Fair Play for Cuba Committee

[Larry Hancock]

John, Newman goes into some depth on this in his book which is probably the best source on he Oswald letters to the FPCC. Basically the FBI says they got mailing lists and letters through an informant inside the FPCC office however there seems a very good possibility that was standard FBI protocol to cover the fact that they really got it through a black bag job on the office.

Its a bit humorous in a way that the FBI knew all about the Oswald letters well before the assassinationa and it took a good while for the FPCC itself to locate references to Oswald - they initially had denied they had no knowledge of him.

Who knows, maybe some of their records were sitting on FBI and CIA desks while they were frantically searching for them in their own office files.

-- Larry

[John Dolva]

..........................a black bag job on the office.

Larry , sorry to be difficult, what does "a black bag job mean.? JohnD

[Larry Hancock]

Sorry John, that's just slang for a very covert break in / illegal entry where nothing is actually removed but rather photographed in place - the point is not just to steal stuff but to collect information without the target knowing they have been compromised.

If they later find out, the target may assume there is a leak in their organization - which will then play with their minds even more.

-- Larry

[Pat Speer]

Larry, I seem to remember reading that the man who performed the break-in at the FPCC was none other than James McCord. Is there evidence to support that?

I believe the reading of Oswald's letters to Lee were acknowledged in the report Quigley made in N.O., and were attributed to a "reliable informant tells us" or some such thing. It's impossible not to take from this that the FBI was very interested in Oswald and his activities.

BTW, thanks for posting the info on Lee. With that info and Harry's description of Lee, it sounds like he was not the same guy who scuffled with Ruby. The two Vincent Lees is apparently just another one of those coinkydinks.

[Larry Hancock]

James, according to the documents I have the FBI was requested to obtain the FPCC information by a "mid-level" CIA officer in conjunction with a new project against the FPCC to be launched outside the U.S. The documents make it sound as if the FBI obtained the ifnormation not the CIA. I've never heard McCord brought up in conjunction with it.... actually one would think prime candidates for the CIA side would be either Phillips in his new Cuban position or Hunt in his new position in charge of Domestic Ops covert actions.

On a side note, given that Oswald was in the FBI files as an officer with the FPCC (per his claim in New Orleans), by their regulations he should have been kept on the Watch List - all officers or individuals involved in public demonstrations in support of targeted subversive organizations (such as the FPCC) were to be maintained on the Watch list for pick up in case of a national emergency.

-- Larry

Larry, I seem to remember reading that the man who performed the break-in at the FPCC was none other than James McCord.  Is there evidence to support that?

I believe the reading of Oswald's letters to Lee were acknowledged in the report Quigley made in N.O., and were attributed to a "reliable informant tells us" or some such thing.  It's impossible not to take from this that the FBI was very interested in Oswald and his activities.

BTW, thanks for posting the info on Lee. With that info and Harry's description of Lee, it sounds like he was not the same guy who scuffled with Ruby.  The two Vincent Lees is apparently just another one of those coinkydinks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Chris Cox]

Interesting story, Harry. Do you agree that there were more infiltrators than actual members? Is this a real group or part real with a fake chapter set up by agent for cover? Your quote: that it would eventually help the Cuban effort is interesting, could you tell us more about that? Thanks as always.

[Chris Cox]

Larry, what is the evidence ad was Castro-funded? NYT only or news outlets using government sources? Thanks for clearing up Taber relationship. Interesting, was Matthews of NYT a member? Where was he when this was going on? Did he author any articles on subject?

[Larry Hancock]

Chris, as I recall the FBI traced back the actual payment for the Ad and found that the money had originated with either the Cuban embassy or Cuban UN diplomatic staff, I forget which. My note lists a reference to Newman's book page 95 on this so there might be more detail there.

It's late and I must be getting groggy.... refresh my memory on Matthews, I don't think I posted on him?

-- Larry

Larry, what is the evidence ad was Castro-funded? NYT only or news outlets using government sources? Thanks for clearing up Taber relationship.  Interesting, was Matthews of NYT a member?  Where was he when this was going on? Did he author any articles on subject?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[James Richards]

The national FPCC organization originated in New York City and was founded by Robert Taber, a CBS journalist who had been the first newsmen to be invited by Castro to go to Cuba. (Larry Hancock)

Castro and Robert Taber below. Sorry about the poor quality.

