"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
US Government, anti-communist, propaganda film produced by the House Committee on Un-American Activities about the HUAC hearings in San Francisco May 12-14 1960. The film purported to give the facts about the events in San Francisco (about how the Communists are inciting violent disruptions and the students are Communist dupes), but eye-witnesses have testified that it was filled with inaccuracies and distortion of facts. This film is packed with great footage of demonstrations, protests and lots of that demonstrative anti-communist rhetoric that the US govt. was so (in)famous for at that time. (Note that this print is not high quality and appears, from the size of the grain, to be a print of a print of a print etc. optical track is not great but is understandable).
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Pamphlet on Operation Abolition
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Congressman Francis E Walter (D - Pennsylvania) describing the Communist mission "Operation Abolition" - the purpose of which is destroy the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Operation Abolition, this is what the Communists call their current drive to destroy the House Committee on Un-American Activities, to weaken the Federal Bureau of Investigations, to discredit its great director, J Edgar Hoover, and to render sterile the security laws of our government. The Communist Party has given top priority to Operation Abolition and has assigned agents trained in propaganda and agitation to this project. The scenes which you will be viewing were taken by newsreel photographers during hearings of the Committee on Un-American Activities in San Francisco, California on May the 12th, 13th and 14th, 1960. During the next few minutes, you will see revealed the long time classic Communist tactic, in which a relatively few, well trained, hard core Communist agents are able to insight and use non-Communist sympathizers to perform the dirty work of the Communist Party. You will see Archie Brown, second in command of the Communist Party in California, Harry Bridges, an international Communist agent and leader of the international longshoreman s union, who recently returned from conferences held with other leaders of Communist lead longshoreman s groups, Ralph Izard, one of the top Communist propagandists, who was welcome guest of the Red Chinese government while American soldiers were giving their lives in the Korean War. You will see Douglas Wachter, an agent trained to specialize in youth activities, William Mandel, another Communist propagandist who serves the conspiracy in the fields of radio and television, Bertram Edises, who is one of the elite core of Communist lawyers, Frank Wilkinson, recently convicted of contempt of Congress, who is in charge of The Citizens Committee to Preserve American Freedoms, the West Coast headquarters of Operation Abolition. You will see these and others in action and the shocking technique which they use to insight other to violence. We are all too familiar with the pattern of Communist led revolution and rioting in Venezuela, Cuba and more recently in Japan. Can it happen here on American soil? This film showing Communism in action will answer that question.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
GV City Hall, San Francisco, California. MSs Peaceful protesters walking back and forth in front of City Hall carrying picket signs w/ slogans such as "Students for Civil Rights" "Protect Our Teachers from Intimidation", "Fascism is Not Our National Policy - YET", "Defend the Bill of Rights" etc. etc. VO insists that this is a "violent" and "organized attack" against HUAC, and the protesters are described as "trained agitators and propagandists".
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Congressman Edwin E. Willis (D - Louisiana), Chairman of HUAC. What we are here to do is to gather information as we are ordered to do by an act of Congress, with respect to the general operation of the Communist conspiracy, wherever it may lead. It s a mandate. That law has been on the books for probably over 20 years. We receive our appropriations in an ordinary year, to maintain this general surveyance of the Communist operations with the view of amending, improving, correcting laws that have to do with our internal security - The Internal Security Act of 1950, Foreign Agents Registration Act, the Smith Act, and so on. This is part and parcel of our general studies of the machinations of the Communist conspiracy.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Outside City Hall, San Francisco, California. Peaceful protesters walking back and forth carrying picket signs. Police are gathered, but are not interfering with the protestors.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Harry Bridges leaving the San Francisco Court House surrounded by a large group of people.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Crowd gathered. Archie Brown, 2nd in command of the California Communist Party outside San Francisco City Hall distributing leaflets.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Merle Brodsky, outside the hearing room at San Francisco city hall. He is leading the singing.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Douglas Wachter, Berkeley student / Communist "agent" testifying in the hearing room. Douglas Wachter in hallways of city hall.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Outside City Hall, San Francisco, California. Peaceful protesters walking back and forth carrying picket signs. Members of the public who have been invited to attend the hearing, enter the court house.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Inside the hearing room, crowds gather before testimony begins. Protestors inside the courthouse, in the hallway outside the hearing room. They carry picket signs.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Inside the hearing room, Archie Brown ejected from the hearings, dragged away. Photographers taking photos. Spectators cheer. Merle Brodsky is ejected. Someone off camera asks, Why is he being ejected Mr. Chairman?
