Speech #850211296

Mr. Speaker. much has been said and much has been written about the sudden deportation of William Heikkila of San Francisco to his native Finland for being a part of the Communist conspiracy in the United States. I believe it Is time that this case Is brought into proper perspective. remembering that Heikkila has never proved his right to citizenship in his 52 years in the United States. Perhaps the best way to bring this case into the sharp focus of our times when Communists are undermining the historic relationship between our country and Latin America by threatening the lives of Vice President and Mrs. Richard Nixon on their goodwill tour is to cite at this point editorials from three newspapers. On Thursday. April 24. 1958. the San Francisco Examiner said. in part. editorially: The Immigration Service asked the United States attorieys office whether a legal restraint was pending. was told there was none. then carried out its swift deportation10 years. 3 months. and 18 days after it had started deportation proceedings. * * * We repeat that the Service erred grossly in the manner of handling the Heikkila case. Had it. within hours of Heikkilas deportation. supplied the public with the full facts reviewed above and with legal basis for acting the storm never would have blown up. From my own inquiry as a member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration. I wholeheartedly agree with the Examiners viewpoint. Then on Saturday. April 26. 1958. the Peoples World. the Communist newspaper published in San Francisco. clamored editorially for: A noholdsbarred Congressional investigation of the Immigration Service. Immediate dismissal of Bruce Barber. San Francisco Immigration director. and all others directly responsible for the Heikkila outrage. Repeal or revision of the WalterMcCarran ActWhich was termed in the editorial "infamous." You will note. that not once did the Communist Peoples World in its high state of indignation call for a Congressional investigation of its fellow traveler. William Heikkila. Then on May 7. 1958. the Oakland Tribune had this to say. in part. editorially: The debate about the manner in which Heikkila was picked up. placed aboard a Government plane. held overnight In Canada. then put aboard a plane for Finland no doubt will continue. * * * The findings by Representative HILLINGS will not still the loud voices of those. who have design to aid special purposes rather than those interested chiefly in democratic processes and fair treatment * * * the full story of the Heikkila case has not yet been told. * * * When it is. the probability exists that. justification other than that voiced by Representative HILLINOS for the Immigration Service also will be revealed. Like many Americans I was concerned by the allegation that Heikkila had been arrested by Immigration officers and hustled out of the country in the dead of night without being given the opportunity to contact his wife or attorney. Upon inquiry I am convinced that Heikkila had every opportunity to place a call to his wife or his attorney but. instead. he chose to tell a coworker at his place of employment who happened to be passing by at the time of his arrest by Immigration officers to call his wife to tell her that he had been taken into custody by these officers as a result of a deportation order that had been outstanding for almost 11 years. I emphasize that after almost 11 years of litigation over this deportation order. Heikkila was aware of his rights at the time he was apprehended by Immigration officers. If he had wanted to call his wife or his attorney he would have been allowed to do so. As the result of inquiry requested by my distinguished chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration. the Honorable FRANCIS WALTER. of Pennsylvania. I am convinced that the Immigration Service moved on absolutely legal grounds and was guilty only of faulty public relations. I am so reporting to Mr. WALTER in a personal summary of my findings recently in San Francisco. I talked to Bruce Barber. the director who was maligned by the Communist Peoples World. and I found him to be of the highest type of public servant. a man who is dedicated not only to his important job but to his country. There is no more loyal and patriotic American than Bruce Barber. There is no doubt in my mind that the Communists seized upon the initial public shock of Heikkilas swift deportation to make a "cause celebre" of this case to suit their own selfish. vicious purpose. It was not pointed out during the public outcry attendant to the Heikkila deportation that as late as December 1956. he took refuge behind the fifth amendment in refusing to answer a House UnAmerican Activities Subcommittee sitting at San Francisco on the question of whether he was or is a member of the Communist Party. Yet. Heikkila has been quoted by newsmen as saying that he left the party in 1939 since his return from Finland. During the course of the subcommittees questioning of Heikkila. he resorted to the 1st or 5th amendments or both 20 times on questions relating to his connection with the Communist Party and as to whether he had applied for naturalization and as to whether he has ever left the United States since he came to Minnesota with his parents from Finland at the age of 21/2 months. This is a matter of public record. The full story of the strange case of William Heikkila has not been told. I predict that evidence will be turned up within a matter of weeks. possibly days. that will give an entirely new light to the William Heikkila case and fully justify his immediate deportation as a threat to the security of our country. I further am convinced that this new development which is expected to break momentarily will shock and astound even those innocents who have been bewitched by the case and now are defending this poor. defenseless alien. Atomic Energy Commissions Physical Research Program