Don Wheeler

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Donald Niven Wheeler (October 23, 1913 - November 8, 2002) was a Communist and an accused Soviet spy. He was never convicted of espionage despite repeated investigations.

He was once employed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Treasury. From 1941 to 1946, Wheeler was employed by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Washington, D.C.

He was the father of Tim Wheeler, Susan M. Wheeler, Marion Burns and stepfather of Stephen Vause.

Early activism

Don Wheeler was a graduate of Reed College who earned a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University. There, "spurred by what he learned through his studies in economics", he joined the university branch of the Communist Party of Great Britain . He did post-graduate work at the University of Paris but dropped out to join the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. There he met Mary Lukes Vause, a fellow graduate of Reed College, a new mother and the widow of his best friend, Clare Vause. They were married in 1938. He later returned to Oxford (1968) and completed his doctoral studies.

Duncan Lee, a college classmate, described him as a really "progressive person".^[1]

Espionage accusations

Wheeler was associated with various so-called "Comintern" organizations before being employed by the government, first in the United States Department of Agriculture, later the Department of Treasury. From 1941 to 1946, Wheeler was employed by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Washington, D.C. Wheeler was allegedly a member of the white collar unit of the Communist Party of the District of Columbia. Franz Neumann, who worked with him in the OSS, allegedly gave a good report to Moscow, describing him as "a calm and progressive man".^[2]

Communist Party Labor Day call

The Communist Party USA paper People's Weekly World issued a statement to mark Labor Day 1995, entitled "We honor the dead and fight like hell for the living."

Of the more than 100 endorsers listed, almost all were identified members of the Communist Party USA.

Donald Wheeler, Bainbridge Island, Washington State, was on the list.^[3]

Washington State CP

In May 1995 The Communist Party USA newspaper Peoples Weekly World published a May Day supplement. Included was a page of greetings to Will Parry, sending "warmest greetings" for his 75th Birthday. Almost all of the more than 100 endorsers listed, were identified members or supporters of the Washington State Communist Party USA.

The list included Don Wheeler^[4].

Ethel Beach Memorial

In 1995 the Communist Party USA paper People's Weekly World published a Labor Day supplement. Included was a memorial to Ethel Beach.

In loving memory of Ethel Beach who sold the Peoples World in Seattle during the worst Cold War years and was "an outpost for freedom of the Press."

Several supporters of the Washington State Communist Party USA endorsed the memorial including Don Wheeler^[5]

External links

• The Cold War International History Project (CWIHP)

References