EXHIBIT No. 8 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES, Mr. ROBERT B. BARKER, Senior Investigator, Special Committee on Un-American Activities, DEAR BARKER: You have been employed by the special committee since February 16, 1939, as senior investigator and field representative, at a salary of $4,200 per annum. Now that you are leaving the committee to assist Judge Cox in the Federal Communications Commission investigation, I want to give you this letter of commendation. You have made investigations for the special committee in Canada, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Delaware, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico. I want to thank you particularly and express the appreciation of myself and the special committee for the excellent work you did in the William Dudley Pelley-Silver Shirt Legion case, the Gilbert-Campbell-McWhirter-Deatherage antisemitic case, the German-American Bund investigation in New Jersey, the Kyffhauser Bund in Philadelphia, the Christian Front in Boston, the Kenvil explosion, sabotage in Sun Ship, the Ku Klux Klan, the Bethlehem strike disturbances, Nazi and Communists in Philadelphia Navy Yard, the Communist Party of Pennsylvania, and the American League for Peace and Democracy in Washington and Chicago. My best wishes go with you for continued success in your new undertaking. (Signed) MARTIN DIES, Chairman. Hon. E. E. Cox, M. C. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., March 25, 1943. Chairman, Special Committee Investigating the FCC, 1104 House Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR GENE: I am informed you are considering the application of Mr. Robert Barker as an investigator for your special committee. Barker has been with the Special Committee Investigating Un-American and Subversive Activities for several years. I find Mr. Barker to be a very able, conscientious, and thorough investigator. He investigated the alleged Klan-German-American Bund Alliance in the New Jersey area, the TVA, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Southern Conference on Human Welfare for the subcommittee which I acted as chairman. I found his work to be satisfactory and of high order. I have no hesitation in recommending Mr. Barker to you and your committee as an efficient and competent investigator. Sincerely, your friend, JS: mb. (Signed) Joe Starnes, (Typed) JOE STARNES, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Mr. ROBERT BARKER, Washington, D. C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., March 15, 1944. DEAR MR. BARKER: Now that you are no longer a member of the investigative force of the Special, Committee To Investigate Un-American Activities, of which I am a member, I would be remiss if I did not express to you in writing my appreciation for the excellent work which you did for our committee. 98078-47-55 You and I were brought together on a number of different occasions, so I had full opportunity to witness your splendid work. One of the best jobs which you ever did was the investigation of the GermanAmerican Bund Camp at Nordland, N. J. Likewise your presentation before the subcommittee at Newark of the facts discovered by you at that camp. Your investigation of Nordland probably had more to do with its closing than any other thing; your investigation of the cause of the explosion of the Hercules Powder Co., at Kenvil, N. J., was also very thorough. I was on the scene of that explosion immediately after it took place, and I had occasion to witness the investigations made by the various agencies of the Government, and frankly, you seemed to get more information than did any of the others. I could go on and write many other favorable things, but this is just enough to demonstrate the high regard which I have for you, personally and for your ability, as both an investigator and counselor. Hoping that fate will bring us together again some time, and with best wishes for the future, I am, with best personal regards Sincerely, (Signed) J. PARNELL THOMAS, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, To Whom It May Concern: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., March 24, 1943. This letter is written for the purpose of stating that I have been acquainted for the past 5 years with Robert H. Barker and have had the opportunity to observe very intimately his work as an investigator and his character as a man. I have been a member of the Committee on Un-American Activities of the House of Representatives, by which committee he was employed up until January of 1943. Mr. Barker is in deadly earnest about his work. He is thorough and efficient, and he has one of the most remarkable memories that I have ever come in contact with. Anyone who has been acquainted with him cannot fail to be impressed also by his deep earnestness, sincere patriotism and desire to be of maximum possible service to the best interests of this country. He performs his work without fear or favor. He is unprejudiced in his point of view and in his chosen line of work would be invaluable to any agency which might see fit to employ him. EXHIBIT No. 9 (Signed) Jerry Voorhis. (Typed) JERRY VOORHIS. TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY OFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Mr. John F. Pierce, Director, Office Service Department. Date: April 