of the Communist Party.
There was certainly speculation or perhaps reason to assume they were.
However, I would like to confine my testimony to facts, and I do not
know any to be a fact.
Mr. WHEELER. We desire to be confined to facts. Are you testifying that
you knew no one at Boeing Aircraft Co., to be a member of the Communist
Party?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my recollection at this time, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. You knew no one in the Aero Machinists Union to be a
member of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. In the Aero Mechanics Union?
Mr. WHEELER. Aero Mechanics; I am sorry.
Mr. MILLER. I relate the two together, in that I believe the Aero
Mechanics were only involved with employees of Boeing.
(The witness confers with his counsel.)
Mr. WHEELER. You have also stated, I believe, that you were not
assigned to any group or unit of the Communist Party.
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my recollection, that was my testimony, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. You don’t recall who recruited you into the Communist
Party?
Mr. MILLER. I do not, sir. In fact, I might explain it this way: I am
not even sure whether it was any specific individual or whether, during
the course of an open meeting, it fell upon me, a desire to become a
member. It is difficult for a man to reach that far back in years and
testify with any certainty, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. You were very vague in your testimony as to how you became
a member of the Communist Party.
Mr. MILLER. Sir, is it unreasonable to be vague on something that
occurred nigh onto 12 years ago when I was between the age of 20 and
21, sir? Is that difficult to understand, that a man might honestly be
vague?
Mr. WHEELER. How many meetings of the Communist Party did you attend
from 1943 until the time you went in the Armed Forces in 1945?
Mr. MILLER. I would be unable to give you any number with any degree
of accuracy. It would be pure speculation and only an estimate. If you
want an estimate, I could give it if the committee so desires.
Mr. WHEELER. I think you can speculate on this part of your testimony.
Mr. MILLER. As I get the question, you are asking me how many do I
think might have gone to. If I am recalling something I would have an
actual number and would not have to estimate. I am not able to recall
any number of meetings at which I attended. There was perhaps 30, 40
meetings, I do not know, over this period of time. It is purely a
speculative answer, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. But you may have attended that many?
Mr. MILLER. That is right. And that may be at variance 50 percent one
way or the other.
Mr. WHEELER. We are not binding you on this.
Mr. MILLER. Thank you, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Where were these meetings held that you attended?
Mr. MILLER. I cannot recall specifically where any meetings might
have been held. In fact, most of my activity while at Boeing’s was in
legitimate, recognized trade-union work within the framework of the
contract with Boeing Aircraft Co. Most, or if any, activity with other
members, who I perhaps suspected to be Communists, or persons of my
particular persuasion, was not in the form of a meeting, but perhaps
I would meet one while at work, or I might meet one at the cafeteria,
or several of us might meet together in the cafeteria and just discuss
general problems.
Mr. WHEELER. Did you receive any direction from the Communist Party to
conceal your membership because of your employment at Boeing’s?
Mr. MILLER. I do not believe it was at anyone’s direction. Thinking
back--and I can only assign, a reason now going backward--I perhaps
knew of my own intelligence not to do so. I would perhaps be expelled
from the Aero Mechanics Union, which, of course, would mean loss of
employment at Boeing’s. I do not recall any specific direction.
Mr. WHEELER. But you have testified that you may have attended
approximately 40 meetings during the period from 1943 to 1945, a period
of, say, 18 months or 20 months.
Mr. MILLER. I had thought I was testifying during the whole period at
which I was in the party.
Mr. WHEELER. No, it is confined to the period from the time you joined
the Communist Party to when you entered the United States Navy.
Mr. MILLER. Well then, of course, it makes more obvious that the answer
was purely speculative and could well have been largely in error. I
thought I was answering or speculating in regard to my whole membership
in the Communist Party.
Mr. WHEELER. Would you like to estimate again that period of time?
Mr. MILLER. Well, I have got to go backward here. Which period of time
are you referring to?
Mr. WHEELER. From the time you joined the Communist Party until you
entered the United States Navy.
Mr. MILLER. That would be from 1943 up until 1945. Right? Two years?
Mr. WHEELER. That is right.
Mr. MILLER. Again a purely speculative answer: perhaps 20 meetings, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Now you attended approximately 20 meetings from 1943 to
1945. And from 1946 to 1948 you attended approximately 20 more. And you
don’t recall the place where any of these meetings were held?
Mr. MILLER. I have testified where I recalled that I thought we had
conducted some. I cannot recall any specific place. One or two might
have occurred at a rooming house where I stayed. I do not recall, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. Where were they usually held? Was there a regular meeting
place?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my knowledge; no, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. Who called the meetings? That is, how did you get a notice
there was going to be a meeting held somewhere? How did you know where
to go?
Mr. MILLER. About the only way that I can think of it backward now, and
I am not at all sure, is I would probably see or meet someone else on
the job or in the cafeteria, and they might mention that we were going
to get together and discuss the general problems.
Mr. MOULDER. On the average, how many people would ordinarily attend
those meetings?
