Changes

"Harry’s boys got out their baseball bats to persuade the Scabs that it wasn’t worth the trouble," boasted one dockworker union [[propagandist]]. Some replacement workers died in unusual "accidents," including two college students. Many others were severely beaten, injured, and crippled. A deputy sheriff in Seattle who tried to arrest violent union thugs was [[murder]]ed, shot through the head.  "Up and down the coast," wrote Bridges biographer Charles Larrowe, "the waterfront was turned into a battlefield."<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=5188 ''Port Fear''], By Lowell Ponte, FrontPageMagazine.com, March 16, 2006.</ref>

"Harry’s boys got out their baseball bats to persuade the Scabs that it wasn’t worth the trouble," boasted one dockworker union [[propagandist]]. Some replacement workers died in unusual "accidents," including two college students. Many others were severely beaten, injured, and crippled. A deputy sheriff in Seattle who tried to arrest violent union thugs was [[murder]]ed, shot through the head.  "Up and down the coast," wrote Bridges biographer Charles Larrowe, "the waterfront was turned into a battlefield."<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=5188 ''Port Fear''], By Lowell Ponte, FrontPageMagazine.com, March 16, 2006.</ref>

In 1938 the government instituted a deportation proceeding against Bridges pursuant to a law allowing deportation of individuals who are, at the time the proceeding is instituted and being prosecuted, members of or affiliated with an organization that advises, advocates, and teaches the overthrow by force and violence of the U.S. government. Bridges requested that the government name the organization and the government stated it was the Communist Party of the U.S. In December 1939 the Trial Examiner found that Bridges was neither a member of nor affiliated with the Communist Party and therefore could not be deported.

In its annual report of January 3, 1939. the [[Dies Committee]] urged that deportation proceedings be "vigorously and promptly" prosecuted against Harry Bridges. It declared

that Bridges was a Communist alien, that he belonged to an organization which preaches the  

overthrow of the United States Government by force and violence; that he himself advocated the overthrow of the Government by force and violence; and that he had likewise advocated [[sabotage]]. Bridges requested that the government name the organization and the government stated it was the Communist Party of the U.S. In December 1939 the Trial Examiner found that Bridges was neither a member of nor affiliated with the Communist Party and therefore could not be deported.

In 1940, in response to the failure to deport Bridges, the [[United States House of Representatives]] amended the law relating to the deportation of aliens to allow for deportation of those who were at the time they entered the U.S. or any time thereafter a member of or affiliated with an organization that advices, advocates, and teaches the overthrow by force and violence the U.S. government. Attorney General [[Francis Biddle]] then ordered the [[FBI]] to investigate Bridges to see if there was cause under the amended law to reopen deportation proceedings. Bridges was again arrested in 1941.

In 1940, in response to the failure to deport Bridges, the [[United States House of Representatives]] amended the law relating to the deportation of aliens to allow for deportation of those who were at the time they entered the U.S. or any time thereafter a member of or affiliated with an organization that advices, advocates, and teaches the overthrow by force and violence the U.S. government. Attorney General [[Francis Biddle]] then ordered the [[FBI]] to investigate Bridges to see if there was cause under the amended law to reopen deportation proceedings. Bridges was again arrested in 1941.

The Presiding Inspector in the second deportation proceedings ordered deportation on the basis of finding that after entering the U.S. Bridges was a member of and affiliated with the Communist Party. The Immigration Appeals Board reversed. The Attorney General reviewed the case and ordered deportation. Bridges petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus but was denied by the District Court for the Northern District of CA. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. ''Bridges v. Wixon'', 144 F.2d 927 (9th Cir. 1944). The Supreme Court reversed, 326 U.S. 135 (1945), on a 5-3 ruling that "affiliation" was improperly construed by the appellate court and that under a proper construction, Bridges had not been affiliated with the Communist Party at any time after entering the U.S.

The Presiding Inspector in the second deportation proceedings ordered deportation on the basis of finding that after entering the U.S. Bridges was a member of and affiliated with the Communist Party. The Immigration Appeals Board reversed. The Attorney General reviewed the case and ordered deportation. Bridges petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus but was denied by the District Court for the Northern District of CA. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. ''Bridges v. Wixon'', 144 F.2d 927 (9th Cir. 1944). The Supreme Court reversed, 326 U.S. 135 (1945), on a 5-3 ruling that "affiliation" was improperly construed by the appellate court and that under a proper construction, Bridges had not been affiliated with the Communist Party at any time after entering the U.S.

The trials received national attention, thanks in large part to the ''Song for Bridges'' written and sung by [[Woody Guthrie]], Lee Hays, [[Pete Seeger]], and Millard Lampell.  

The trials received national attention, thanks in large part to the ''Song for Bridges'' written and sung by [[Woody Guthrie]], Lee Hays, [[Pete Seeger]], and Millard Lampell.