Speech Before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, a machine-readable edition
Hoover, J. Edgar (1895-1972)
edited by
Stephen Underhill
2007
Voices of Democracy
Voices of Democracy: The U. S. Oratory Project
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University of Maryland,
College Park, MD 21774
USA
Brief notes on the text are included in the editorial
declaration of this header.
Hoover, J. Edgar. “The Communist Menace.” In Bills to Curb or Outlaw the Communist Party of the United States. part 2, United States House Committee on Un-American Activities, 80th Congress, 1st sess., March 26, 1947. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office: 33-50. [=A]
Hoover, J. Edgar. “The Communist Menace.” College Park, MD: National Archives, 1947. Audio CD. [=B]
Hoover, J. Edgar. “Menace of Communism; Statement of J. Edgar Hoover Before the Committee on Un-American activities, House of Representatives, March 26, 1947, Relative to [the] Menace of Communism.” Washington, D.C., Library of Congress. Audience Program [=C]
The copy-text is Hoover 1947 (=A), the congressional record of the delivered speech. This selection was chosen because it is the only complete version of the speech. (=B) excludes the question and answer session following the speech and is interrupted by two commercial breaks. (=C) was created prior to delivery, thus neglects improvisations and committee dialogue.
Hoover 1947 (=A) was crosschecked with (=B) to highlight deviations.
Indications of any revisions to the copy text (usually minor word changes) are addressed in the notes below.
The text of this edition has been thoroughly checked and proofread. All double quotations are rendered with “, all single quotations with an apostrophe ‘. This copy-text is not subject to end-of-line hyphenation. Paragraph numbers have been added in square brackets.
Standard date values are given in ISO form: yyyy-mm-dd.
Characteristics of interpretation of this edition are as follows:
Proper names are not marked.
Dates are not marked.
Emphasis is marked without interpretation.
Departures from the copy-text and general editorial procedures (reference numbers specify paragraph in which the departure occurs):
11 the Communist Party B: the party A
60 American Youth for Democracy B: AYD A
60 Young Communist League B: YCL A
Additional differences between version A and B. Version A is reflected in the copy text:
2 diabolic A: diabolical B
3 The Role of the FBI A: omitted B
3 The FBI has been charged A: The FBI has been specifically charged B
3 officers to A: officers of the nation to B
4 not establish policies A: not establish the policies B
7 The arrests when made A: The arrests made when made
7 will understand A: will therefore understand B
8 The Communist Party A: Now this concerning the Communist Party B
8 Communist Party of the United States A: that party B
9 basic tactics A: basic tenets and tactics B
13 As such, it stands for the destruction of our American form of government; it stands for the destruction of American Democracy; it stands for the destruction of free enterprise; and it stands for the creation of a ‘Soviet of the United States’ and ultimate world revolution A: As such, it stands for the destruction of our American form of government; it stands for the destruction of free enterprise; and it stands for the creation of a ‘Soviet of the United States’ and ultimate world revolution B
14 establishment of socialism.’ A: establishment of socialism.’ That is their specific language B
15 To the uninformed person it bespeaks A: To the uninformed person, and to the gullible, it bespeaks B
19 Party Found Illegal A: omitted B
26 in America A: in this country B
27 Strength of the Party A: omitted B
27 the leadership A: the communist leadership B
29 Herein lays the greatest menace of communism. A: Herein lays in my estimation the greatest menace of communism.
29 Weigh A: gauge B
31 ‘shall be considered a member’ A: ‘shall,’ according to the party’s constitution, ‘be considered a member’ B
31 The open, avowed communist who carries a card and pays dues is not different from a security standpoint than the person who does the party’s work but pays no dues, carries no card, and is not on the party rolls. In fact, the latter is a greater menace because of his opportunity to work in stealth. A: The open, avowed communist who carries a card and pays no dues, from a security standpoint that is, is just as dangerous, and probably more so, though, than the person who does the party’s work but who pays no dues, carries no card, and is not on the party rolls. In fact, in the matter of security from the point of view of investigative activity and the security of this country I consider that the latter is a greater menace because of his opportunity to work in stealth.
33 Propaganda Activities A: Now I shall deal with some of their propaganda activities B
proclaimed: A: proclaimed, I quote B
38 Correspondence campaigns A: Now I shall deal with some of their techniques. First,
39 Radio A: Now as to the radio B
40 Motion pictures A: Next, the motion pictures B
42 Some producers and radio heads A: Some producers and a few studio heads B
Infiltration A: Now in regards to the infiltration of communists into labor organizations B
53 6,493 A: 6,193 B
53 influence. A: influence and control B
59 with high sounding A: with equally high sounding B
61 AYD A: American Youth for Democracy B
61 AYD A: American Youth for Democracy B
64 National Defense A: Now, in concluding, I want to comment upon some aspects that I feel are very close to the homes and the hearts of us all B
70 concluded, A: concluded, I quote B
70 God help us all!’ A: God help us all!’ End of quotation B
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Library of Congress Classification
26 March 1947
U.S. Captol
Washington, D.C.
English
Socialism
Communism
Anarchism
HX83
2006-04-25
VOD Associate Editor
Gaines, Robert N.
Created TEI header and xml conformant file. Validated on 25 March 2006 in XMetal 3.1.3 against teixlite.dtd (version 2004-07-16)
2007-04-26
editor
Underhill, Stephen
data entry and proof-reading of electronic copy-text
2007-04
editor
Underhill, Stephen
collation of electronic copy-text with other versions