Group Infers Present Cell From Furry's Query Balk

Answers given by Associate Professor of Physics Wendell H. Furry before the House Un-American Activities Committee Wednesday left the impression with the committee that there is a Communist cell presently in operation at Harvard, a ranking member told the CRIMSON yesterday.

Representative Bernard W. Kearney of New York, second ranking Republican on the committee, yesterday said the group felt "the only way Harvard's name can be cleared is for Furry to come down again and testify that there is no cell there now." He denied an earlier report that the committee would demand Furry come to Washington.

Contacted last night, Furry said, "I don't want to go to Washington again. I'm tired."

New Investigation Denied

Kearney also denied a report yesterday that committee investigators will be sent here within the next few weeks to follow up leads developed in the recent hearings and to seek new witnesses and information on the alleged pre-war University cell.

The report said the "corps of investigators" will probe "post-war infiltration by the Communist Party in Massachusetts schools and colleges."

Kearney said the inference that there is a Communist cell here now was drawn only from Furry's refusal to answer a question on this point. The congressman stated his last question to Furry was, "Is there now a Communist cell at Harvard?" Kearney said the professor answered, "I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me."

Furry commented yesterday, "I can well see how the committee might draw these inferences from by testimony. The fact remains that I did not intend to withhold any information." He said he will consult on further statements with Professor Arthur E. Sutherland of the Law School, head of an advisory legal committee recently set up to Counsel University professors called in congressional Red probes.

"Made Food of Himself"

Commenting on Furry's statement in a press conference Thursday that he was not a member of the Communist Party, Kearney asked, "Why the hell didn't he say it before the committee?"

"Professor Furry didn't impress me as an honest witness," Kearney added. "He remembered only those things he wanted to remember." In refusing to answer so many questions. "Furry made a fool of himself," Kearney said.

"If he would only come down and testify for the official record that he is not a Communist the committee would be glad to hear him. We can't demand that he return, but if he wants to we will cooperate with him in every way."

Kearney placed much of the blame for Furry's "damned fool answers" on the professor's attorney, Joseph Forer. He said, "Forer has represented a lot of these chaps before the committee and told them all to refuse to answer."

"If these people would only come forward and answer right out instead of hiding behind the fifth amendment, things would be much simpler," he went on.

Kearney said that as far as he know the committee was turough, at least temporarily, with its hearings on the pre-war Red cell. He said he know of no plans to call more witnesses on this phase of the committee's probe. Yesterday, the group met in executive session and was concerned with other matters.