The Pioneer Leader’s Camp had two objectives: One to equip those
in the Camp with the necessary theoretical foundation to do
effective work in the Revolutionary Movement in general; and
second to equip and train them to do Pioneer Work in particular.
The First Objective was approached mainly from the class in
Theory which dealt with 1. The Materialist Conception of History,
2. Dialectics, 3. Surplus Value, 4. The Class Struggle, 5.
Orientation in Organization, 6. Proletarian, 7. Discipline as
Social Control.
The Second Objective was approached from the very organization
of the camp itself. Study circles were arranged in the subjects
of Revolutionary Art, Revolutionary Music, Study of Science,
Woodcraft--practical work, gathering wood etc.--sewing--practical
work, sewing badges for Pioneer Leaders, organized
sports--learning games which have been organized with a view
to adaptation to use with workers children in a way to take
chauvinism out of them, etc., and still retain the benefits of
physical exercise contained therein.
Mr. VELDE. I presume, Mr. Chairman, that some of those members
of the Young Pioneers are still in the area.
Mr. DENNETT. I think some of them probably are, although it is
very difficult to keep track of young women because of their changing
names.
Mr. MOULDER. It might result in an injustice to reveal them at
this time.
Mr. DENNETT. Right.
Mr. MOULDER. May I ask, Are you going into the conduct of the
classes, how you proceeded to teach them, what they were taught, and
whether or not you felt the answers to the questions were the result of
your teaching at that time?
Mr. DENNETT. I think I could answer that briefly, that they
certainly were the result of my teaching.
Mr. TAVENNER. I have a few other questions, Mr. Chairman, to
finish this subject.
Mr. VELDE. Let me state that while I concur with the chairman
and the views of our counsel that the names of these young people
should not be put on record, I do think that any adults you knew to be
members of the Communist Party should be identified in this record at
the present time.
Mr. MOULDER. May I also add that further investigation will be
made concerning it.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Dennett, we have followed with a great deal
of interest the record of many of these young people who were gotten
into camps, gotten into the Young Communist League organizations in
school, Labor Youth League organizations in school, to determine what
happened to them afterward.
We have found at one place, for instance, that there was an organized
drive made by the organizer of the Communist Party in that area to
follow these young people after they had finished their schooling.
Mr. DENNETT. It was my intention in this case, too.
Mr. TAVENNER. To follow them and to eventually bring them into
active work within the Communist Party. Was that the general purpose?
Mr. DENNETT. That was my purpose. And I tried to do it. But I
was shifted around a little bit too rapidly, and I broke contact too
many times and lost track of all of them.
Mr. TAVENNER. I want to ask at this time, with the chairman’s
approval, this question:
Are there any of these young persons who attended this camp who you
later learned identified themselves with the Communist Party and became
active in Communist work? If so, I think those names should be given.
Mr. VELDE. Certainly I concur.
Mr. DENNETT. There is only one in this list that I feel
certain enough about to identify in the manner in which you ask. The
rest are names which do not ring as clearly to me after a passage of
20 years. Remember now that was in 1932. It is nearly 25 years ago. In
fact, I had no idea that I even kept this record. I had forgotten that
I had kept it.
But it is very refreshing to me because it brings back to my own
recollection certain things which, if I hadn’t kept such a record, I
would have completely forgotten.
The only person in this group that I remember distinctly is Oiva
Halonen.
Mr. TAVENNER. Will you spell the name, please?
Mr. DENNETT. The first name is O-i-v-a, and the last name
Halonen, H-a-l-o-n-e-n.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, this individual was also
identified by Barbara Hartle while a witness before this committee as
having been known by her to be a member of the Communist Party, and has
been subpenaed.
Mr. MOULDER. Is that a man or woman?
Mr. DENNETT. It is a man.
Mr. MOULDER. Do you know where he is located now?
Mr. TAVENNER. He is under subpena, Mr. Chairman.
Will you examine the answers to his test, and state whether you can
identify the handwriting, whether you filled it out, or whose it was?
Mr. DENNETT. His was the one I referred to as a very promising
one.
Mr. TAVENNER. You are at least correct in stating that he
found his way into the Communist Party, according to the testimony of
Barbara Hartle and yourself.
Mr. DENNETT. Yes; he is the one who said he wanted to develop
public-speaking ability so he could teach workers the class struggle.
Mr. TAVENNER. Did you write the answers? Is this in your
handwriting?
Mr. DENNETT. It doesn’t look like my handwriting to me. In
fact, I am quite certain this is not my handwriting. It looks to me as
though it is written in the same manner as the name, which was his.
Mr. TAVENNER. Will you tell the committee, please, whether
other camps were conducted after this one?
Mr. DENNETT. Yetta Stromberg tried hard to get someone in this
area to continue the camps each year. She was unable to return each
year herself. I believe 1 or 2 camps were held after that. I lost track
of it. So I couldn’t swear as to what happened later.
But it was a very difficult undertaking. It required volunteer help
from the mothers of these young people. The camp was held out at Pine
Lake. Pine Lake could best be located by someone familiar with the
county territory. But one of the members of the Finnish Federation--I
believe it was the Finnish Federation--owned some property out there
at that time and built a rather large dining hall there, tents were
pitched, and the regular facilities of a summer camp were established.
Mr. TAVENNER. Have you any recollection now how many persons
attended that camp?
Mr. DENNETT. I think, looking at my list, that there were at
least 22 persons who attended it, including some of the adults who were
there to do the work and supervise the camp. It looks to me as though
there were about 18 young people.
Mr. MOULDER. Before taking a recess, however, it is announced
that a subpena was duly issued for service upon Jerry O’Connell, 3415
Central Avenue, Great Falls, Mont., to be and appear at this place of
hearing in this room, 402, County-City Building, Seattle, Wash., at
9:30 a. m., on this date, March 17, 1955, to testify in matters of
inquiry committed to this committee to inquire into, and it appears
from the record that the subpena was personally served upon Jerry
O’Connell on the 8th day of March of this year, as provided by law. The
witness, Jerry O’Connell, has been called several times on this day
but has failed to appear as he was required to do as provided in the
subpena.
Therefore, it is the unanimous decision of this subcommittee, both of
Congressman Velde and myself, that unless cause or satisfactory legal
excuse is presented for his failure to appear and abide by the summons
or subpena, that the subcommittee will recommend and request that Jerry
O’Connell be cited for contempt as provided by law.
The committee will stand in recess for 5 minutes.
(Whereupon, a brief recess was taken.)
Mr. MOULDER. The committee will be in order.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Dennett, I have asked you to produce the
original examination paper of the young man to whom we referred, Oiva
Halonen. Do you have it before you?
[Illustration: DENNETT EXHIBIT NO. 4]
Mr. DENNETT. I have.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, I desire to offer that particular
examination paper in evidence, and ask that it be marked “Dennett
Exhibit No. 4,” and that it be incorporated in the transcript of the
record.
Mr. MOULDER. It will be admitted.
Mr. TAVENNER. I would like to have the privilege of replacing
the original exhibit by photostat.
Mr. MOULDER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. TAVENNER. Inasmuch as reference has been made to this
individual and the fact that he has been subpenaed, I believe the
committee should hear him now. I ask that Mr. Dennett be excused until
tomorrow morning, and that we proceed with the other witnesses.
Mr. MOULDER. Mr. Dennett, you will be excused for the
remainder of the afternoon, with the instruction to report tomorrow
morning at 9 a. m.
Mr. DENNETT. Thank you, sir.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Halonen, will you come forward, please, sir.
Mr. MOULDER. Will you hold up your right hand and be sworn?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony which you are about to give
before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. HALONEN. I do.