"THE GOUZENKO STORY"
"THE GOUZENKO STORY" Based on Official Secret Documents snper 7 HAT appears from the evidence to be the real %/^/ purpose of the study-group or "cell" orgamza'",!•» » tion—as a wide and...
...Lunan, in his first report to Jan (Lt...
...Unless we tske adequate measures to protect ourselves from the undercover onslaughts of the Soviet regime, we shsll And our very defenses threatened at a time when peace and friendship, at least "officially," reign on the international scene...
...However, over a period of time secret members will get to know many others through joint participation in various "front organizations" and otherwise, though they may not know the extent of their "development" unleag designated to work with them tor some purpose of the Party leaders...
...Communist "cell," although he later knew it to haver been such...
...The extent of the secret section of the Communist Party is not normally disclosed at any time to the junior members of the secret groups, who know only the four or live other members of their own group...
...His first written report states inter alias— . . . With the exception of Bacon [t...
...Indeed, most persons actively engaged in such illegal activities are apparently given to understand that their activities are exceptional,-and are kept quite unaware of the extent to which they have been carried on by top leaders such as Sam Carr and Fred Rose, la view of the "leader-principle," that is, the established principle of obedience to higher Party authorities, such unawareness among most members of the organization would not hinder the organization's efficiency for Fifth Column purposes...
...1 never thought of myself as being mors thsn one person in a small group of fivs people...
...This relatively loose system obviously assists in maintaining the secrecy of the organization...
...We saw whst happensd in Montreal and Kirkland I.ake where people were parading in blue shirts and sticking signs In windows and we felt we should do something shout it...
...In some cases a desire for companionship and intellectual discussion may have played its part...
...By these means, a number of young Canadians, public servants and others, who begin with a desire to advance causes which they consider worthy, have been induced into joining study groups of the Communist Party...
...The lesson of the Gonzeako Story is one that involves Americans, in fact, all peoples of the world, who believe in democracy...
...There was the danger of Hitler...
...With certain persons there is apparently an emotional appeal and glamor, as it were a sense of adventure, inherent in the conspiratorial methods and purposive activity of the groups...
...Q. I see...
...In some eases it lay apparently in the highly systematized metaphysical concepts used by the Communist Party in its propaganda directed to certain types of "intellectuals" and students...
...I do not offer this in sny sense as an excuse for my work but I was striving to square myself with my (deals without a full knowledge of the position in which I really found myself...
...We figured that If we ware considered ss good Csnsdlsns hsrs s Isw should be passed to make that Illegal...
...But it appears also to play a role in the expsnslon of the organization, since at each stage of his "development" the adherent is allowed to feel that he is still politically independent and merely assisting In the general activities of the movement without taking, at any time, what he might consider to be a specific and binding step to acquire or ratify definite membership...
...Gerson said: "1 consider myself as a second class Canadian—not as a first-class Canadian...
...A factor which appears to have played a part in first attracting at least one of the Canadian espionage agents whose evidence we have heard, was the belief that through these study groups he could fight against the social evils of anti semitism ami racial intolerance...
...Regarding the original attraction of Canadians to the "development" courses or study-group organizations, it is difficult to speak with certainty...
...Our insertion...
...Q. What doctor...
...In Ihe first place, by associating such domestic propaganda, in Ihe minds of as many people ss possible, with Ihe external propaganda of a ¦articular foreign stale, this policy serves in itself lo "carry," by implication, that foreign slate's propaganda...
...development courses we have onl lined, until under the influence of sophisticated snd unscrupulous leaders they have been persuaded to engage in illegal activities directed against the safety snd interests of their own society...
...THE LAST IN A SERIES: Edited by MELVIN J. L4SKV • With this episode of the Gouzenko Story, we bring to a close the narrative of one of the saoat terrifying threats in recent history...
...e.g...
...Participation of secret Communists in genuinely informal small discussion groups appears to be one of the methods used to attempt to develop some or all of the other participants and gradually draw them into more specifically Communist groups, if possible by turning the earlier informal body into such a unit without the full, immediate realization by all the other participants of the metamorphosis...
...that is the [husbsnd of thej sister of the Schlein family...
...Thus even Boyer, Mazerall, ami Lunan, the lastnamed an active espionage recruiting agent, apparently felt that they had not allpwed themselves to become full members of the Communist Party, though they had paid "dues" for years, because they had at no tlms signed membership documents or taken out membership oards...
...An obvious commercial example is fhe use of a pretty face In advertisements fsr cigarettes...
...Kathleen Willsher was first a member of a group discussing the "difference between Socialism and Communism" and after a tew years joined a smaller secret group of Communists...
...Professor Hnlperin* I, who is enthusiastic snd politically experienced, it would be unwise to approach them point blank with all the tasks assigned...
...Commissioner ; it is very serious...
...Here he met Benn i tig and others...
...It is ilgnlflcsnt that a number of the documents from ths Russisn Embassy specifically note "Jen" or "Jemest" In entries on their relevant Canadian agents or prospective agents, showing that the Russian Fifth Column leaders attached particular significance to this matter...
...It is, apparently, not the present practice for secret members of the Party to fill out any membership forms, or sign any declaration, or to be given any membership cards...
...Any small study-group, however called, which will allow more experienced Communists to influence and simultaneously to study the psychological development of potential "recruits" will do in the early stages of the new recruit's "development...
...Gottlieb...
...It was not from an economic point of view...
...They are persuaded to keep this adherence secret...
...A. You see, we were very active at that time...
