FBI versus JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY

The FBI HQ main file on the John Birch Society is 62-104401 and it consists of about 12,000 pages.

In addition, almost every FBI Field Office opened a main file on the Birch Society and those field files often were hundreds or thousands of pages. The primary FBI Field Office file is Boston 100-32899. Another major file is the Los Angeles field file (100-59001) which totals approximately 1800 pages.

It is almost impossible to specify the total number of pages of FBI documents pertaining to the JBS because there are so many separate JBS-related files totalling many thousands of pages on such topics as:

* JBS-front groups like Truth About Civil Turmoil and Support Your Local Police, and MOTOREDE.

* files on JBS publications (American Opinion magazine, JBS Bulletin, and Birch-promoted publications such as John Stormer's, None Dare Call It Treason and Gary Allen's None Dare Call It Conspiracy). The FBI file also contains the unpublished version of Robert Welch's "private letter" entitled "The Politician" which caused so much grief to Welch in later years because of his description of President Eisenhower as a "conscious, dedicated agent of the Communist Conspiracy" and, according to Welch, Ike's brother Milton was actually Ike's superior within the Communist apparatus.

* files on numerous individuals associated with the Society such as Spruille Braden, Julia Brown, Taylor Caldwell, Kent & Phoebe Courtney, Delmar Dennis, Robert Donner, Robert Dresser, Medford Evans, Billy James Hargis, Merwin K. Hart, Manning Johnson, Verne P. Kaub, D.B. Lewis, J.B. Matthews, Larry McDonald, Dan Smoot, Harold L. Varney, Gen. Edwin A. Walker plus files on many others that either resigned or were expelled from the JBS, such as Richard Cotten, Slobodan Draskovich, William P. Gale, David E. Gumaer, Ben Klassen, Robert J. Mathews, Gordon Mohr, Revilo P. Oliver, William Pierce, and John H. Rousselot.

* files on numerous controversies where JBS members often were the leading participants. Birch accusations via their literature and JBS members letters-to-the-editor often triggered bitter local disputes over such matters as purported Communist infiltration of, and influence/control within:

+ Council on Foreign Relations, The Bilderbergers, Trilateral Commission (as agents for a New World Order or World Government)

Many local disputes involving Birch activists sometimes resulted in libel/slander lawsuits and the FBI files on persons involved in these controversies often are quite revealing---for example:

(d) Elmer Gertz (Chicago lawyer who won an historic landmark libel lawsuit against the JBS after many years of litigation and appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Eventually, the JBS paid Gertz $400,000. During the trial, the JBS also admitted that "falsehoods" were contained in their article which defamed Gertz.

See following link for oral arguments in Gertz vs. Robert Welch Inc. and general details of the Supreme Court decision:

What follows is Part One of my summary of FBI file content on the Birch Society. I hope to complete Part Two sometime in the next several months.

5. FBI vs. JBS on civil rights movement (Alan Stang's 1965 book "It's Very Simple: The True Story of Civil Rights" published by the Birch Society; and Highlander Folk School as a "Communist Training School")

A major portion of Part One is devoted to the Birch Society's attack on Dr. Harry Overstreet because it reveals how the JBS did damage to our country by impugning the integrity and loyalty of Americans who did not share their warped viewpoints. The Overstreet story also reveals why top officials of the FBI viewed the Birch Society as "extremist" and "irresponsible". ------------------------------------

In March and April 1961, news reports circulated among top Bureau officials concerning the growth and activities of the JBS around the country. Two memos in particular reveal the attitude of top Bureau officials. In the first, Assistant Director C.D. DeLoach is informed about two letters received from persons expressing concern about charges made by JBS members in their communities.

"The Bureau has, of course, been cognizant over a period of time of the many fanatical right-wing anti-Communist organizations which are presently spreading widely throughout the country and of their utterly absurd viewpoints. For your information, I am attaching copies of letters dated March 6 and 8, 1961 from (names deleted for privacy) which typify the absolute confusion and lack of confidence in American institutions and one's fellow man being caused by representatives of such organizations."

The letters attached to the memo concern two Birch Society officials. (1) General William L. Lee, the Birch Coordinator in Amarillo Texas, and (2) Fred Koch, a JBS National Council member from Wichita KS.

Both Lee and Koch had made what the FBI considered inflammatory comments about Communist infiltration of our society. General Lee, in particular, was a prominent exponent of the notion that our nation's clergy and religious institutions had been extensively infiltrated by Communists and Communist sympathizers. [62-104401-789, March 15, 1961, D.C. Morrell to C.D. DeLoach].

In the second memo, Chief Inspector W.C. Sullivan informs Alan H. Belmont (Assistant to the Director, in charge of the Bureau's Domestic Intelligence Division) about a Time magazine article entitled "The Americanists" which discusses the Birch Society.

Sullivan characterized the article as a "succinct picture of a lunatic-fringe type of organization that is doing more harm than good with a professional anticommunist attack on everything and everyone opposing its own dictatorial policies."