James

[Harry J.Dean]

Interesting story, Harry.  Do you agree that there were more infiltrators than actual members?  Is this a real group or part real with a fake chapter set up by  agent for cover?  Your quote: that it would eventually help the Cuban effort is interesting, could you tell us more about that?  Thanks as always.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, Chris

As Larry mentions Castro's Network, FPCC became International and a concern to all U.S. intelligence agencies. Yes FPCC was the most powerful tool being 'used'

by American and foriegn Communist Parties, mostly in the northern and southern American Hemispheres to promote via Castro, an anti-U.S. Latin American total

revolution. {It must be noted again that Oswald's death destroyed that dream}

because of his connection to that extremely effective Fair Play For Cuba Committee, Communist Front probe.

The remark by CIA Sullivan to Hoover, mentioned in a previous post would have

been Sullivan's attempt at humor.

The 26th Of July Movement members in the U.S. were Castro agents, then were

absorbed at Castro's direction into the Fair Play For Cuba Committee revolutionary

front. All of these were dangerous no-nonsence warriors, in greatly dangerous times. I cannot forget.

I believe Matthews wrote a book Re; the Cuban Revolution, can't recall the title.

Harry

[Thomas H. Purvis]

I have been attempting to find out more about the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. All the books I have on the JFK assassination have very little to say about the organization except the Vincent T. Lee was its founder and that he established offices in New York.

The web is not very useful either although it does have an interview between Lee and J. Lee Rankin on 17th April, 1964. 

http://jfkassassination.net/russ/testimony/lee_v1.htm

In the interview Lee claims that he kept no membership records. He only had a mailing list but this is of no help as it mainly contains the names of politicians and other national figures. Surprisingly, Rankin dies not ask Lee to estimate how many people were members of the organization. Nor does he ask how many chapters the FPCC had.

Yet in his letter to Oswald, Lee says: "I have just gone through our files and find that Louisiana seems somewhat restricted for Fair Play activities."

On 26th May, 1963, Oswald wrote to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee and proposed "renting a small office at my own expense for the purpose of forming a FPCC branch here in New Orleans".

Three days later, without waiting for a reply, Oswald ordered 1,000 copies of a handbill from a local printers. It read: "Hands Off Cuba! Join the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, New Orleans Charter Member Branch, Free Literature, Lectures, Everyone Welcome!" Oswald also rented an office for the FPCC at 544 Camp Street. No one joined the FPCC in New Orleans but Oswald did send out two honourary membership cards to Gus Hall and Benjamin Davis, two senior members of the American Communist Party.

Gus Hall was general secretary of the party. Ben Davis was the leading black member of the party. This seems to have been an important part of the original conspiracy as Oswald also tried to link himself with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Another organization Hoover especially disliked.

According to the latest edition of Anthony Summers’ The Kennedy Conspiracy (2002), recently released documents show that both the CIA and FBI penetrated the organization. Summers points out that the CIA side of the operation was directed by David Attlee Phillips and quotes CIA officer, Joseph Smith as saying: "We did everything we could to make sure it was not successful - to smear it... to penetrate it. I think Oswald may have been part of a penetration attempt."

Does anyone have any further information on the FPCC? Did these released files reveal membership numbers? What was Vincent Lee’s background?  What happened to him after he closed the organization down in December, 1963?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John;

It is assumed that you are aware of Lewis McWillie's fight with a "Fair Play for Cuba Committee" member.

"When the plane landed, McWillie's fist landed on Kautt's nose."

Commission Exhibit No. 1545

http://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/...Vol23_0035a.htm

I have some materials on the individual. If you are interested, I will post it when found.

Considering the indirect linkage of Lewis McWillie to LHO, it would appear that this is where the LHO/New Orleans/FPCC drama may have gotten it's script.

One could debate who was the better actor, Booth or Oswald.

Tom

[John Dolva]

I have been attempting to find out more about the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. All the books I have on the JFK assassination have very little to say about the organization except the Vincent T. Lee was its founder and that he established offices in New York.

The web is not very useful either although it does have an interview between Lee and J. Lee Rankin on 17th April, 1964. 

http://jfkassassination.net/russ/testimony/lee_v1.htm

In the interview Lee claims that he kept no membership records. He only had a mailing list but this is of no help as it mainly contains the names of politicians and other national figures. Surprisingly, Rankin dies not ask Lee to estimate how many people were members of the organization. Nor does he ask how many chapters the FPCC had.

Yet in his letter to Oswald, Lee says: "I have just gone through our files and find that Louisiana seems somewhat restricted for Fair Play activities."

On 26th May, 1963, Oswald wrote to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee and proposed "renting a small office at my own expense for the purpose of forming a FPCC branch here in New Orleans".

