Mr. KRCHMAREK. I decline to answer that question on the grounds given before. Mr. SCHERER. Are you identified with the party today? Mr. KRCHMAREK. I decline to answer that for the same reason. Mr. SCHERER. Were you telling the truth when you told the representative of the Scripps-Howard press that which I just read to you? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. KRCHMAREK. I am in the habit of always telling the truth, but I decline to answer the question put here to me by Mr. Scherer. Mr. SCHERER. Do you deny that you told the representative of the Scripps-Howard press that which I just read to you from the ScrippsHoward paper? Mr. KRCHMAREK. I don't deny giving out statements. I decline to answer the question as posed by the gentleman from Ohio. Mr. SCHERER. Did you give the statement I just read to you from the Scripps-Howard paper? Mr. KRCHMAREK. I decline to answer the question. Mr. ARENS. That will conclude the staff interrogation of this wit ness. The CHAIRMAN. Call the next witness. Mr. ARENS. Charles Musil, please come forward and remain standing while the chairman administers an oath. The CHAIRMAN. Will you raise your right hand? Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. MUSIL. I do. TESTIMONY OF CHARLES MUSIL, ACCOMPANIED BY COUNSEL, Mr. ARENS. Please identify yourself by name, residence and occupation. Mr. MUSIL. Charles Musil, M-u-s-i-1, 417 East 64th Street, New York, New York. Mr. ARENS. You are appearing today in response to a subpena which was served upon you by this committee? Mr. MUSIL. Yes, sir. Mr. ARENS. And you are represented by counsel? Mr. MUSIL. Yes, sir. Mr. ARENS. Counsel, kindly identify yourself. Mr. FORER. Joseph Forer. Mr. ARENS. What is your occupation, please, Mr. Musil? I don't believe you told us. Mr. MUSIL. I decline to answer on the basis of my privilege under the fifth amendment. Mr. ARENS. Do you know the gentleman who just left the witness stand, Anthony Krchmarek? Mr. MUSIL. I decline to answer for the same reason. Mr. ARENS. Are you the owner of Nova Doba? Mr. MUSIL. I am not. Mr. ARENS. Have you been the owner of Nova Doba? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I decline to answer on the same reasons. Mr. ARENS. We display to you now, if you please, sir, photostatic reproductions of statements required under the postal laws to be filed by certain publications, in which your name appears as one-time editor-one-time owner, over the course of the last several years, up to the late 1950's, of Nova Doba. Kindly look at those documents and tell this committee whether or not they bear your signature and a correct identification of yourself as the owner and editor of Nova Doba. (The document was handed to the witness.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reasons as stated before. (Documents marked "Musil Exhibit No. 1" and retained in committee files.) Mr. ARENS. When and where were you born? Mr. MUSIL. December 19, 1900, in Czechoslovakia. Mr. MUSIL. 1900. Mr. ARENS. When did you come to the United States for permanent residence? Mr. MUSIL. 1921. Mr. ARENS. Are you a citizen of the United States? Mr. MUSIL. Yes. Mr. ARENS. By derivation or naturalization? Mr. MUSIL. By naturalization. Mr. ARENS. When and where were you naturalized? Mr. MUSIL. 1927; in New York. Mr. ARENS. Were you a member of the Communist Party at the time you were naturalized as a citizen of the United States? Mr. FORER. Mr. Arens, are you aware of the fact that Mr. Musil testified here before on November 13, 1956, and was asked that identical question? Mr. ARENS. Yes; I am. Were you a member of the Communist Party at the time you were naturalized as a citizen of the United States? Mr. MUSIL. I decline to answer for the same reasons stated before. Mr. ARENS. Mr. Musil, some time ago there was a man by the name of Col. Frantisek Tisler who had been the military attaché of the Czechoslovak Embassy. He broke from that apparatus, and at a time and place which cannot be revealed on a public record, he testified before this committee. In the course of his testimony he swore as follows: In January 1956 Musil whom he identifies in a previous paragraph as Charles Musil— had several meetings with Ambassador Petrzelká and, during the course of these meetings, furnished the Ambassador with information related to Krchmarek's status and difficulties. Is that testimony true? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. FORER. Would you read that again? Mr. ARENS (reading): In January 1956 Musil had several meetings with Ambassador Petrzelka and during the course of these meetings, furnished the Ambassador with informa tion related to Krchmarek's status and difficulties. Mr. ARENS. Did you meet with Ambassador Petrzelka in 1956? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reason as stated before. Mr. ARENS. Did you have several meetings with Ambassador Petrzelka in 1956? Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reasons. Mr. ARENS. In what respect is the testimony which I have just read to you in error? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. FORER. Refuse to answer that. It is an unfair question. Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reasons stated before. Mr. ARENS. It certainly is a fair question. I asked him in what respect it is not true. Mr. FORER. But when you ask him that, then you are asking in what respect it is true. Mr. ARENS. Did you act as an intermediary between Ambassador Petrzelka and Anthony Krchmarek in 1956 or thereabouts? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. SCHERER. Did you act as an intermediary with any other member of the Communist Party connected with the Czech Embassy? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. SCHERER. Did you act as an intermediary between Krchmarek and any member of the Communist Party in any respect? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. SCHERER. Did you have any conversations with any member of the Communist Party at or about this time with reference to Krchmarek? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. ARENS. Have you, in the course of the last 5 years, been in contact with the Czechoslovak Foreign Institute in Czechoslovakia? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. ARENS. Have you received from the Czechoslovak Foreign Institute in Czechoslovakia in the course of the last 5 years material of any kind or description? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reason I stated before. Mr. ARENS. Have you been in direct contact with the Czechoslovak Embassy in Washington any time in the course of the last 3 years? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reasons stated before. Mr. ARENS. Do you know Ambassador Petrzelka? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. MUSIL. I refuse to answer for the same reasons stated before. Mr. ARENS. Have you, at any time, had any of your expenses paid y any person known by you to be an official or connected with the zechoslovak Embassy in Washington? Mr. MUSIL. No. Mr. ARENS. Have you had any of your expenses paid by any person nown by you to be in direct connection with the Czechoslovak Govnment? |