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COMMUNISM IX HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 2107 Mr. Wheeler. When did you first become aware that Sam Witczak was connected with an international apparatus? Dr. Krieger. He told me. Mr. Wheeler. When did he tell you that? Dr. Krieger. He told me right after I got out of the Air Corps when he wanted me to go to Japan. He told me just what he was. Mr. Wheeler. Did you adhere to his beliefs? Dr. Krieger. Well, at the time I was interested in communism and the general principles of, I suppose what you would term left-wing politics. Mr. Wheeler. This wasn't exactly communism. As I recall the Canadian case, it related to espionage. Dr. Krieger. I knew nothing about the Canadian case at the time, you see. and he never asked me to do any actual espionage work. In other words, when he wanted me to go to Japan he asked me to go as a letter drop. Mr. Wheeler. Who were you to forward the communications to; do you recall? Dr. Krieger. Well, it sounds very melodramatic and just like a movie, but he had given me complete instructions as to who, what, when, why when I got there, and after I was to arrive in Japan, after I was there a few days, I was to drop a post card to the Kussian Embassy, and I don't recall offhand what it was to say, but I was to sign it with an "S" and they would know who it was. Then I was to wait, I think it was, another 4 or 5 days after that and go to a certain department store, up to the flower department in that de- partment store and ask for a certain type of flower. There would be a man there who also would be interested in it, and he would come up and talk about it and ask about it, and that is how we would know, and then I was to walk out and he was to walk out and he was my contact. That is all that I knew at the time. Mr. Wheeler. In other words, you were to receive communications from Witczak? Dr. Krieger. No; I was never to contact Witczak once I left the country. Mr. Wheeler. You used the term "mail drop." From whom were you to receive the communications ? Dr. Krieger. That I don't know. All I know is that he told me I was to be a letter drop and that I would get all my instructions from this particular person whom I met in Japan. (At this point Thomas W. Beale, Sr., assistant counsel to the com- mittee, entered the conference room.) Mr. Wheeler. Now, how did Sam Witczak identify himself to you after you got out of the Air Corps ? You say he told you who he was '. I mean, exactly what did he say? Dr. Krieger. Well, all he told me—when he told me what he wanted me to do I asked him what he was or who he was, and he told me he was Sam Witczak but that he was working for the Communist Inter- national at the time. He never wanted any connection between him and the Communist Party. Mr. Wheeler. Do you recall when Witczak left Los Angeles? Dr. Krieger. Well, it was in 1945. I believe it was in September. Mr. Wheeler. Did you have any knowledge of the fact that he was fleeing the country, so to speak?