How Communists Operate: An Interview with J. Edgar Hoover

A Absolutely. The Communists, by their very nature, are conspiratorial. They operate under a cloak of deceit. Communism can be defeated by an alert and aroused public opinion, conscious of the evils of Marxist-Leninist chicanery. The newspapers and magazines, the radio and television, by informing the nation of the true character of Communism, are rendering invaluable services.

I would never fear Communism in America if all Communists were out in the open, peddling their wares in the market place of free speech and thought. But they are not. We cannot meet them on an even basis. They are working behind the masquerade of hypocrisy. For this reason America must be vigilant to recognize Communism for what it actually is—a malicious evil which would destroy this nation.

Q Do you believe that public exposures through congressional committees, when properly safeguarded to avoid implication of innocent parties, could be helpful in drawing public attention to instances and episodes involving espionage and other Communist activity?

A With the laws of libel and slander militantly used by subversives, exposures under oath, with safeguards to protect the innocent, are necessary. A private citizen or even a great metropolitan daily paper does not have the facilities to make the investigations. Hence, many exposures can be made only through an official investigating committee possessing the power of subpoena with persuasive facilities such as laws covering perjury and the power to cite for contempt.

Q Are there any suggestions you can make as to how the public can detect Communists and report them to the FBI?

A A Communist is not always easy to identify. He is trained in deceit and uses cleverly camouflaged movements to conceal his real purposes. But he may frequently be detected by certain common characteristics. He will always espouse the cause of Soviet Russia over that of the United States. His viewpoint and position will shift with each change in the Communist Party "line." He will utilize a language of "double talk"—referring to the Soviet-dominated countries as "democracies" and complain that the United States is "imperialistic." He will attempt to infiltrate and gain control of organizations and subvert them to the use of the party.

My advice to the public is this:

Be alert to the dangers of Communism. Report your information immediately and fully to the FBI. Avoid reporting malicious gossip or idle rumor. The FBI is interested in receiving facts. Don't attempt to make private investigations. Leave that to trained investigators. Don't circulate rumors about subversive activities or draw conclusions from information you furnish to the FBI.