COURT DECIDES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 90, 18 April 1939, Page 9

COURT DECIDES.

DEPORTATION LAW.

Membership Of Communist Party In U.S.A. NOT SUFFICIENT GROUNDS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON", April 17. The Supreme Court ruled in the famous Joseph George Strecker case, which is expected to set a precedent in the case of Harry Bridges, Aus-tralia-born Labour leader, that former membership of the Communist party of itself is not sufficient grounds for deportation of an unnatnralised alien. The Court did not rule whether an alien still belonging to the Communist or other party advocating the overthrow of the United States Government by force could be deported. Judges Butler and Revnolds dissented.

Strecker was ordered to be discharged from deportation proceedings and it is expected that the pending proceedings against Bridges will now be dropped.

The United States Supreme Court in October granted the Government's petition for a review of the Circuit Court's decision, releasing Strecker, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, from threatened deportation because he admitted membership of the Communist party.

The Government contended that such membership was a deportablc offence on the grounds that the party advocated the overthrow of the Government by force.

The ruling was stated to have an important bearing upon the case of Harry Bridges, whose deportation is urged by various organisations, although he denies membership of the Communist party.