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Douglas Wachter testifies calmly, I respectfully object to the question on the same grounds. Any question as to my political beliefs, associations, statements, deprives me of the right to free speech, assembly and petition. The House Un-American Activities Committee serves no real constitutional or legislative purpose. It punishes individuals... He is interrupted by one of the Committee members. Crowd applauds. Committee member, You are reading from a prepared statement. Continue reading please. Wachter, It punishes individuals and groups for political ideas and associations through public exposure and condemnation. He is interrupted by a committee member, You are refusing to answer on the basis Wachter, I have objected to the question. It punishes individuals and groups for political ideas and associations through public exposure and condemnation often resulting in economic sanctions. I cannot corporate with the committee in answering any such questions. I feel I have an obligation as a citizen of this country to preserve the constitution. And I do not feel I can do so in good conscience by allowing the House on Un-American Activities Committee to enquire into my beliefs or associations. Wachter speaks to his lawyer. Wachter, I decline to answer that question on the grounds previously stated and I also respectfully refuse to answer that question on the constitutional grounds that I cannot be forced to bare witness against myself.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
The hearing break for lunch student protestors chat through the halls.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Rally in Union Square San Francisco, California. Local politicians and community leaders speak to the crowds against the HUAC. Crowds in the halls outside the hearing room. Narrator says that Communists have begun a protest inside the hearing room. Protestors with signs outside the hearing room.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Inside the hearing room, prepared to testify, Ralph Izard, Archie Brown, Sally Attarian Sweet, Saul Wachter, all standing before the committee, demanding them to "open the door!" so more people can hear, ask what the committee is afraid of showing to the public. Chanting and shouting from the four, plus
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
HUAC hearing room full of communists breaks into the Star Spangled Banner and then more chanting, "Open the door!" Police come in to eject those called to testify. Photographers taking photos. They dragged out, Archie Brown, Ralph Izard, Saul Wachter, Morris Graham, Merle Brodsky, Juanita Wheeler, Sally Attarian Sweet. Chairman calls for order.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
May 13 - Protestors gathered outside the courthouse. People sitting on the grass. Protestor with signs and many more people gathered in from of the courthouse. Some people raise their arms in a Nazi salute.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Calm crowds are funneled past police and into the courthouse. Protestors signing and chanting in the halls outside the hearing room. A few police move through the crowds. Demonstrators continue their chants.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Huge crowds of demonstrators inside the San Francisco courthouse. Fire hoses used on crowds of demonstrators in the city hall. Students and protesters are hosed down. The demonstrators group together and begin singing again. Protestors are dragged down marble staircase out the door and arrested. Some resist more than others. Many shots of women in dresses sliding down stairs and dragged by the arm. Outside protestors are loaded into police vans.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
A policeman in a chair. He suffered a stroke as the students were being removed. He is carried out on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Inside the courthouse, workers try to mop of the water left from the fire hoses.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Protestors being led into the jail. Shots of the protestors waiting to be booked.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Capitol building in Washington DC.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Congressman August Johansen of Michigan speaks against protests, The students whose activities you have just witnessed, whether they realize it or not, are, as I pointed out to them in San Francisco, toying with treason. They have been handpicked by the Communists to do the dirty work on the Communists. Perhaps this is the greatest danger of all. The pattern of Communist revolution and insurrection throughout the world, has been to indoctrinate and train dupes to carry the party directives into the field while the Communists themselves remain in the shadows Shot of newspaper. through a careful propaganda and smear campaign Communists are able to inject a few with the virus. The disease spreads rapidly among their friends and associates and a so-called spontaneous movement takes form. From this point on, the Communists are relatively free to sit on the sidelines, issue occasional directives, and watch as their desires and projects are fulfilled to the perfection of their wildest dreams. Among those arrested at the City Hall in San Francisco were a few trained Communist agents. The others were the unwitting dupes of the party, who had in the heat of chanting and singing, performed like puppets with the Communists in control of the strings, even to the point of willfully and deliberately defying law and order. The communists admittedly have chosen the vines of our youth as a number one area for their insidious attack. You have seen the evidence of their success. My fellow citizens, what you have just seen and heard is a challenge not only to the patriotic youth of our nation, but to every citizen that is determined that we shall maintain our freedom.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