"The supporters of this organization and those influenced by the vicious propaganda it has been putting out are typical of the fanatics who have been attempting lately to disparage and discredit Bureau speakers who have been giving audiences a true, factual picture concerning the nature of the threat which communist activities in this country represent." [62-104401-791, March 9, 1961, W.C. Sullivan to A.H. Belmont].

The problem which Sullivan mentioned (attacks on FBI speakers) reached a peak in the Fall of 1961. J. Edgar Hoover approved Sullivan's proposal that he make several speeches around the country to address extreme right charges that our clergy and religious institutions (especially the Methodist Church) were significantly influenced or controlled by subversives. Major details details concerning this matter will appear in Part Two of my Report. For now, a preliminary look at the shape of the controversy is summarized below in Section 2 of this Report (FBI vs JBS on Internal Security Status of U.S.)

Birch Society representatives in various parts of the country often made requests for large quantities of FBI publications that they could distribute to the public. At first, the Bureau readily provided bulk quantities, but as the Bureau became more familiar with the ideology espoused by the JBS, it underwent a dramatic change of mind.

In March 1961, Assistant Director C.D. DeLoach prepared a memo concerning one particular JBS request made to the Los Angeles Field Office headed by Special Agent Alexander. The request was for 10,000 copies of a Bureau poster entitled "What You Can Do To Fight Communism". DeLoach noted that "Alexander was advised that in view of the extremist position taken by this group that we should not, of course, have anything to do with them..."

"In view of this irresponsible organization's attempt to capitalize on the Bureau's prestige, it is recommended that an SAC Letter be prepared instructing the field that no Bureau publications of any kind are to be made available to this group or any of its representatives." [62-104401-851, March 14, 1961, C.D. DeLoach to C. Mohr].

In a handwritten comment on the memo, J. Edgar Hoover wrote "YES" on the recommendation and, subsequently, the SAC Letter was sent to all FBI Field Offices (SAC Letter 61-14, dated 3/21/61).

In April 1962, Congressman Claude Pepper of Florida ran an advertisement in the Miami News captioned "Birchites Are Behind The Smear Against Claude Pepper". The Bureau received an inquiry asking whether or not Hoover had approved use of his name in the advertisement as one of several prominent persons who had spoken out against "smear tactics". At the bottom of a Bureau memo discussing the matter, Hoover handwrote: "I would no more give a boost to Pepper than I would to the Birchites. They are two extremes and equally bad." [62-104401-unrecorded, April 27, 1962, D.C. Morrell to C.D. DeLoach].

The Bureau received thousands of inquiries about the Birch Society and numerous allegations that it made in its literature or in speeches/interviews by its officials and members. The Bureau developed several standard replies to answer people who wanted to know Director Hoover's evaluation about the John Birch Society and its founder, Robert Welch.

"Personally, I have little respect for the head of the John Birch Society since he linked the names of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the late John Foster Dulles, and former CIA Director Allen Dulles with communism." [100-114578-152, October 22, 1965, J. Edgar Hoover to named deleted for privacy. Also see 62-104401-3865, March 24, 1972].

Also see Hoover's testimony (copied below) before the Warren Commission (Volume V, page 101) when he was asked about an article on JFK's assassination that was published in the JBS magazine, American Opinion:

"Mr. Hoover: I have read that piece. My comment on it is this in general: I think the extreme right is just as much a danger to the freedom of this country as the extreme left. There are groups, organizations, and individuals on the extreme right who make these very violent statements, allegations that General Eisenhower was a Communist, disparaging references to the Chief Justice and at the other end of the spectrum you have these leftists who make wild statements charging almost anybody with being a Fascist or belonging to some of these so-called extreme right societies.

Now, I have felt, and I have said publicly in speeches, that they are just as much a danger, at either end of the spectrum. They don't deal with facts. Anybody who will allege that General Eisenhower was a Communist agent, has something wrong with him. A lot of people read such allegations because I get some of the weirdest letters wanting to know whether we have inquired to find out whether that is true. I have known General Eisenhower quite well myself and I have found him to be a sound, level-headed man."

During the 1960's and beyond, the essence of John Birch Society thought was that a vast conspiracy of Communists, Communist sympathizers, and Communist dupes made substantial inroads into all areas of U.S. society.

In 1964 for example, a Birch Society pamphlet entitled "The Time Has Come" declared:

"Washington has been taken over! By which we mean that Communist influences are now in full working control of our Federal Government."

The annual Birch Society "Scoreboard" issue of American Opinion magazine, reported in three consecutive years that the extent of such Communist influence and control had reached a staggering 50-70% level of success and in 1964 reached 60-80%. [American Opinion Scoreboard issues, July-August 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964].

