Furry Hearing Excerpts

Transcript of the secret testimony of Wendell H. Furry, associate professor of Physics, before the McCarthy investigating committee was revealed early this morning in a copyrighted story by the Boston Post.

The transcript shows that Furry answered that he did not discuss secret work with anyone he believed to be an espionage agent. He further said he did not know of any Harvard professors who were communists.

But he refused to answer whether he had discussed secret data with "anyone known... to be a communist." He also refused to divulge whether he had over attempted to influence students in communist philosophy, or towards the party or whether he was a communist while he was working on secret radar work at M.I.T.

Excerpts from the testimony: (made under oath):

(Furry first explained his connections from 1943 to 1945 with the M.I.T. radiation laboratories and admitted he did have access to classified material.)

The chairman (Sen. McCarthy): "Were you then a member of the Communist Party?"

Mr. Furry: "On the grounds that this is irrelevant to the purpose of the committee to investigate my associations and beliefs and my rights under the First Amendment and my privileges under the Fifth Amendment, I refuse to answer that question."

(After a lengthy exchange, Furry stated that an answer to the question would tend to incriminate him. The questioning then led through his work and whether he knew of espionage agents concerning it.)

The chairman: "Did you know of any-one who was removing classified material from the laboratory and giving that material either to espionage agents or any other personnel who were not authorized to receive it?"

Mr. Furry: "I did not, sir, and I would like to add a factual statement to that. That I have never had any connection with espionage or plans for espionage my-self, and I have never known of any other person having any connection with such things.

The chairman: "Did you ever engage in any illegal activities of any kind in violation of any law, to your knowledge, in connection with communists or the communist party?"

Mr. Furry: "I decline to answer that on the same constitutional grounds, except as stated in the last answer."

(Furry then continued to point out that he never removed any classified information from the M.I.T. laboratories except for "a document classified restricted, which as you know is the lowest brand of classification, and I would of course be entitled to remove that at any time for my own study... I took a copy of it home. I was told the next day by my group leader that had been improper that I should wait until the time it was made available, as it was later.")

The chairman: "With the exception of this one document, marked restricted, did you ever take home any document marked confidential or secret?"

Mr. Furry: "Certainly not to my memory."

(Questions about where material was located followed.)

The chairman: "Did you ever discuss radar, or your work with anyone known to be a communist?"

(Here Furry conferred with his lawyer, Osmund Fraenkel.) He declined to answer, but said "I never discussed the work outside the laboratory." Later he amplified this answer.

The chairman: "Did you ever discuss classified work with anyone whom you had reason to believe might be an espionage agent."

Mr. Furry: "No, sir."

(Furry continued to say he knew nothing about the present nature of membership in the party: that he has not been a member since March 1, 1951.)

The chairman: "Did you ever try to indoctrinate your students in the Communist philosophy?"

Mr. Furry: "I refuse to answer that, sir, on the same grounds."

(He also would not answer whether he had solicited his students to join the party, or whether communist meetings were held in his home. But he did answer the following question:)

The chairman: "Do you know any professors teaching at Harvard who are members of the Communist party?"

Mr. Furry: "As of the present, I will answer that I do not."

(Questions about President Pusey's alleged "disinterest" followed.)

The chairman: "As far as you know, he has expressed no interest in whether or not you were a member of the Communist party? As far as you know?..."

Mr. Furry: I believe this is completely Irrelevant to the purpose of the committee. The answer is 'no'.'"

(After questions about the details of the Corporation investigation, Furry said he did not believe in the communist system, and that "my beliefs on many subjects, including this, have gone through changes."

(The testimony concludes with hypothetical questions asking Furry if mere knowledge and non-reporting of knowledge that information was leaking out would be treason. Furry refused to answer.)