...Apparently only persons of top rank in IheCommunist Party hierarchy, sack as Carr, the National Organizer of the Labour-Progressive Party, and Rose, the Quebec Organizer, were allowed to have any adequate picture of the real scope, nature and objectives of the organization which they directed...
...The evidence before us strongly suggests that sntisemltism and the natural reaction of persons of Jewish origin.to rsclal discrimination, was one of ths factors playsd upon by the Communist recruiting agents...
...Boyer, Willsher and other active participants also assured us that they were not informed of the extent of the espionage organization in which they were invited, and had agreed, to take part...
...With more sophisticated persons, fascination by what may appear to them to be the efficiency Of the unusual and essentially totalitarian system of Party organization through pyramiding cells may offer an attractive appeal...
...p The evidence we have heard'shows that at each stage* of "development" the adherent is kept in igaoBiiic* of the wider ramifications and real objectives of/t|*S organization, to one of the fringes of which he haf' allowed himself to be attached...
...We realized what wss going to happen...
...Thus Durnford Smith, when asked what it was that attracted him to the movement, replied: "the logic of it...
...he went to University there and we realized it...
...Essentially what has happened is Ihe Irsnsplaating of a conspiratorial lerhaique, which was trst developed in less fortunate ceuatrles to promote an underground struggle against tyranny, te a democratic society where it la singularly inappropriate...
...Also, for the time being, not to characterize the work tor what it is, but merely to let it be understood that it is work of a special conspiratorial nature, without mentioning my connection with you...
...The policy of (srrying on propaganda for various domestic measures which in themselves are calculated to appeal to a substantial seition of the Canadian people, has obviously served two important objectives of the leaders of the Fifth Column...
...Mazerall testified that he was first invited by a friend to join an informal, discussion group, and that he did not for a considerable period recognize that it was in reality a secret...
...This is a cemmtRi and very effective soars I ion a I technique ef modern advertising...
...Alternatively, persons considered suitable for "development1' can Ire designated to cell leaders and then invited to join the cell instead of continuing with the broader group...
...In the vast majority of rases, one important element in the original appeal would seem to have been propaganda carried out by tbe Communist Party for various measures of "social reform" in Canada...
...A. Dr...
...It was from the point of view of self-preservation...
...He elucidated this point: y. You have been speaking about' Communism and you also mentioned Fascism...
...we realized It...
...I therefore believe it wise to approach them carefully and not to advance too great an assignment to them st one time...
...That is not a laughing mat ter, Mr...
...All resders are eligible...
...The appeal naturally varied greatly with each individual...
...The entire 800page report of the Royal Commission is available free from The New Lewder for three new one-year subscriptions...
...They have then la-en led step by step along the ingenious psychologies...
...The Csnadian Government fortunately cracked down an the widespread network of Soviet spies before their mission was totally completed...
...Mazerall, as representative of his own secret group, attended also the meetings of group leaders, at the home of Miss Agatha Chapman, (Vie chairman of a group of group leaders in Ottawa...
...Secondly, such domestic propaganda has unquestionably played an important part in recruiting Canadians for the "development" courses calculated eventually to make these Canadians instruments for more sinister and illegal Fifth Column purposes...
...The Doctor and ~hi.< wife were over lit Germany in 19.11...
...The leader of each such group, who attend secret meetings of five or six such group leaders, will know them plus the secret "chairman" of these meetings...
...I was amazed when it first became clear to me during my Interrogation...
...What is your idea, of the difference, if any, between Communism snd Fascism ? A. Well, my idea is that it would be based on a question of anti-Semitism...
...1 mean it wss from that...
...Exactly how Much they succeeded in transmitting to Russia is not known...
...THE GOUZENKO STORY" Based on Official Secret Documents snper 7 HAT appears from the evidence to be the real %/^/ purpose of the study-group or "cell" orgamza'",!•» » tion—as a wide and ever-expanding base for the recruiting, psychological development, and organization of a Fifth Column operating in the interests of a foreign power — would have been frustrated if rank and Ale members of these groups or junior adherents of the Communist Party of Canada had been •war* of the real objectives and policies of Carr, the National Organizer, Rose, the' Quebec Organizer, and the other senior members of the conspiracy...
...testifying before us as to his motivation, which hs ststed wss directly linked with his political ideology, he said: "I would also like to say that I had no Idea of the scops and extent of this work...
...Indeed H appears from the evidence that some* at least of the adherents recruited to study-gsoups fir* not told that these groups are in reality secret ^cells'' or units of the Communist Party...
...For example l.tinan, who undertook, after designation by Rose, to organize a group of espionage agents, was given to understand that the only persons engaged in this illegal activity would be himself, the three Canadian scientists whose espionage activities he directed and Rogov of the Soviet F.mbassy, In...
...Rogov) dated March 28, 1945, stated that he intended to pursue a similar technique with Durnford Smith and Mazerall, gradually drawing them into the illegal network without at first revealing to them even his own limited knowledge of the true nature and extent of the conspiracy...
...This technique allows the development courses to proceed and to have their gradual effect on the adherent without raising any unnecessary resistance in the adherent's mind to any specific stage of early development...
...APPARENTLY at each stage of "development" the adherent is carefully kept from an appreciation of the nature of tasks likely to be assigned to him when he ^consideredadftaw|tely "developed" for the next stage...
...l':Aj)|*$1Cttotty..ajbjfe-)nany even among relatively senior aqd' '•developed"' feeret members of the Communist ' fartjrare kept unaware of the nature and existence of 'specifically 'JJIegai, fcetivities, directed against Canada, *wnich are carried on by a section of the organization whieh they support...
Vol. 30 • March 1947 • No. 10