At about this time, Congressman Carl Elliott of Alabama wrote to Hoover to request a statement concerning the status of our internal security. Hoover's response to Elliott was published as a letter-to-the-Editor in the Tri-Cities Daily of Sheffield, Alabama on Sunday March 31, 1963:

"The Communist Party in this country has attempted to infiltrate and subvert every segment of our society, but its continuing efforts have not achieved success of any substance. Too many self-styled experts on communism, without valid credentials and without any access whatsoever to classified factual data regarding the inner workings of the conspiracy, have engaged in rumor-mongering and hurling false and wholly unsubstantiated allegations against persons whose views differ from their own. This is dangerous business. It is divisive and unintelligent, and makes more difficult the task of the professional investigator." [Also see identical or comparable Hoover statements in February 5, 1962 letter 94-1-369-1676 and July 29, 1964 letter 62-109421-44 and August 6, 1964 letter 62-100942-156.].

In April 1960, Robert Welch told his members that "...the largest single group supporting the Communist apparatus in the United States is composed of members of the Protestant clergy" --and--

"...there are, as the leading students of the subject all agree -- more than seven thousand Protestant clergymen actively helping the Communists to make dangerous progaganda and pressure weapons out of the National Council of Churches and some other church organizations. Now is the time to bring this whole issue into the open, in every way possible; and to start a determined drive to eliminate Communist influences from control over Christian churches." [John Birch Society Bulletin, 04/60, pages 18-19].

"There can be no doubt, of course, that the communists' aim is to penetrate and control all mass-type organizations of our society, including our churches. Their efforts in this regard have been thwarted by our internal security program...Regrettably, numerous charges have been made concerning the extent and success of communist influence among our Nation's religious leaders and institutions. Actually, the Communist Party USA has had no appreciable success in influencing, controlling, or dominating America's clergymen or religious organizations. These facts, based on our investigative results in the internal security field, have been the basis of the FBI's stand on this subject when it arises." [100-403529-432, July 19, 1963 Hoover letter in response to inquiry; see also "Communism and Religion in the United States" speech given by Assistant Director William C. Sullivan in Dallas, Texas at Highland Park Methodist Church, October 19, 1961 and at numerous numerous other locations during 1961-1962.]

An example of the problem that Hoover described above re: "self-styled experts...without valid credentials" is contained in Bureau memoranda of February 1961 which pertain to a speech and article by JBS National Council member Revilo P. Oliver. Oliver's statements concerned alleged Communist infiltration into the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

ARTICLE: In his October 1959 American Opinion article Oliver asserted that (1) between 70% and 80% of the responsible officers in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW) were members or accomplices of the Communist conspiracy, (2) that some DHEW employees served as Communist couriers, and (3) that DHEW officials intended to purge employees with anti-Communist tendencies.

SPEECH: In his March 1959 speech to Illinois DAR, Oliver stated that "fully one-third of the top echelon of Communist conspirators in this country" could be found in DHEW and he cited former FBI Security Informant, Herbert A. Philbrick (of "I Led 3 Lives" fame) as his source of information. [62-104401-709, enclosure = "All America Must Know How Reds Work In Government", Oliver speech before annual Illinois State Convention of the Daughters of the American Revolution.]

ROBERT WELCH USE OF OLIVER INFO: At the first meeting of the JBS National Council which was held January 1, 1960 in Chicago at the Union League Club, Robert Welch told National Council members:

"It is estimated from many reliable sources that from 70% to 90% of the responsible personnel in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare are Communists."

It seems clear that Welch did NOT rely upon "many reliable sources" but, relied instead, just upon Revilo Oliver (whom Welch once described as perhaps the "world's greatest living scholar").

According to Welch, the percentage increased to a possible 90% and he characterized all the suspect personnel as "Communists" whereas Oliver was more ambiguous and used the descriptive phrase "members or accomplices of the communist conspiracy" amounting to perhaps as much as 80% of responsible DHEW personnel.

The FBI received numerous inquiries about this matter and HQ instructed its Boston Field Office to contact Herbert Philbrick to discover what he allegedly told Revilo Oliver. Here is the FBI memo summary on the matter:

"Herbert Philbrick, a former informant of the Boston Office, has been contacted regarding Oliver's statements and has advised he has never given Oliver any information concerning communist infiltration of the DHEW, that he knows no one in this Department, and has had no information concerning Communist activity in the United States Government since at least 1944. Philbrick considers Oliver to be an extremist in anticommunist feelings and violently anti-Semitic. The Boston Office has advised there is no record of any statement regarding the DHEW in its files emanating from Philbrick. Through a review of the Bureau Security Index cards, it was determined that no employees of the DHEW are included in the Security Index." [62-104401-unrecorded, February 1, 1961, F.J. Baumgardner to Alan H. Belmont]

The reference to "no employees of the DHEW" on the FBI Security Index is particularly noteworthy since the SI was designed to be the FBI's method of identifying persons it considered actually or potentially dangerous to U.S. security and that included (a) members of the Communist Party, (b) individuals with Communist sympathies, (c) persons who were leaders within Communist front groups, (d) or persons with "anarchist or revolutionary beliefs".

In short: Nobody that the FBI considered subversive or dangerous to U.S. security was employed within the DHEW!

NOTE: According to the FBI Security Index, there were 19 Communists working in the entire U.S. government as of 1959 (the year Oliver first made his charges). . [HQ file 100-358086-2697].