21, 1939. Subject: Notice of leave from duty. In accordance with our conversation of today, this will notify you that ef fective at once you are relieved and granted leave from your duties and responsibilities as Director of the Office Service Department during the period in which investigation of certain problems arising out of your departmental fune tions will be carried on. This office will designate by appropriate announcement an Acting Director of the Department who will take over in your absence al duties and responsibilities which accrue to your office. John B. Blandford, Jr.. CC to Dr. H. A. Morgan Mr. David E. Lilienthal TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY OFFICE OF THE GENERAL MANAGER ADMINISTRATIVE MEMORANDUM No. 79-0 April 24, 1939 Charles E. Lex has been designated Acting Director of the Office Service Department to succeed Mr. John F. Pierce during an indefinite grant of leave from duty. Mr. Lex will assume his duties immediately. APRIL 25th, 1929. Mr. JOHN B. BLANDFORD, Jr., General Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority, Union Street, City. DEAR SIR: Under date of April 21, 1939, you gave to me notice of leave from duty effective at once from the duties and responsibilities as director of the office service department during the period in which investigation of certain problems arising out of my departmental functions is carried on, Under and pursuant to Employees relationship policy of Tennessee Valley Authority as published in pamphlet form, and approved August 28th, 1935, Section 16 provides as follows: "Supervisors may for just cause terminate the service of any employee under their supervision, and such termination shall separate the employee from pay status. In so doing, the supervisor shall state the cause for termination in writing. A copy of the written notice stating such cause shall be sent to the Personnel Division and to the employee upon request. No employee shall be discharged from the Authority, however, without the approval of the Personnel Division subsequent to a fair hearing if requested by the employee, or his representative within ten days of the effective date of termination." In accordance with the provisions of this section, I respectfully insist that you furnish me at once a written bill of particulars of the charges which are being preferred against me, this bill of particulars to set forth in detail each and every charge upon which the Authority will rely when this matter comes on for hearing before such parties as you may designate to hear and determine the matters in controversy. I respectfully insist upon my rights as provided in Section 16 hereinbefore referred to, which accords me the right of a fair hearing within ten days of the effective date of termination. Just as soon after receipt of the written bill of particulars as I can conveniently do so, I will be ready for this hearing, until which time it is my insistence that my status remain unchanged. I have engaged the law firm of Testerman, Ambrose & Badgett to represent me at this hearing, and I will thank you to forward them also a copy of the bill of particulars against me. Yours very truly, BHT:B. TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, Mr. JOHN F. PIERCE, 2131 North Broadway, Knoxville, Tennessee. DEAR MR. PIERCE: This will acknowledge your letter of April 25 in which you raise a question as to the applicability of paragraph 16 of the Employee Relationship Policy of the Board to the action taken by this office in relieving you from your official duties. My memorandum to you under date of April 21, 1939, to which your letter refers, was not a notice of termination of your services. Your status at the present time is made quite clear in that memorandum. You will note that paragraph 16 applies only in those instances where termination action is taken and therefore has no bearing upon your status at the present time. In the event further investigation should lead to action by this office recommending termination of your services by the Board of Directors, you would have every right under the policies of the Board to request a hearing in appeal from my recommendation. Until and unless such action is recommended by my office, paragraph 16 clearly does not apply. In view of your letter I am instructing Mr. Clapp to proceed at once with the investigation of matters which may have a bearing upon your status. Very truly yours, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, APRIL 27, 1939. Mr. JOHN B. BLANDFORD, Jr., General Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority, Union Street, Knoxville, Tennesee. DEAR MR. BLANDFORD: I desire to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 26, It would appear from your letter that I was mistaken in the construction placed upon your office memorandum to me under date of April 21, in which you stated, "you are relieved and granted leave from your duties and responsibilities as Director of the Office Service Department during the period in which investiga tion of certain problems arising out of your departmental functions will be carried on." Under date of April 25, after having consulted counsel in regard to my rights, I wrote you, requesting a bill of particulars setting out the charges, if any, which were being made against me and calling your attention to the fact that I thereby requested a fair hearing as provided for by the regulations of the Authority. Your letter of April 26 states that until your office recommends termination of my service, Paragraph 16 of the Employee Relationship Policy of T. V. A. does not apply, and further states that no notice of termination of my services has been given. From these communications, it therefore appears: 1. That I continue to hold the postiion of Director of the Office Service Department, with full pay status, and the period during which you are conducting the investigation will not be charged against my accumulated leave unless and until I receive notice of termination of employment. 