Velde Committee Names M. Singer

The Velde House Un-American Activities Committee cited for Contempt of Congress Marcus Singer, a former assistant professor of Anatomy at the Medical School, according to the Cornell Daily Sun.

Testifying before the Committee last May, Singer had admitted belonging to a Marxist discussion group here at the University, while doing graduate work in the early 1940's. He refused to name any of his associates for the committee, however, on the grounds of his "honor and conscience" and of the Fifth Amendment. The citation was a result of these refusals.

During his testimony, Singer had denied ever being a card-carrying member of the Communist Party. He stated that he considered himself a Communist, but not one who believed in the violent overthrow of the government, or the following of direct orders from the Kremlin.

Singer taught at the Medical School until 1951, when he left to join the teaching staff at Cornell University. He is presently professor of Zoology.