At the conclusion of the Bureau memo concerning Oliver's DHEW charges, Hoover handwrote: "I think we should take a closer look at the John Birch Society. If it publishes such a publication it is suspect."

Subsequently, Senator Milton R. Young contained Hoover to inquire into Revilo Oliver's statement about extensive Communist infiltration into DHEW. Hoover responded:

"This is, of course, a completely ridiculous assertion and when a report of this matter was brought to my attention recently it was promptly and emphatically denied as a fabrication." [62-104401-751, March 10, 1961, J. Edgar Hoover to Sen. Milton R. Young]

It is precisely the wild statements made by Welch and Oliver about DHEW that exemplified why the Bureau became suspicious of anyone connected to the Birch Society and why Hoover frequently made statements about the dangers inherent in "self-styled experts on communism, without valid credentials" engaging in "rumor-mongering and hurling false and wholly unsubstantiated allegations..."

During its entire existence, the Birch Society has claimed that it is an "educational" organization, "whose only weapon is the truth".

According to founder Robert Welch in the Foreward to the Blue Book of the John Birch Society:

"For our enemy is the Communists, and we do not intend to lose sight of that fact for a minute. We are fighting the Communists -- nobody else." [JBS Blue Book, 12th printing, 1961, page ii, emphasis in the original].

In 1970, the JBS published a pamphlet by its founder, Robert Welch, entitled "What Is The John Birch Society?". In it, Mr. Welch sought to summarize what he considered to be the accomplishments of the JBS during its first 11 years of existence. He singled out his 1959 campaign against Dr. Harry A. Overstreet, author of the 1958 book, "What We Must Know About Communism".

Mr. Welch stated that an article appearing in the October 1959 issue of the JBS magazine, American Opinion (Edward Janisch, "What We Must Know About Overstreet", pages 35-46), "showed the blatant falsehoods to which Harry Overstreet has resorted in connection with his earlier and continuing close affiliations with Communists and support of Communist purposes."

Welch further described the book as "pro-Communist doubletalk" and he observed that it was "visibly designed to get your confidence with the first three quarters of its contents, and then in the last quarter to sell you the exact current Communist line." [What Is The John Birch Society?, 1970, page 18].

In his American Opinion article, Edward Janisch states that the Overstreet book, "attempts to make palatable certain notions which would, if accepted, by large numbers of Americans, render us helpless in the face of the onslaught of World Communism." [American Opinion, 10/59, page 44].

Note: Who was Edward Janisch and what are his credentials for evaluating internal security matters? A search of all usual databases and references discloses that Mr. Janisch had no paper trail, i.e. no master's or doctoral dissertation listings, no articles listed in Reader's Guide To Periodical Literature, no books or other publications in major university and college library catalogs or in the Library of Congress, no index listings in the New York Times, no biographical sketch either in American Opinion or Current Biography or Who's Who in America, or The Directory of American Scholars.

In addition, there is no record that he ever contacted or interviewed Harry Overstreet nor anyone associated with Harry, particularly those persons who had expertise in internal security matters. I can report, however, that after considerable research I was able to discover that Janisch was an Assistant Professor of Government at a very small college in Pennsylvania...Slippery Rock College (now known as Slippery Rock University) in Slippery Rock, PA.

In his American Opinion article, Janisch characterizes the philosophy underlying the adult-education career of Dr. Overstreet as follows:

"If, on the other hand, you are one of those 'backward souls' who believes in God, love of country, free enterprise, investigations of Communism...then you are 'immature'; and quite possibly, according to Professor Overstreet, you are on the road to mental illness." [American Opinion, 10/59, p. 35].

The reference to investigations of Communism will be, as the reader will shortly discover, a particularly vapid and dishonest criticism by Janisch.

Janisch repeatedly uses sarcastic comments and sinister innuendo about the loyalty or patriotism of Dr. Overstreet. For example, he describes "all of the books" by Dr. Overstreet thusly:

"His writings are one of the little webs, along with many other webs the Communists weave together to make up the Big Lie of their total web of deception. He does his work with half-truth, glittering generality, misplaced emphasis, significant omission, and other tricks that mark the prolific popularizer and propaganda hack." [Ibid, pg 35-36].

In case Janisch's nasty insinuations aren't transparent enough, he then offers what he believes is the Communist evaluation of Dr. Overstreet's book on Communism:

"And the ghost of Stalin must be whispering to Khrushchev, 'for this, there should be dancing on our side of the street'." [Ibid, page 35].

"Another generation--if we are still free--may well remember the Overstreets' 'What We Know About Communism, as a stupendous attempt that was designed to soften us at the very hour of our crisis...because the book attempts to make palatable certain notions which would, if accepted by large numbers of Americans, render us helpless in the face of the onslaught of World Communism." [Ibid, pg 44].

In what will shortly become apparent as a particularly egregious comment, Janisch criticizes Dr. Overstreet because: "Here is a book on Communism in which not one of J. Edgar Hoover's somber warnings is mentioned..." [Ibid, pg 44].