2. That upon the completion of your investigation, I will be furnished a full bill of particulars setting forth all charges which you will make. 3. That upon receipt of said bill of particulars, I will be allowed a reasonable time within which to prepare and present my defense at a fair hearing before an impartial tribunal, with a right to receive a copy of the record of such hearing. I trust and presume that for the best interests of all and the good of the service, your investigation will be prosecuted diligently and completed within a reasonable time, as you yourself can understand that this sudden action has practically left me suspended in midair, as it were. I will be available at any time that you desire to see me, and you may get in touch with me at my home or through my attorneys, Messrs. Testerman, Ambrose & Badgett. With kindest regards, I am JOHN F. PIERCE, Director of Office Service Dept., Tennessee Valley Authority. wla.def TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, Knoxville, Tennessee, April 28, 1939. Mr. JOHN F. PIERCE, c/o Testerman, Ambrose and Badgett, Burwell Building, Knoxville, Tennessee. DEAR MR. PIERCE: This is in response to your letter of April 27. I had assumed that it was clear to you that effective on the date of my memorandum to you of April 21 you would be on official annual leave and would remain in that status until you resumed your official duties or experienced some further change in your status. Your request, however, that your absence from official duty by action of this office not be counted as annual leave, during the course of investigation and unless the investigation resulted in your termination, is granted. If it is later concluded that the period beginning April 21 is to be counted as annual leave for some other reason, I will notify you. Very truly yours, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, General Manager. MAY 9, 1939. Dr. H. A. MORGAN, Chairman, Board of Directors, Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, Tennessee. DEAR MR. MORGAN: This morning, Mr. Ben H. Testerman and I were in your office to see you in regard to Mr. John F. Pierce, Office Service Director of the Tennessee Valley Authority. We were received by your receptionist, Mr. Hathcote, who announced our presence to your Junior Administrative Assistant, Mr. Rose. Mr. Rose greeted us and announced our presence to you. Upon the return of Mr. Rose, he advised us that you were exceedingly busy and would be unable to discuss the case of Mr. Pierce because of the press of important matters. Upon inquiry, Mr. Rose advised that you probably would not be available for an interview until Saturday morning or Monday. Upon our request for a definite appointment, Mr. Rose stated that he would rather that we attempt to see you at some other time when you were not so busy. We then suggested that possibly we should see one of the other two Directors of the T. V. A., either Mr. Lilienthal or Senator Pope. Mr. Rose then advised us that we were at liberty to call at their offices but that they would be too busy to see us also, and started to make the suggestion that we contact Mr. Clapp, Director of Personnel, but withdrew the suggestion and advised us that Mr. Clapp would also be too busy. The purpose of our visit, of course, was to discuss with you the present status of Mr. Pierce. As you know, at the request of Mr. Blandford, Mr. Pierce has been on leave with pay since April 21, pending some sort of an investigation, after which he was to be advised more definitely as to his status. It would appear to us that sixteen days should be a sufficient time within which to make an investigation. We feel that in all justice to Mr. Pierce and for the good of the Tennessee Valley Authority, some decision should be made promptly, and if charges are to be brought against Mr. Pierce, that we should receive a copy of them as soon as possible. For these reasons, we are therefore requesting a definite appointment with you to discuss this case upon your return from Chattanooga either on Saturday, the 13th, or Monday, the 15th, instant. If you desire to have us interview one of the other Directors, with their consent, we will be very glad to do so; our objective being to discuss this matter with someone in authority. Thanking you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter and with kindest regards. I am Yours very truly, DEAR MR. AMBROSE: In Mr. Lilienthal's absence permit me to thank you for sending him copy of your letter of May 9 to Chairman Morgan, with reference to the status of Mr. John F. Pierce. Very truly yours, Julia Henderson, JULIA HENDERSON, Secretary to Mr. Lilienthal. |