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1426 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Ashe. Because of the character of their employment. Some were attorneys, some—I believe one was a dentist; two or three of them, I believe, were writers, newspapermen, and so forth, and so on. They could only be recruited on the basis of not being exposed. I know, again, I ran into Dr. Tashjian, who insisted on forcing these people into street units where they would immediately be exposed instead of being exposed here 15 years later. Mr. Tavenner. In other words, these individuals wanted to reap whatever profits or advantage they could from their activities and yet have their names concealed because they knew it was an unlawful enterprise in which they were engaged ? Mr. Ashe. That's right. They didn't have any guts. They don't today. Mr. Tavenner. Was there any name or designation for those pro- fessional units? Mr. Ashe. It started out very small. After the EPIC convention in 1935, which I covered for the Daily Worker and the Western Worker, I met two or three individuals who were sympathetic. I took them over to the Western Worker office and high-pressured them into the party. Those individuals were Morgan Hull—I now under- stand he is dead—another one was John Jack Wilson, better known in the Communist Party as John Broman; and a third person whose name escapes me at the moment. But I recruited three that night and in the next 2 or 3 weeks was able to convince the party that a pro- fessional unit should be permitted. Over Dr. Tasjian's objection we set up a unit known as Z-100. Z-100 immediately started meeting. I usually met with them be- cause there were no old party members to guide them. It recruited very rapidly and I would say within about 5 months it had become so large we had to split the unit and make another unit called Z-150. The last I knew of these two units the combined membership totaled about 23. Mr. Tavenner. I wish you would give to the committee the names of the members of these professional units whose membership was to be kept secret. Mr. Ashe. Jeff Kibre was one. Later on Mr. Tavenner. Just a moment. In giving the names of these in- dividuals I wish you would identify them as fully as you can so that there will be no misunderstanding as to the individual man. Mr. Ashe. Jeff Kibre, as I recall, was unemployed at that time. I don't know what his background was. He was fairly young, I would say 25 or 30. Mr. Tavenner. Do you know what he is doing now ? Mr. Ashe. Yes. He is with a fishermen's union down at San Pedro, I believe, a branch of Harry Bridges' union, I understand. Mr. Tavenner. Was he a union organizer at any time, to your knowledge? Mr. Ashe. He had had no union experience at the time he came into the party; that, I am reasonably certain of. Mr. Tavenner. You are unaware of whether or not he had gained such experience later? Mr. Ashe. I presume he did through the guidance of the Commu- nist Party. Mr. Tavenner. Was his wife a member, do you know ?