In a July 17, 1961 memo to all members of the JBS National Council, Welch discussed suggestion #6 in the JBS Blue Book which was to expose "largely through American Opinion...the real sympathies (as disclosed by their actions) of those who are assiduously helping the Communists without their true purposes of the significance of their actions being realized." In particular Welch referred to the Janisch article mentioned above as one example of the type of article he had in mind:

"And our article on Overstreet served well a more specific purpose. It enabled our members in many parts of the country to block completely, or offset the effect of, speaking engagements by this octagenerian phoney, and thus materially to reduce the amount of poison he was pouring into the minds of good Americans from his position of previously unchallenged prestige."

Here, then, is a summary of information contained in key FBI documents about Dr. Harry Overstreet and his wife Bonaro:

A November 1954 memo summarizes the Bureau relationship with Dr. and Mrs. Overstreet:

"Years ago, Dr. Overstreet got mixed up with some leftwing groups and the Overstreets came to Washington approximately three years ago...to straighten out the record." They were advised by the FBI to submit affidavits to the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities concerning their past front associations and contributions and they did so."

"In addition, the Overstreets went to the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee and Bob Morris used them on a couple of occasions as witnesses. They were very effective in testifying against the Communist aims in education."

"There is no question in my mind but that if any one was ever duped through naievety, it is the Overstreets and I think they are doing their utmost in trying to redeem themselves." [100-114575-28, November 22, 1954, Louis B. Nichols to Clyde Tolson].

In a September 1955 memo, Assistant Director Nichols again discusses the Overstreets:

"We helped them 3 years ago in explaining away contributions to front groups and the like. They have been very grateful and I have gotten them very much interested in bringing about better understanding in academic circles toward the Bureau."

In October 1955, J. Edgar Hoover dictated a letter of congratulations to Harry on the occasion of his 80th birthday, with the letter to be delivered personally. In early 1956, Hoover sent Overstreet a thank-you note in recognition of a pro-FBI letter that Harry had published in the Washington Post.

After the retirement of Louis Nichols, the Overstreets continued their relationship with the Bureau through Chief Inspector William C. Sullivan. In September 1958, a Sullivan memo mentions that he encouraged the Overstreets to write a book "against communism directed toward liberals and progressives, et cetera, who would not normally read a book condemning communism."

Sullivan then observed that he provided considerable assistance to the Overstreets during the preparation of their book entitled "What We Must Know About Communism". The assistance consisted of loaning public source material from FBI files and spending "approximately one night each week (7:00pm to about 11:00pm) during the winter months...devoted to reading and analyzing the materials the Overstreets were preparing." [100-114575-90, September 19, 1958, and 100-114575-88, October 1, 1958, William C. Sullivan to Alan H. Belmont].

In another memo, Sullivan states that "while working with the Overstreets on this book I purposely had them direct 95% of their thinking to the world communist movement believing this would best supplement the Director's book which was directed almost 100% to the communist movement in the United States." [100-114575-92, November 25, 1958, Sullivan to Belmont].

A formal review of the Overstreet book was prepared at the Bureau in October 1958 after Harry sent a copy to Hoover inscribed from both him and his wife as follows:

"To J. Edgar Hoover -- With personal gratitude for what you have superbly done for all of us."

The review concluded that "this new book represents cogent advice to the thinking public. It reflects ideas common to the thinking which has gone on in the Bureau for many years." It was described as a "welcome new aid" in combatting Communism. [100-114575-91, October 1, 1958, W.C. Sullivan to Alan H. Belmont].

In December 1958, Hoover wrote to Harry after reading a newspaper article about him:

"I have seen the interesting article about Mrs. Overstreet and you which appeared in the December 3, 1958 issue of the 'Northern Virginia Sun'. It is always a pleasure to read about good friends because it serves as a reminder of happy associations. It is good to see your fine work recognized in this fitting manner, and your many friends in the FBI join me in sending our best wishes" [100-114575-93, December 5, 1958, J. Edgar Hoover to Harry Overstreet]

In early 1959, J. Edgar Hoover declined a dinner invitation by Harry Overstreet but replied to him as follows:

"I do hope that your fine book 'What We Must Know About Communism' will enjoy excellent sales and wide reading throughout 1959. We need more and more people like yourselves who will devote their nationally recognized academic talents to the exposure and ultimate defeat of the menace of world communism." [100-114575-95, January 21, 1959, J.Edgar Hoover to Harry Overstreet].

In January 1959, Director Hoover was contacted by Attorney General Brownell to solicit his evaluation of the Overstreet book. The AG wanted to know if Hoover agreed with a favorable review written by columnist Roscoe Drummond which appeared in the Washington Post of 1-26-59. Hoover replied that he did agree with the Drummond column and Hoover suggested that all Justice Department employees should be encouraged to read the book.

