Mr. CARLSON. The popular conception of the Communist Party being a subversive organization, an organization looking for the overthrow of the Government, and so on and so forth, I can’t say that I ever believed that. And I don’t think that I know anybody that does, that I think believes that.

Mr. MOULDER. Are you a married man, Mr. Carlson?

Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1 — Part 133

Mr. MOULDER. How many children do you have?

Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1 — Part 133

Mr. CARLSON. I have two. Two grandchildren, by the way.

Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1 — Part 133

Mr. MOULDER. You are desirous, of course, for your children to enjoy the benefits of living in the greatest nation in the world?

Mr. MOULDER. What I am coming to is, do you approve then, of the Communist Party movement or the international conspiracy of the Communist Party?

Mr. CARLSON. I don’t approve of what it is reported to be. Now, to the best of my knowledge, I don’t know that the Communist Party stands for such things.

Mr. VELDE. I would like to ask the witness to be a little bit more specific about the way in which he got out of the Communist Party. We have heard a lot of witnesses here in the same situation who have told us that it has taken quite a long while for that conversion from communism back to Americanism. While you were in the Communist Party did you attend meetings of the Communist Party?

Mr. CARLSON. Congressman, as to any activity in the Communist Party prior to, say, 1950, I will have to invoke the fifth amendment on the grounds that it might incriminate me.

Mr. VELDE. Then you refuse to give us the benefit of the knowledge of the Communist Party which you acquired while you were a member of the party?

Mr. CARLSON. On the ground that it may incriminate me, I refuse to answer.

Mr. VELDE. Do you think, Mr. Carlson, that is in good faith with Americanism?

Mr. CARLSON. Mr. Congressman, if I recollect my history correctly, there have been many, many people in the past that have been convicted and thrown into jail for purely political reasons.

And it’s been proven afterward that they were only political reasons, that they had no real basis for throwing them in jail. That is my understanding of history. And I am not sure but what this is the same thing.

Mr. VELDE. No, Mr. Carlson, this is not the same thing at all, and I am sure that you are aware of that.