Mr. MILLER. As I recall it, it was a very, very few. I could not say.
Probably under 10, looking way, way back. But it is difficult to say.
Mr. MOULDER. Were they composed of people that you knew at the same
place of employment?
Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. All of them?
Mr. MILLER. To the best of my knowledge now; yes, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. Proceed, Mr. Wheeler.
(The witness confers with his counsel.)
Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman, might I make one brief point in regard to
this time? It might be better understood.
The question probably arises as to how I am so vague on meetings and
meeting places. It might be better understood if we take into account
that, as best I can recall, this occurred during the time when the
Communist Party was then the Communist Political Association. I believe
that they held open meetings. I do not recall too much secrecy involved
in it. And for that reason secrecy did not perhaps impress itself on my
mind. And to recall in one period of time where a change takes place
and into another, it changes things, looking backward and forward.
Mr. MOULDER. Yes; I can appreciate what you are saying.
Mr. MILLER. Thank you.
Mr. MOULDER. At those meetings would there be a record kept of the
meeting; minutes of any sort?
Mr. MILLER. Not to my knowledge, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. Would there be an officer or a person presiding at the
meeting? Someone who would act as a chairman or some official?
Mr. MILLER. Whether it would be a person who acted as a chairman or
whom the rest might just look to on the basis that--from the manner in
which they spoke, they appeared to----
Mr. MOULDER. Were dues paid at those meetings?
Mr. MILLER. I cannot recall anything specific. However, I would imagine
that there were, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. I wish to compliment you for coming forward here as a
witness admitting that you were a member of the Communist Party, which
is far better and a better reflection upon you as an individual and as
an American citizen than to hide behind the fifth amendment. But surely
while you were a member you recall having paid membership dues.
Mr. MILLER. Sir, I would have to answer it in this way, that
undoubtedly I did. However, to recall a specific instance--I could not.
Mr. MOULDER. Do you recall the name of any one person who attended
those meetings at any time? I mean during that long period of time,
with the frequent meetings you have admitted that you attended, and the
close contact that you had with the individuals, where you say you not
only attended meetings, but frequently had lunch or ate meals together
or visited with one another and discussed the meetings, surely you
could remember the name of at least one person or more that you know,
of your own personal knowledge, who associated with you at the same
time in that respect.
Mr. MILLER. Perhaps I am confused. Perhaps that is the difficulty I
have in answering. I was under the impression that the only names which
you wished from me, to give out here publicly, would be persons whom I
was certain or knew to be Communists.
Mr. MOULDER. Right.
Mr. MILLER. And it is only for that reason that I do not mention names.
It is probable that I could prod my memory into remembering persons
whom I met with or worked with while at Boeing’s in the trade unions.
But to identify them here gives the impression that I am identifying
them as Communists, which I do not know to be a certainty.
Mr. MOULDER. Do you recall the names of any persons who attended any of
those meetings that you have referred to as Communist Party meetings
or as Communist Political Association committee meetings, who were not
members of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. Sir, I could not be certain of where they were. I mean
either way. If I was certain of those who were not members, that, by
process of elimination, would make me certain of those who were. And I
am not certain either way, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. Mrs. Hartle testified that you were a member of the Holly
Park Branch of the Communist Party. Does that refresh your memory to
any degree?
Mr. MILLER. In relation to what question, sir?
Mr. WHEELER. Do you recall being a member of that unit or cell of the
Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. I do not recall any activity in the branch that is
mentioned. It is possible that in their records or in their
determination that they maybe have regarded me as a member of that
branch and that I did reside there.
Mr. WHEELER. You testified that during the period of time of your
membership, the Communist Party was dissolved and the Communist
Political Association formed. However, when you returned back from the
Army in 1946 the Communist Political Association had been disbanded and
the Communist Party reformed. A reorganization had taken place and the
party had tightened up considerably after the Duclos letter, if you are
familiar with that.
But did you notice, upon your return from the Armed Forces, any
difference in the structure of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. I don’t know that I paid any particular attention, sir. I
don’t recall any great activity in the Communist Party after I returned
from the service.
Mr. WHEELER. You have also testified that you left the Communist Party
in 1948. For what reasons did you leave the party?
Mr. MILLER. As to the best of my knowledge, sir, I was dropped from the
Communist Party for inactivity.
Mr. WHEELER. Have you attended any other Communist Party-type meetings
like the Socialist Workers Party since you left the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. To be specific, as far as the Socialist Workers Party,
I never have. And, to the best of my knowledge, I have attended no
meetings of that type, sir.
Mr. WHEELER. And at this time you cannot recall one individual who was
a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. MILLER. Well, I could put it this way: I could recall knowing
Barbara Hartle. The only way I could say that she was is that she has
publicly testified that she was.
Mr. WHEELER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions at this time.
However, I would like to recommend that the witness’ subpena be
continued.
Mr. MOULDER. All right.
Do you have a question, Mr. Velde?
Mr. VELDE. Yes.