Assistant Director C.D. DeLoach requested and received Hoover's permission to contact the Director of the Americanism Commission of the American Legion to request that they add the Overstreet book to their recommended reading list. Per DeLoach's letter, "We agree that it is a good one and would you please put it on your approved list?" [100-114575-100, February 2, 1959, W.C. Sullivan to A.H. Belmont, and, 94-1-17998-139 attachment, February 2, 1959, C.D. DeLoach to American Legion].

The controversy over Overstreet and his book continued for years often due to the JBS smear campaign against him and his wife which took the form of attempting to get Harry's speaking engagements cancelled due to his alleged pro-Communist sympathies and/or by planting hostile questioners in his audiences.

In February 1961, J. Edgar Hoover responded to an inquiry about the Overstreet book. The Bureau file copy has the following notation: "We have had cordial relations with Dr. and Mrs. Harry Allen Overstreet and have furnished them considerable assistance in connection with their books." [100-114575-115, February 17, 1961, Hoover to name deleted for privacy].

In early 1964 Overstreet was sent material to assist him in refuting charges made by extreme right individuals and groups including Edgar Bundy (Church League of America) and Dan Smoot (former FBI Special Agent).

Bundy, whom the FBI described as "a professional anticommunist with whom we have absolutely no dealings" had misrepresented Director Hoover's statements from a 1949 article on Communist influence in religion, and, Dan Smoot was in the habit, from the Bureau's perspective, of making "unfactual and inaccurate statements...concerning national and international problems" and was wrongly capitalizing on his former association with the Bureau to inflate his credibility.

Harry Overstreet furnished advance excerpts to the Bureau of his forthcoming book on the extreme right in the summer of 1964. The Bureau's favorable review concluded that:

"The material has been reviewed and checked previously by the Domestic Intelligence Division. From our point of view, there does not appear to be anything objectionable."

Assistant Director C.D. LeLoach handwrote an observation on the memo about the Overstreet chapter on Dan Smoot:

"I'm glad they're doing this. It's about time someone called his hand." [100-114575-139, July 23, 1964, M.A. Jones to C.D. DeLoach].

In October 1965, J. Edgar Hoover wrote 90th birthday greetings to Harry "on Director's note paper used for special congratulatory purpose" which was delivered personally and read to Harry by Assistant Director William Sullivan:

"By utilizing your unique experience and abilities in the field of education and psychology in your analyses of communism and its threat to freedom, you have contributed significantly to the intelligent and, therefore, more effective opposition to communism." [100-114575-153, October 25, 1965, J. Edgar Hoover to Harry Overstreet].

In 1969, W.W. Norton Company published The FBI In Our Open Society by Harry and Bonaro Overstreet. Director Hoover was so impressed with the book that he notified all Special Agents in Charge of Field Offices via SAC Letter 69-14, dated 2/25/69: "This is an excellent book and portrays the FBI in a most favorable way."

Hoover announced that the Bureau had made arrangements with the publisher for a special discount price and he instructed SAC's to "survey your personnel and advise the Bureau promptly of the number of books to be sent to your office." The Bureau added the new Overstreet book to its "Autograph Card Form 8-2" which contained those publications which the FBI distributed at no charge with "best wishes" from Hoover himself.

Hoover also instructed Special Agent J. Sizoo to prepare a synposis of each chapter so that Bureau personnel could use the summary as a "ready reference...in rebutting numerous unfounded claims against the Bureau..." [66-04-3648, SAC Letter 69-14, February 25, 1969 and 100-114575-184, June 4, 1969, A.W. Gray to W.C. Sullivan].

"I was deeply saddened to learn of Dr. Overstreet's passing and want you to know you have my deepest sympathy. Words certainly are inadequate at a time like this but I hope you will derive some measure of comfort from knowing that others share your sorrow...You can be justifiably proud of the many contributions which he made to his country and the high esteem in which he is held." [100-114575-195, August 19, 1970, J. Edgar Hoover to Bonaro Overstreet].

In its 1959 Report, the California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on UnAmerican Activities portrayed Dr. Overstreet as an expert on communism of the caliber of Eugene Lyons, Elizabeth Bentley, Whittaker Chambers. Louis Budenz and others. The Report mentions that Overstreet was invited by the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee to participate in hearings concerning the internal menace of communism. The California Subcommittee describes Overstreet as follows:

"Mr. Overstreet is an example of a non-Communist liberal who was attracted to a few of these front organizations, found out what they were all about, and had the courage to do something about the problem instead of shrinking away from the experience and remaining silent. Many people who have had similar experiences--in fact the overwhelming majority of them--are content to remain silent..." [1959 Report, pages 169 and 183].

Harry's wife, Bonaro, sent a letter to the California Senate Fact-Finding Subcommittee on UnAmerican Activities to thank them for recognizing that liberals "not previously alert" to Communist influence "could become aware...of the Communist menace" and not be forever branded as pro-Communist." [1965 Report, page 176]

Robert Morris, the former Chief Counsel of the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, had a close personal relationship with the Overstreets. Morris wrote to me in March 1989 about the Overstreets. Here is an excerpt:

"I did know Harry and Bonaro Overstreet in the late 1950's and 1960's. They were introduced to me by Louis Nichols when he was Assistant Director of the FBI. They were most helpful to me in my capacity of Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee...They became my friends and I am still grateful for their friendship."

