Says Reds Used Name of President For 'Prestige'

Goff said that he personally had made use of Mr. Roosevelt's letter of greeting to an American Youth Congress meeting in Washington in order to answer charges among church groups that the Washington meeting was communistic.

He said he displayed to them Mr. Roosevelt's letter, which was the first thing in a book distributed at the meeting. The last greeting in the same book came from the central committee of the U. S. communist party.

Goff said that William Hinckley and other youth congress leaders who had tea with Mrs. Roosevelt at Hyde Park, N. Y., were all communists.

These communists, he said, "bragged" that they had tea with Eleanor Roosevelt.

"Did this give them added prestige among communists and in their work in the front organizations?" Chairman Martin Dies, D., Tex., asked.

"Sure," Goff replied, "I was looking forward to the day when I could have tea with her too."

Dies said the youth congress officials "imposed on Mrs. Roosevelt's hospitality since she had no idea they were communists."

Other developments at the hearings:

1. Dies charged that "prominent government officials" are giving aid and support to the communist party in the United States by continuing to appear before gatherings sponsored by "communist front" organizations. He mentioned particularly a "national conference of civil liberties" to be held in New York Oct. 13 and 14.

2. Goff resigned from the communist party and an affiliated youth organization by submitting a communication to party officials which was read during the session.

3. Goff said he first was asked to join the party while attending a summer "workers school" held at a University of Wisconsin fraternity house. He said the school was financed by federal funds. Later he joined the party and was elected a national committee member of the Young Communists League.

4. The committee investigated theft of documents by someone who broke into its offices over the weekend.

Regarding the tea given by Mrs. Roosevelt for the members of the youth congress, Dies asked how it helped the communist members of the congress.

Goff replied that Hinckley and the others at Mrs. Roosevelt's tea were able to cite this fact in allaying fear among prospective communist party members. "They were able to say, 'don't be afraid to join the party, look at the people we associate with'."

Turning to Wisconsin labor, Goff said that communists were active in the CIO, and asserted that Emil Costello, former Wisconsin state CIO chairman, was a member of the communist party. 'The Workers' Alliance, he said, was dominated by communists.