General shot of protesters outside of city hall, San Francisco, California.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Archie Brown in hearing again. Archie brown, Mr. Chairman, can we shift the lights a bit? Just shift them. After unsuccessful attempts to read a statement, Archie Brown is ejected again. Archie Brown, My name is Archie Brown. I live at 1027 Brussels Street, San Francisco. I am a longshoreman. I want to state Mr. Chairman He is interrupted by the panel. Brown tries to speak over them, I have something I want to tell the Committee. My family is being threatened. Committee member continues to speak over him, but it is difficult to understand what is being said. Committee member asks, Are you here today in response to a subpoena served on you by this committee? Archie Brown, Yes, it was served on me by this committee. Committee member asks, Are you represented by counsel? Archie Brown, That I am. Committee member asks, Counsel will you identify yourself? Attorney, George Anderson Committee member asks, Mr. Brown, where were you born? Archie Brown, Mr. Chairman, I want to state Chairman, I direct you to answer the question. That s the only way we can proceed orderly. Archie Brown, I was subpoenaed here Chairman, Proceed with the next question. Archie Brown, And my family Brown is interrupted again. Archie Brown, I was born on Sioux City, Iowa. Committee member, Mr. Chairman I request that the witness be directed to answer the outstanding principal question. Archie Brown, What is the outstanding principal question? Committee member, The outstanding principal question is where and when were you born? Archie Brown, I already said it. Committee member, Give us than please, a word about your education. Archie talking with narration over him. Chairman, Under the rule of the committee, you may file that paper with our director at this time if you wish to. Archie Brown, I wish to read this statement. I want to read this statement Mr. Chairman. How come you re bridling me? I want to explain my position. Committee member, You may file the statement, you may not read it. Archie Brown, I want to read my statement. Talking over Mr. Brown. More good shots of him being forcibly dragged away.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
William Mandel, TV and Radio commentator, stand before committee and refuses to participate. Mandel, If you think that I am going to cooperate with this collection of Judases, of men who sit there in violation of the United States Constitution, if you think I will cooperate with you in any way, you are insane. This question has no purpose other than to harass me. When I was asked this question last in 1943 by the late Joe McCarthy, and let me say that I am honored when people come up to me on the streets - perhaps I don't deserve this honor - and say, "You are the man who killed Joe McCarthy," because I happened to appear on the first day of the book burning matter and I did my best to conduct myself in the manner I am conducting myself today. If there was any such evidence against me under any law, the proper authorities could move against me. This body is improperly constituted. It is a kangaroo court. It does not have my respect. It has my utmost contempt, and I am not going to answer that question, sir.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Protestors in the hall outside the HUAC hearing room.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Gordon H. Scherer, Congressman from Ohio speaks against communists. One of the top Communist agents, assigned to Operation Abolition, is Frank Wilkinson, recently convicted for contempt of Congress for refusal to answer questions concerning his Communist party membership and activities. Frank Wilkinson s job for the Communist party consists of one prime duty - incite resistance for the House Committee on Un-American Activities in any given location where the committee is to conduct hearings. Frank Wilkinson was in San Francisco during the May hearings. He arrived in the city, prior to the hearings to organize the so-called spontaneous public demonstrations against the committee and the hearings. Moreover, he was actually in the corridors issuing instructions, inciting hostile actions against the committee during the hearings. Frank Wilkinson was interviewed by newsmen shortly after he had been educating among the student demonstrators. Listen to this interview closely, because in it you will hear Frank Wilkinson, Communist Agent, explain his Communist jargon, his function for Operation Abolition. Shots of crowds in the corridors outside of the HUAC hearing room in San Francisco, CA.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Reporter. Have you had anything to do with the demonstrations in City Hall today? Frank Wilkenson. No, I ve just been an observer of those. Reporter. I understood you had said you were organizing protests against the committee. Frank Wilkinson. Yes, one of the things that our committee does, and that I do for our committee is to come to each community when the committee issues its subpoena to assist the subpoenaed persons and other persons in the committee who are not familiar with the kind of unconstitutional behavior that this committee carries on, to assist that community and assist the subpoenaed in their own self-defense. Reporter. In the committee meeting today, you were called and international communist agent. Are you a Communist agent? Frank Wilkinson. That s a very flattering remark. I ve been frequently called a hard-core Communist, a local communist, by Mr. Arends, but never an international Communist. As far as the basic question is concerned, until the Supreme Court has answered the fundamental constitutional question, which is now pending in my case, which is one of the 36 First Amendment test cases of this committee, until they have resolved this matter and declared these kind of questions under compulsion to be illegal and unconstitutional, I refuse to answer the question away from the committee just as I refused to answer them directly to the committee when I ve been called.
"Operation Abolition": HUAC Film on U Cal Protest
Congressman Gordon H. Scherer, That was Frank Wilkinson, a top Communist coordinator of Operation Abolition. During the past 45 minutes, you have been witnessing only the surface manifestation of an extensive operation by the Communists, which in many ways is subtle. It takes the form of articles, letter writing campaigns and a wide range of other smear activities, not for the purpose of improving investigative techniques of Congressional Committees, not for the purpose of bending civil liberties as they would have you believe, but for the vowed objective of destroying the Committee on Un-American Activities and our Nation s entire security program. You have seen Communism in action, the same Communism which is at this instant attempting to devour the world through subversion, revolution, deceit, sabotage and vicious propaganda. You have, through these films, seen Communism with its mask ripped off, with its sweet facade uncovered and hard, bitter, and determined core revealed."