Morris invited the Overstreets to testify as expert witnesses before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (SISS). [See Harry and Bonaro Overstreet testimony: "Reaching Through To Young Minds" in Education For Survival in The Struggle Against World Communism: A Symposium - SISS, 4/12/62 Committee Print.]

Former FBI Security Informant Herbert A. Philbrick of "I Led 3 Lives" fame wrote to Senator William Proxmire in 1961 concerning his sources of information regarding Communist infiltration into the U.S. Government.

"During my lectures across the country, however, I do refer frequently to scholars and others who have extensive knowledge in this area." Among the persons he cited as experts were: Harry and Bonaro Overstreet, Robert Morris, James Burnham. [Boston FBI file 66-1020-575, February 11, 1961, Herbert A. Philbrick to Sen. William Proxmire].

Ironically, the Birch Society attacks on Overstreet and his book What We Must Know About Communism were echoed by Communist Party officials such as William Z. Foster who described the book as "an extensive collection of prejudices, distortions and so-called arguments". He went on to say that the Overstreets "make the usual bourgeois idealization of capitalist society...a sort of God-given system beyond the reach of criticism." Foster stated that the Overstreets maliciously attacked the USSR when they denied it was either democratic or peace loving. [William Z. Foster, The Overstreets' Kampf, Mainstream, May 1959, pp 39-44].

A reviewer for the World Marxist Review also attacked the book and the Overstreets and claimed that they did not understand capitalism plus distorted facts and falsely described Communism as conspiratorial. [E. Arab-Ogly, Executors of John F. Dulles' Will, World Marxist Review, 10/60, pp. 83-86].

Harry probably deserves a spot in the Guiness Book of Records because he must be the only supposed Communist sympathizer who ever wrote a highly favorable review of J. Edgar Hoover's book, Masters of Deceit! [June 1958 National Parent-Teacher, pg 32] (national PTA magazine).

Control and domination of the civil rights movement by subversive elements is a constant theme in JBS literature during the 1960's. In the June 1965 JBS Bulletin, Mr. Welch observed:

"Our task must be simply to make clear that the movement known as 'civil rights' is Communist-plotted, Communist-controlled, and in fact...serves only Communist purposes."

In the November 1965 JBS Bulletin, Mr. Welch strongly recommends Alan Stang's book entitled It's Very Simple: The True Story of Civil Rights because, in Welch's words,

"It gives the whole picture of the 'civil rights' development, as a part of Communist strategy, more completely and convincingly than anything else available."

"This book, because of its thoroughness, its comprehensive coverage of the whole 'civil rights' story, and its meticulous documentation, is the best single searchlight we have for exposing the 'civil rights' fraud."

In May 1965, the Special Agent in Charge of the Boston FBI Field Office forwarded proof sheets of the Stang book to FBI Headquarters, two months before scheduled publication. An evaluation of the book was prepared for Assistant Director W.C. Sullivan by F.J. Baumgardner:

"It's Very Simple is an attempt to rationalize today's civil rights movement in this country as primarily a communist operation...Practically all his documentation is to public source material and there is no significant information in the book which appears to be new and previously unknown to the Bureau. Stang makes frequent use of literary license and importantly fails to include documentation for key passages (examples appear on pages 101 and 185). An entire chapter (14) is devoted to an attack on civil rights legislation and the book, in general, is critical of all Administration and other efforts aimed at improving the lot of the Negro." [100-106670-1412, May 28, 1965, and 100-106670-1525, June 24, 1965, both F.J. Baumgardner to W.C. Sullivan].

"The details of the book do not support the strong conclusions reached by the author. We have had available to us all the material which Stang has plus considerable additional data from our investigations and we could not arrive at such conclusions. The impression is received that Stang may have well started with his conclusions and then developed the information and manner of presentation which he hoped would prove his point. This work must be viewed in the light of the author's apparent close connections with Robert Welch and the John Birch Society." [Ibid]

J. Edgar Hoover described the civil rights movement as "a great and too long neglected cause of human rights" in our country. [FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Introduction, April 1965].

After warning about radicals that had no genuine interest in advancing civil rights, Hoover observed in a December 1964 speech, that:

"Let me emphasize that the American civil rights movement is not, and has never been dominated by the communists--because the overwhelming majority of civil rights leaders in this country, both Negro and white, have recognized and rejected communism as a menace to the freedoms of all." [J. Edgar Hoover, 12/12/64, Our Heritage of Greatness, pg 7 - Hoover speech before Pennsylvania Society and the Society of Pennsylvania Women; emphasis in original].

The Birch Society and its front-organization TACT (Truth About Civil Turmoil) were responsible for widespread distribution of a postcard showing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "attending a Communist training school." The school was identified as Highlander Folk School (HFS) in Monteagle, TN.

