Benjamin Mandel
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Mandel AKA "Bert Miller" was a New York city school teacher and activist who later became a director of research for the House Un-American Activities Committee
and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee
.
in 1920. In 1925 he resigned his position as a teacher to work full time for the party.
In 1930 Miller left the Lovestone group to go into the Conference for Progressive Labor Action
.
into the presence of Communist teachers in New York schools. He spent two years with the State department handling "security."
In 1947, he returned to the HUAC to assist the committee in the Hiss
-Chambers
case.
In 1951 he became research director in the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, and stayed in that position until his retirement in 1967.
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee
United States Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security
The Special Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws, 1951-77, more commonly known as the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee and sometimes the McCarran Committee, was authorized under S...
.
Background
Born in New York in 1887 Mandel was a New York schoolteacher who, as "Bert Miller," joined the Communist PartyCommunist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in 1920. In 1925 he resigned his position as a teacher to work full time for the party.
Communist years
Mandel eventually became Organization Secretary for the New York district and business manager for The Daily Worker. He was also elected to the organizations Central Committee at its Fifth congress in 1927, and re-elected as a "candidate member" at its Sixth convention in March 1929. Later that year he was expelled with a group of party leaders known at the Lovestoneites.In 1930 Miller left the Lovestone group to go into the Conference for Progressive Labor Action
Conference for Progressive Labor Action
The Conference for Progressive Labor Action was a left wing American political organization established in May 1929 by A. J. Muste, director of Brookwood Labor College. The organization was established to promote industrial unionism and to work for reform of the American Federation of Labor...
.
Anti-communist years
By the later 1930s he had become a dedicated anti-communist, and as "Benjamin Mandel," served as the research director for the Dies Committee for 1939-1945, and worked with the New York legislature during the Rapp-Courdert inquiryRapp-Coudert Committee
The Rapp-Coudert Committee was the colloquial name of the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate the Educational System of the State of New York — a committee of the New York State Legislature. The Rapp-Coudert Committee, which conducted its business from 1940 to 1942, sought to identify the...
into the presence of Communist teachers in New York schools. He spent two years with the State department handling "security."
In 1947, he returned to the HUAC to assist the committee in the Hiss
Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer. He was involved in the establishment of the United Nations both as a U.S. State Department and U.N. official...
-Chambers
Whittaker Chambers
Whittaker Chambers was born Jay Vivian Chambers and also known as David Whittaker Chambers , was an American writer and editor. After being a Communist Party USA member and Soviet spy, he later renounced communism and became an outspoken opponent later testifying in the perjury and espionage trial...
case.
In 1951 he became research director in the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, and stayed in that position until his retirement in 1967.
See also
- Jay LovestoneJay LovestoneJay Lovestone was at various times a member of the Socialist Party of America, a leader of the Communist Party USA, leader of a small oppositionist party, an anti-Communist and Central Intelligence Agency helper, and foreign policy advisor to the leadership of the AFL-CIO and various unions...
- Whittaker ChambersWhittaker ChambersWhittaker Chambers was born Jay Vivian Chambers and also known as David Whittaker Chambers , was an American writer and editor. After being a Communist Party USA member and Soviet spy, he later renounced communism and became an outspoken opponent later testifying in the perjury and espionage trial...
- Alger HissAlger HissAlger Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer. He was involved in the establishment of the United Nations both as a U.S. State Department and U.N. official...
- House Un-American Activities CommitteeHouse Un-American Activities CommitteeThe House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
- Senate Internal Security SubcommitteeUnited States Senate Subcommittee on Internal SecurityThe Special Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws, 1951-77, more commonly known as the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee and sometimes the McCarran Committee, was authorized under S...
- Communist Party of the United States of America