Three days later, without waiting for a reply, Oswald ordered 1,000 copies of a handbill from a local printers. It read: "Hands Off Cuba! Join the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, New Orleans Charter Member Branch, Free Literature, Lectures, Everyone Welcome!" Oswald also rented an office for the FPCC at 544 Camp Street. No one joined the FPCC in New Orleans but Oswald did send out two honourary membership cards to Gus Hall and Benjamin Davis, two senior members of the American Communist Party.

Gus Hall was general secretary of the party. Ben Davis was the leading black member of the party. This seems to have been an important part of the original conspiracy as Oswald also tried to link himself with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Another organization Hoover especially disliked.

According to the latest edition of Anthony Summers’ The Kennedy Conspiracy (2002), recently released documents show that both the CIA and FBI penetrated the organization. Summers points out that the CIA side of the operation was directed by David Attlee Phillips and quotes CIA officer, Joseph Smith as saying: "We did everything we could to make sure it was not successful - to smear it... to penetrate it. I think Oswald may have been part of a penetration attempt."

Does anyone have any further information on the FPCC? Did these released files reveal membership numbers? What was Vincent Lee’s background?  What happened to him after he closed the organization down in December, 1963?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John;

It is assumed that you are aware of Lewis McWillie's fight with a "Fair Play for Cuba Committee" member.

"When the plane landed, McWillie's fist landed on Kautt's nose."

Commission Exhibit No. 1545

http://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/...Vol23_0035a.htm

I have some materials on the individual. If you are interested, I will post it when found.

Considering the indirect linkage of Lewis McWillie to LHO, it would appear that this is where the LHO/New Orleans/FPCC drama may have gotten it's script.

One could debate who was the better actor, Booth or Oswald.

Tom

The Mississippi Sovereignty Comission was directly involved in investigating the FPCC, not only in infiltrating, investigating and seeking to disrupt as early as june 61, but also in investigations in oct '63 as the following documents show.

If one reads the previous posts in this topic there appears to be conflicts regarding the existence of documents. Dates are not given for the burning of the FPCC NY doc's. In relation to the CIA FBI black bag jobs it might be good to know this.

http://www.mdah.state.ms.us/arlib/contents...37|1|1|1|68926|

http://www.mdah.state.ms.us/arlib/contents...37|2|1|1|68925|

(image fpcc02.jpg)

Edited June 17, 2007 by John Dolva

[Nathaniel Heidenheimer]

I want to bring together two quotes about the FPCC which have made me curious as to the degree of infiltration of the FPCC, and also will hopefully clarify some questions about how compartmentalization worked within the CIA.

On page 6 and 7 of his fascinating article on John Hay Whitne Greg Parker offers some strong circumstatial evidence supporting the possiblitity that

FPCC may have been a CIA operation from its inception in 1960. It is well worth looking at these pages.

http://reopenjfkcase.interodent.com/index....mp;limitstart=5

Next, we jump to page 165 of Larry Hancock's Someone Would Have Talked (2nd Ed)

The second example further shows the scope of Phillips' interests and activities. During 1961 the Fair Play for Cuba

Committee (FPCC) was viewed by the CIA and FBI as a major vehicle for Communist advocacy, not only in the United

States, but also in Latin America. The FPCC was also suspected of being an infiltration channel due to its sponsorship

and advocacy of student travel to and from Cuba. In what appears to have been equal parts counter-intelligence and

propaganda, the CIA initiated a program to dangle a student into the FPCC, encouraging the student to use the cover

of being intereste instarting a new FPCC chapter. This action occurred whithin the three months before the Bay of Pigs

It involved Western Hemisphere and CIA Security Office use of an Agency employee who knew Court Wood, a student

recently returned from Cuba. Conveniently, this employee worked for WH/4 and the WH man supervising the operation

was Phillips. In fact, it appears that at this early stage, Phillips was in charge of both counter-intelligence and propaganda

efforts targeting the FPCC, successfully manipulating a young man who was in the process of organizing an FPCC chapter

and tracking activities to illegally travel to and from Cuba.

My questions here concern:

1) To just what extent the FPCC was CIA. Sure there may have been some activists, but is it accurate at this point to describe it as ONLY

partly controlled or infiltrated by the CIA?

2) How does the structure of CIA compartmentalization effect Phillip's dealings with the FPCC? Am I correct in interpreting from Larry's description

of Phillips that he had contact with the FPCC not only for two different purposes BUT VIA TWO DIFFERENT OSTENSIBLY COMPARTMENTALIZED

DEPARTMENTS OF THE CIA?