Alan Stang discusses HFS and the photograph in his book and he describes Highlander as "this Communist school". [It's Very Simple: The True Story of Civil Rights; Western Islands Publishers, 1965, page 114)

The famous photograph of Dr. King at Highlander was taken by Ed Friend. Mr. Friend described himself as "an undercover agent" for the Georgia Commission on Education (GCE).

Ed Friend was hired by the Chairman of the GCE, Governor Marvin Griffin of Georgia. Mr. Griffin was a life-long segregationist and co-founder of the States Rights Council of GA, an organization, like the GCE itself, devoted to preventing integration in Georgia. Toward that end, Governor Griffin was a welcomed speaker at White Citizens Councils and States Rights Council functions.

Mr. Friend attended a 1957 Labor Day week seminar at HFS and took a picture of a group of individuals seated in an auditorium, one of whom was Dr. King. When the GCE published its pamphlet on Highlander, it described the HFS seminar as being "held to discuss methods and tactics for precipitating racial strife and disturbances."

Subsequently, Ed Friend testified before a Tennessee legislative hearing concerning what he "learned" during his "investigation" of Highlander. An excerpt appearing below, reveals his underlying motivation:

"Q: Mr. Friend, was that a subversive meeting there at that time? A: It was subversive, sir, to the way that I have been taught to live in America. Q: Explain that to the committee. A: I have been taught by southern tradition to keep the races separate. I was taught to go to Sunday school and Church. I was taught to respect the other fellow's habitat...Up here it seems like all of those things weren't even considered. It is the primary motive of this group to tear down the forces that were trying to keep the races separate."

"Due to the interracial character of the School, it has been the subject of numerous allegations that it represented the headquarters of communism in east Tennessee. An extensive investigation was conducted in 1941 and 1942 as a result of the allegations. These allegations have never been substantiated and much of the information of a subversive derogatory nature concerning this School was later repudiated by the individuals who previously furnished the information...This organization has continuously been involved in the integration movement and as a result charges are being continuously made that it is 'communist'. These charges are based mainly on the opinion of the individuals making the charges that being pro-integration is being pro-communist." [64-7511-286, July 26, 1963, F.J. Baumgardner to W.C. Sullivan].

In 1963, Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee against a proposed public accommodations bill. Governor Barnett raised the issue of Dr. King's attendance at HFS.

"FBI files concerning the HFS show that this school was the subject of a security investigation which was closed in 1943...No information was developed that the school offered courses of instruction on communism nor that the Communist Party ever succeeded in gaining control of the school. Due to its interracial character, however, the HFS has been the subject of numerous past allegations that it represents the headquarters for communism in eastern Tennessee." [July 13, 1963 FBI memo from J.F. Bland to W.C. Sullivan].

Back in the late '50s the JBS reported that there were millions of ChiCom troops massed just over the Mexican border awaiting the signal to invade the U.S.
Does anybody know what happened to those guys?

Well, according to WND they're in the Sudan, and according to DEBKA, they're in Afghanistan.

Boy, the "thousands/hundreds of thousands/millions of hidden Chinese troops" has a long shelf life with the loon brigade.

I'd actually never heard of the JBS society claim on that; all I'd ever heard about was their obsession with commies fluoridating the water.

What's the point of this JBS bashing? Have they become effective Americans and now scare the left? Oh well.

This Harry Overstreet? Is this the Harry Overstreet who invented the concept of the vast rightwing conspiracy? Was he still publishing in the 1960s?

I googled for some old writings. Don't remember everything formthose days. and found his view of extremist both communist and the extremist radical right-cum-VRWC.

Mr. Overstreet ridiculed Welch for suggesting the U-2 plane lost over the USSR may have actually been handed over to the Soviets. Hmmm. Just about five years before that incident the Rosenbergs were executed for handing over nuclear bomb secrets to the Soviets -- to the cheers of some who felt that only by sharing such weapons could peace be achieved. In the 1950s McCarthy and others were asking just how much influence do Communists have in our government. A lot. We know that from the Venona papers and Soviet archives now available.

While Mr. Welch may have mis-characterized Mr. Overstreet Mr. Overstreet did not understand the right as indicated by his trying to lump white supremacists in with the John Birch Society. The difference between the two was only in having to read the more sophisticated JBS material with greater caution.

How do the two men differ?

Now about formal investigations of JBS -- oh, a quick question Do you have anything against Mormons? Surely such a dangerous organization that warranted so much attention from the FBI in the days of Hoover and congressional committees that actually cared about internal security would have been investigated round the clock. Nope. Didn't happen. BTW, did you foiage for all those internal FBI memos and such?

Robert Welch himself asked for a formal investigation. People like Mr. Overstreet were passing around all kinds of misinformation. Finally, in 1961 the California Senate Fact-finding Subcommittee on un-American Activities and Senator Hugh M. Burns agreed. To the best of my knowledge that's the only investigation of the John Birch Society ever conducted by an official body. Real dangerous folks these Birchers. Had to beg to get attention.

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