Free The Sinatra Files by Tom Kuntz Page A

liberals.” The Indianapolis Office advised that they had no record of this group. No evidence was developed from informants of the existence of any subversive activities in connection with theFroebel School strike which, in the opinion of Captain Billick, was brought about by the students acting on their own. He further reported that Julius Danch viciously fought the Communists; however, the Communists did seize upon this strike to charge that it was a plot by the steel mill interests in Gary to divide the colored people against the whites and thereby cause friction between the unions and the mills, in order to defeat a wage increase which the CIO was then demanding. The Communists also charged in a Daily Worker article on September 29, 1945, that Julius Danch had started the move two years ago when he attempted to form an all white PTA. In addition, the American Youth For Democracy organization in Gary distributed pamphlets on one occasion concerning the strike situation….
    It was reported that there had been indications that the appearance of Frank Sinatra at Gary, Indiana, on November 1, 1945, “was perhaps induced by the AYD or by the Communist Party…. ”
    But an unidentified outside source reported that Frank Sinatra paid his own expenses in coming to Gary.
        
Six weeks following the Gary incident, the special agent in charge (SAC) of Philadelphia told Hoover that an informant had identified Sinatra as a Communist
.
TO: Director, FBI
DATE: December 12, 1945
FROM: SAC, Philadelphia
SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA
SECURITY MATTER—C
    Recently, Confidential Informantadvised that while attendingthat FRANK SINATRA, well known radio and movie star, is a member of the Communist Party. He was told that SINATRA formerly held membership in the American Youth for Democracy organization of New Jersey but has recently been admitted to the New York branch of the Communist Party.
    advised that the reason SINATRA was discussed was because of the recent article which appeared on him in “Life” magazine, setting forth his position on racial hatred and showing SINATRA talking before a Gary, Indiana, high school group.
    On November 25, 1945 a full page article appeared in the Sunday “Worker” on FRANK SINATRA. This article was written by WALTER LOWENFELS, Philadelphia correspondent for the “Worker”.
    In the Sunday “Worker” dated December 2, 1945 under “Pennsylvania News” the following item appeared: “FRANK SINATRA is going to get a gold medal and a silver plaque at the Broadwood Hotel, December 10. He will receive the first annual Golden Slipper Square Club Unity Award for his contribution to racial and religious tolerance.”
    This information is being furnished for whatever action is deemed advisable.
        
Hoover months later asked for the first full report on what the FBI had in its files on Sinatra. It was forwarded to Hoover by a top bureau official, Edward A. Tamm, later a federal judge. It contained information about his draft and alleged mob ties, but the bulk was an extraordinarily detailed accounting of his political activities. (The excerpts here have been compiled from two drafts of the same memo; some entries have been deleted to avoid duplication with material elsewhere in this book.)
TO: THE DIRECTOR
DATE: 2-26-47
FROM: Mr. Edw. A. Tamm
    The attached memorandum concerning Frank Sinatra is obviously most poorly and improperly arranged and I am again having it done over.
    In view of the length of time since you requested it, however, I thought it might be of some current value to you in its present form.
    Attachment
    ASSOCIATION WITH COMMUNISTS AND COMMUNIST FRONT GROUPS
    Bureau files contain numerous references which allege that Sinatra has made speeches for, written articles for, or attended or supported rallies sponsored by organizations dominated by Communist groups. Information in this regard which is of particular interest follows.
    It has been ascertained that William Dieterle, a motion