3) Did Phillips contact the FPCC for both a) counter-inteligence and propaganda functions from the same office in Miami? (Wasn't there an

a second CIA office-- one independent of JM-WAVE, and associated with "AMWORLD"-- called LORK?

Phillips "confession" is starting to ring a little hollow for me. Sure he confessed to involvement with part of a coopted plan, but might it have been a strategic confession, designed to make us think "Oh well, he's confessed to this trajic mistake, so he probably isn't guilty of more sinister stuff? ( I have similar feelings about LBJ's later belief in a conspiracy:it just seems it could be part of a psychological ploy, to allay still deeper suspicions.)

Edited July 28, 2007 by Nathaniel Heidenheimer

[Robert Howard]

I want to bring together two quotes about the FPCC which have made me curious as to the degree of infiltration of the FPCC, and also will hopefully clarify some questions about how compartmentalization worked within the CIA.

On page 6 and 7 of his fascinating article on John Hay Whitne Greg Parker offers some strong circumstatial evidence supporting the possiblitity that

FPCC may have been a CIA operation from its inception in 1960. It is well worth looking at these pages.

http://reopenjfkcase.interodent.com/index....mp;limitstart=5

Next, we jump to page 165 of Larry Hancock's Someone Would Have Talked (2nd Ed)

The second example further shows the scope of Phillips' interests and activities. During 1961 the Fair Play for Cuba

Committee (FPCC) was viewed by the CIA and FBI as a major vehicle for Communist advocacy, not only in the United

States, but also in Latin America. The FPCC was also suspected of being an infiltration channel due to its sponsorship

and advocacy of student travel to and from Cuba. In what appears to have been equal parts counter-intelligence and

propaganda, the CIA initiated a program to dangle a student into the FPCC, encouraging the student to use the cover

of being intereste instarting a new FPCC chapter. This action occurred whithin the three months before the Bay of Pigs

It involved Western Hemisphere and CIA Security Office use of an Agency employee who knew Court Wood, a student

recently returned from Cuba. Conveniently, this employee worked for WH/4 and the WH man supervising the operation

was Phillips. In fact, it appears that at this early stage, Phillips was in charge of both counter-intelligence and propaganda

efforts targeting the FPCC, successfully manipulating a young man who was in the process of organizing an FPCC chapter

and tracking activities to illegally travel to and from Cuba.

My questions here concern:

1) To just what extent the FPCC was CIA. Sure there may have been some activists, but is it accurate at this point to describe it as ONLY

partly controlled or infiltrated by the CIA?

2) How does the structure of CIA compartmentalization effect Phillip's dealings with the FPCC? Am I correct in interpreting from Larry's description

of Phillips that he had contact with the FPCC not only for two different purposes BUT VIA TWO DIFFERENT OSTENSIBLY COMPARTMENTALIZED

DEPARTMENTS OF THE CIA?

3) Did Phillips contact the FPCC for both a) counter-inteligence and propaganda functions from the same office in Miami? (Wasn't there an

a second CIA office-- one independent of JM-WAVE, and associated with "AMWORLD"-- called LORK?

Phillips "confession" is starting to ring a little hollow for me. Sure he confessed to involvement with part of a coopted plan, but might it have been a strategic confession, designed to make us think "Oh well, he's confessed to this trajic mistake, so he probably isn't guilty of more sinister stuff? ( I have similar feelings about LBJ's later belief in a conspiracy:it just seems it could be part of a psychological ploy, to allay still deeper suspicions.)

Theres a good chance these questions don't make any sense; nevertheless the two quotes are, IMO, very worth reading and might be useful in formulating other questions.

I am not sure, but I believe there is more than one Fair Play for Cuba Committee thread on the Forum....

At any rate, I posted this, verbatim list of original names of FPCC members from the April 6. 1960 New York Times full page ad, entitled "What is Really Going On In Cuba?" on a thread that recieved about as much attention as seeing an announcement for a matching towel set on the Home Shopping Network.....

At any rate, this is the list, with a couple of interesting tidbits thrown in........

See below......

Recently, after a great deal of frustration at being unable to locate the full page ad in the April 6, 1960 New York times entitled "What is Really Going On In Cuba." The advert as the Brits say, is very significant, if, for no other reason, than the fact that it contains the original 28 names listed as supporters of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, which are listed below........

