Communist Allegations, Part II
Unforunately, neither of Reid's notarized documents satisfied the Passport Regulations, thus making Reid endure more correspondence with the Department of State, as well as friends and colleagues at Haverford.
The Department of State responds to Reid's affidavits. In particular, they accuse Reid of belonging to several organizations affiliated with the communist party over the years. They encourage him to submit "evidence" showing he has "deviated" from the Communist Party.
A few days later, Reid sends the Department of State his affidavit regarding his involvement with these organizaitons. This is the cover letter for the affidavit.
In this Statement, Reid explains his involvement with each organization and how he is not a communist. Reid also forwards this statement to Gilbert White, president of Haverford College at the time.
White writes Reid a note in response to his statement to the Department of State. He thinks Reid did a good job, but also suggests that he consult a lawyer in the future!
Reid sent these excerpts to White.
After conducting some research into court transcripts, Reid discovers that Louis Budenz is the person that mentions Reid's name in court as being a communist. Reid writes this letter to Harold Keele in order to confirm that this happened.
Nearly a year later, Reid gets his passport back in this envelope he saved.
This letter, sent to Haverford College president Gilbert White nearly three years after Reid's initial accusations of being a communist and two years after he got his passport back, indicates how being accused as a communist can have long-lasting effects. Two alumni of the college, out of concern for the reputation of Haverford, mailed this letter in order to figure out why Reid was accused of being a communist. It is clear that they had had previous correspondence with White, but there are no additional documents that Reid has which shows what was said previously.
This is a copy of the letter that White sent in reply to the two Haverford alumni; White made sure to send a blind carbon copy to Reid.
Reid responded with this soft-spoken and modest handwritten note to White. "I am developing the feeling that it is through the grace of God and the care of friends, exercising Divine Wisdom and human understanding that I am no more deeply involved in what might be a problem for Haverford's administration...because you and others have been so straight in support of me and the principles you and Haverford represent I want to maintain that reciprocal confidence - without taxing it."