Budenz, Ex-Red, Says Party Uses Libel as Defense

Ex-Communist Louis Budenz declared Saturday night that American Communists have kept themselves from being exposed by threatening their would be accusers with libel suits.

Speaking before the New England Congress of the National Federation of Catholic College Students, Budenz said that the decision to use the libel weapon was made before he left the Communist Party in 1945.

According to Budenz, "in every case a suit for libel would be started, not necessarily to win it, but to bleed the accuser white."

Budenz said that Harlow Shapley, Paine Professor of Practical Astronomy, Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, and suspended M.I.T. professor Dirk J. Struik are members of from 15 to 40 Communist-front organizations.