Howe Says More Proof is Needed Before Communists Are Made Illegal

Outlawing the Communist Party might well be possible, Mark De Wolfe Howe '23, professor law, said yesterday, but its effect would be to "turn Party members into martyrs."

In answer to proposals to outlaw Communism made by former Overseer Charles E. Wysanski, Jr. '27 in the May issue of the Atlantic Monthly, Howe said that more proof was needed before the means of the party could be called unconstitutional.

He agreed, however, that espionage and perjury--the means of the party would be stronger grounds for declaring the Communist illegal than their alleged end: that of incitement to political violence. In the long run, Hows said, a combination of the two criteria might be the answer.

"The Communists all known what they're into by now," Howe went on. Thus if the Party were declared unlawful, its members would "in theory" be guilty of conspiracy.

Howe believes that the loyalty oaths have been unsuccessful as deterrent to Communism. "Less unfair means are needed," be said. "We should be able to tell whether men belong to the Communist party itself, rather than to black listed organization."