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Phil Bart

AKA: Philip Bart
Released
Gender:Male
Race:White
Era:1950s
State:New York
Time Imprisoned:
2 Days
Support
Communism Civil Liberties Communist Party USA
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Biography

Phil Bart was a former general manager of the Daily Worker who was convicted of contempt of Congress after refusing to answer questions from the House Un-American Activities Committee. The court imposed three months in prison and a $500 fine. The Supreme Court reversed the conviction and ordered his acquittal on May 23, 1955.

The official House Clerk returns for the November 4, 1930 congressional election list Phil Bart as a candidate for Michigans13th Congressional District, printed Philip Bart with the Workers designation. This corroborates electoral activity rather than a fresh arrest or custody endpoint. Source: https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1930election.pdf#page=11

The Detroit report names Philip Bart, Morris Fleishman and Alfred E. Goetz as arrested when police broke up an election meeting. It says two detectives beat them unconscious, they were held incommunicado two days, and the court freed them without charges. The two-day interval is source-reported, with no exact endpoints; it is separate from later arrests.

Daily Worker, July 12, 1928, PDF page 1.

The July12 Detroit report describes renewed questioning during his recent election-meeting detention about anti-military-training stickers posted July4. Federal officers claimed a League instruction letter but did not produce it when challenged. Two Party members arrested with him were likewise questioned. This amplifies the already recorded Detroit arrest, not a separate new detention.

Daily Worker, July 13, 1928, PDF page 2.

Cases

Charges: Contempt of Congress.
Sentence: Jail term
Convicted: Yes
Charges: Election-meeting arrest in Detroit; no charge ultimately preferred.
Sentence: Reported held incommunicado two days, beaten and freed without charges by July12,1928. Exact endpoints unknown. Source: https://marxists.architexturez.net/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1928/1928-ny/v05-n164-NY-jul-12-1928-DW-LOC.pdf#page=1