Kamin Disclaims Knowledge Of McCarthy Probe Subject

Leon J. Kamin '48 took the stand at his contempt of Congress trial yesterday and testified he had never been informed of the reason Senator Joseph R. McCarthy called him before his Investigations Subcommittee in January 1954.

He said he knew of no conversation between McCarthy and defense counsel Calvin P. Bartlett about the subject of the hearing. McCarthy testified three weeks ago that Kamin heard such a conversation before the hearing.

He contradicted McCarthy's statement that he had been present in the hearing room when the subject of the hearing was announced.

Kamin was the final defense witness, and after his testimony was completed yesterday the defense rested its case. Judge Bailey Aldrich '28 must still pass on several defense motions. He will probably do so when the trial resumes Monday. The Judge has not yet listened to the tape recordings admitted to evidence yesterday. He is expected to hear the tapes, which are the property of the Corporation, Monday.

Prepared Statement

Judge Aldrich upheld government objections to any testimony about the general conditions at the Jan. 1954 public hearing and struck it from the record. The defense had asked Kamin and another witness about the crowd in the hearing room, and the presence of bright television lights. Aldrich held the testimony failed to prove that the conditions affected Kamin's "function as a normal witness."

In its cross-examination the government asked about his prepared statement explaining his reason for refusing to discuss his former Communist associates. Prosecuting attorney John M. Harrington, Jr. '43, attempted to show that the statement indicated Kamin knew the purpose of the inquiry.

Kamin Confused

Kamin answered that he had worded the statement carefully, but that prior to the hearing he had only a "strong surmise" as to McCarthy's reason for summoning him. He said he had presumed "the Senator's primary interest was in my relation to Harvard University."

Harrington also asked Kamin whether the statement did not indicate that he would refuse to tell any Congressional committee about his former Communist associates. Kamin replied, "To be honest, I just don't know." He added he made his decision not to answer in response to the specific circumstances of the hearing.