Federal Committee Studies Records of Peace Groups

The bank records of two peace groups have been subpoenaed by the House Internal Security Committee and "have revealed some very interesting" and surprising information, Richard H. Ichord (R-Mo.), head of the committee, said yesterday.

The records comprise part of the evidence in the committee's investigation of suspected subversive leaders of peace groups. The committee is presently investigating the National Peace Action Coalition (NPAC) and the People's Coalition for Peace and Justice (PCPJ). Both groups supported the April 24 and Mayday demonstrations in Washington.

Last February the committee subpoenaed the Cambridge Iron and Steel Corporation's bank records and its two founders David L. Landau and Michael Ansara '68. Ansara and Landau are local activists who set up the dummy corporation to channel funds into the movement.

The banks holding the records subpoenaed by the committee failed to notify the owners of the records when the records were surrendered for the House's investigation.

Jerry Gordon, coordinator of NPAC, said, "The first information we had that the committee had subpoenaed our records was in today's hearing, when chairman Ichord revealed that the records were already in his possession.

Ichord refused to reveal the contents of the bank records until later hearings, although he said the Socialist Worker's Party dominates NPAC and the Communist Party USA partly controls PCPJ.