In Order of Appearance

James Baldwin

Simone de Beauvoir

Frank London Brown

Truman Capote

John Henrik Clarke

Pro. Robert G. Colodny

Richard Gibson

Dr. Maurice Green

Edmonde Haddad

Rev. Donald Harrington

John Killens

Sidney Lens

Norman Mailer

Julian Mayfield

Elva dePue Matthews

Prof. Eugene Noble

Rev. John Papandrew

James Purdy

Joseph Quintana

Alan Sagner

Jean Paul Sartre

John Singleton

Robert Taber

G. A. Thurston

Kenneth Tynan

Dan Wakefield

Sidney Weinstein

Robert F. Williams

Once one gets through the personages, there is then the task of name-checking.....which in this instance revealed a possible association that is a classic case of "would have liked to have known this on 11/22/63,"

Which brings us to Edmonde Haddad. Remarkably there was an Edmonde Haddad in Dallas from Friday through Saturday, but was not in the basement of the Dallas Municipal building at the moment that Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald.

WCD 85/p, 412; FBI report dated 12/5/63, of interview of Edmonde Haddad at Hollywood, Calif. (CD WCE 2044/p.459

On Feb 1 EDMONDE HADDAD advised he is a news broadcaster at Radio Station KPOL at 5700 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California.........arrived in Dallas at about 4:00 P.M. Friday November 22, 1963, and left to return to Los Angeles at about 7:00 P.M. Saturday November 23, 1963. He was in Dallas long enough to note that the third floor of the DPD building on Friday night was "like a circus."

John Simkin has given us a great illustration on making assumptions about the same name.......

See

Two CIA agents named William F. Buckley

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10535

But the smart money says that the two Edmonde Haddad's are one & the same......

Which means absolutely nothing on July 27, 2007, but would have been an interesting tidbit if anyone wanted to know more about who killed Kennedy, that worked for the "investigative agencies" on 11/22/63...If someone had really wanted to be on the ball they might have talked at length to Edward Herman Baumgartner, who not only worked for Collins Radio, but also was associated with the soon to be "defunct" FPCC......

See

MFF

CD 1085, p. 2; CD 1085g, pp. 1-10; CD 1085h, pp. 1-2; CD 1085i, pp. 1-6; CD 1085j, pp. 1-3

DOB: June 7, 1928. POB: Indianapolis, Indiana. Army Serial No. US 55050121. Pro-Communist. Member of Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC). Worked at Collins Radio. (Note: The Rex, one of CIA boats used in raids on Cuba, was leased to Belcher Oil and then to Collins Radio.)...

Smart money also says that there might be some other interesting factoids in the above cited list......

Material posted on this thread taken from thread....Another FPCC Alumni in Dallas on 11/22/63...

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10536

There are some Forum members, including myself, who feel that the creation of the FPCC presented a very seductive arrangement for the U.S. Government to plant at least one or two intelligence operatives to penetrate the organization, which is why Taber and Gibson's names are highlighted.......And as most savvy researchers know by December 8, 1963 the Fair Play for Cuba Committee was basically "no longer a functioning entity," .......

PS I am one of those individuals who would like to get some clarification as to whether that guy on Barney Miller, is THE Stephen Landesberg who was spreading disinformation about Lee Harvey Oswald in the aftermath of Kennedy's assassination.

Robert

[Greg Parker]

On page 6 and 7 of his fascinating article on John Hay Whitney Greg Parker offers some strong circumstantial evidence supporting the possiblitity that

FPCC may have been a CIA operation from its inception in 1960. It is well worth looking at these pages.

http://reopenjfkcase.interodent.com/index....mp;limitstart=5

Nathaniel,

Thanks for the kind words on the article. One thing I could have made clearer was that Whitney, Barnes and Gibson all arrived back in the US from England in the earliest stages of the psywar against Cuba.

But the smart money says that the two Edmonde Haddad's are one & the same......

Robert, you can easily end up with egg all over your face regarding names in this case. But here, I'll go with your smart money.

The question is, does his presence in Dallas actually mean anything other than being a journalist sent to cover a major story?

FWIW, the station he was representing (KPOL) was a polka station. Roll out the barrel...

PS I am one of those individuals who would like to get some clarification as to whether that guy on Barney Miller, is THE Stephen Landesberg who was spreading disinformation about Lee Harvey Oswald in the aftermath of Kennedy's assassination.[]quote]

If memory serves (and my LONG term memory is pretty good), it is the same person. I'm not sure it's accurate to call his statements disinfo - though they weren't necessarily accurate, either. I believe he may have spent time "convalescing" in a State facility afterwards...