Page:Special Committee on Un-American Activities, Investigation of Nazi Propaganda Activities and Investigation of Certain Other Propaganda Activities 3.djvu/18

 112 INVESTIGATION OF NAZI AND OTHER PROPAGANDA Mr. CHRISTMAS. I have no personal knowledge as to what he had out in Chicago outside of what I handed him. The CHAIRMAN. Between the date of September 12 and the Chi- cago convention-which was the early part of September-is that right? Mr. CHRISTMAS. No. I think it was in October. The CHAIRMAN. October, yes. The early part of October, he re- ceived that $64,000? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Approximately that. The CHAIRMAN. What did he do with that $64,000? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Well, as far as I know he brought 30 back. He told me he had brought it back and offered to return it to me. The CHAIRMAN. Well, now, you did not receive anything back, did you? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Except the 10 in Chicago. The CHAIRMAN. We are excluding that because you gave him $74,000 and he returned $10,000, leaving a net of $64,000. Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What was he given that money for? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Well, if I may explain that, I had in mind when we went out there if the Legion went on record for sound money we might be able to form a formal committee right there before the legionaires left Chicago, the idea being that a parent committee would be formed and local chapters throughout the country. At the conclusion of the convention I spoke to Mr. MacGuire and aksed him about the feasibility of doing that. He said, "No." He said, "They are all tired out and they want to get home and we had better let the formal organization go to a later date." The CHAIRMAN. That does not answer the question I asked you. What was that $74,000 of which he returned $10,000 given to him for at that particular time? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I thought I has explained that, Mr. Chairman. I had hoped we would form this committee and that the money would be paid over to the committee. The CHAIRMAN. That committee was not formed at that time was it? Mr. CHRISTMAS. That is correct. The CHAIRMAN. It was formed later? Mr. CHRISTMAS. It was formed later. The CHAIRMAN. And they were given thirty-thousand-odd dollars? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. So that the $64,000 certainly had nothing to do with the committee, did it? Mr. CHRISTMAS. As it turned out it did not. The CHAIRMAN. Can you give any satisfactory explanation to this committee as to how that $64,000 was spent and where it went? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I told you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. MacGuire told me he brought $30,000 back and that was later spent for traveling and entertainment expenses. There were $24,000 spent in Chicago. The CHAIRMAN. For what? Mr. CHRISTMAS. 1 would say entertaining. The CHAIRMAN. You would say? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes. INVESTIGATION OF NAZI AND OTHER PROPAGANDA The CHAIRMAN. Any other purpose? Mr. CHRISTMAS. That was all, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you know? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Liquor. 140 The CHAIRMAN. What became of the $25,000 that was given on September 12 and 14? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I assume that was part of the $30,000 which he told me he took to Chicago and which he told me he later brought back and was prepared to return to me. The CHAIRMAN. He received $25,000, then the $15,000 at the time from you on your own check? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. That is $40,000? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. When you went out to Chicago you brought out how much money yourself? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I did not take out any money except my own traveling expenses. I took the letter of credit. The CHAIRMAN. That is the same as money? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Practically. The CHAIRMAN. That is $60,000? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What did you take the $60,000 letter of credit out for? Mr. CHRISTMAS. As I told you before, for entertainment expenses, if necessary, and, if possible, to form this committee while I was out in Chicago. The CHAIRMAN. What was the necessity of $60,000 for entertain- ment expenses? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I did not intend to spend the whole thing for that. The CHAIRMAN. Why was the money necessary in connection with the formation? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I had hoped to form it on the spot. I am not acquainted in Chicago. The CHAIRMAN. How long were you at the convention? Mr. CHRISTMAS. I was there for about a week, not at the conven- tion. I was at Chicago while the convention was in session. The CHAIRMAN. The gold standards resolution was adopted, was it not? Mr. CHRISTMAS. It was. The CHAIRMAN. Has Mr. MacGuire ever accounted for the $64,000 or $65,000 in any way? Mr. CHRISTMAS. Not other than as I explained to you before. The CHAIRMAN. Have you sought an explanation from him since you returned from Europe? "Yes" or "no." Mr. CHRISTMAS. No; I have not. The CHAIRMAN. Who comprised the Committee on Sound Cur- rency and the Sound Dollar? It Mr. CHRISTMAS. I do not know who the organizers of it were. was a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware and I think Mr. MacGuire was the president or the head of it. Who the other incorporators were I do not know. That was not particularly