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ites. "Who are these . . . mercenary tricksters of the Hearst and McCormick tabloid press . . . who started slinging mud . . . morally to discredit Chaplin's name so as to weaken the force of his ideology? . . . Trotskyites!"
Then came Konrad Bercovici's five-million dollar plagiarism suit against Chaplin which reached trial but was settled out of court for ninety-five thousand dollars. Bercovici claimed that he had submitted a rough sketch of a satire on Hitler and a nonentity who resembled him and took his place; that the actor had returned it, declaring that production of such a picture was not feasible; and that " 'The Great Dictator' was identical in all substantial respects" with Bercovici's sketch. On the stand Chaplin denied that he had made an agreement with Mr. Bercovici and asserted that he had originated the plot. Both sides seemed glad of an opportunity to settle the suit out of court.
Chaplin continued to issue statements such as: "I am not a Jew! I am a citizen of the world!" and "I am an internationalist, not a nationalist, and that is why I do not take out citizenship." When informed that he might be called to Washington to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, he asserted, "I am not a Communist, I am a peacemonger."
Chaplin was criticized for introducing Henry Wallace to a Los Angeles rally at which several other prominent motion-picture people appeared. The actor was also active in the movement to prevent the deportation of Hanns Eisler, Vienna-born composer and acknowledged former communist, who had been admitted to the United States through the intercession of Eleanor Roosevelt. Chaplin also cabled Pablo Picasso, the French artist and an avowed communist, asking him to head a committee of French artists to protest the deportation pro