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90 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Parks. That's one part of it. On the question of naming names, it is my honest opinion that the few people that I could name, these names would not be of service to the committee at all. I am sure that you know who they are. These people I feel honestly are like myself, and I feel that I have done nothing wrong. Question of judgment? Yes, perhaps. And I also feel that this is not—to be asked to name names like this is not—in the way of American justice as we know it, that we as Americans have all been brought up, that it is a bad thing to force a man to do this. I have been brought up that way. I am sure all of you have. And it seems to me that this is not the American way of doing things—to force a man who is under oath and who has opened him- self as wide as possible to this committee—and it hasn't been easy to do this—to force a man to do this is not American justice. I perhaps later can think of more things to say when I leave, but this is in substance I guess what I want to say. Mr. Wood. Well, I am glad, of course, to give considerable leeway to the range of your statement, because I for one am rather curious to understand just what the reasons are in your mind for declining to answer the question. Mr. Parks. I'm not declining. I'm asking you if you would not press me on this. Mr. Wood. I'm not going to press the point with you, unless other members of the committee wish to. Mr. Potter. Mr. Chairman, could I ask one question? Mr. Wood. Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter. Are any of the members that were in the particular Communist cell that you were in to your knowledge still active mem- bers in the Communist Party ? Mr. Parks. I can't say this, Congressman, because I have divorced myself completely. I have no way of knowing this at all. I know what I think inside if that would—my opinion is that 99 percent of them are not. This is my opinion, that they are people like myself. Mr. Potter. If you knew people in Hollywood that were identified with the party then, would you be reluctant to cite their names if they were active members at the present time ? Mr. Parks. I would be reluctant on only one score: that I do not think that it is good for an American to be forced to do this. Only on this score. But I feel that a man—the people that I knew—it is my opinion that they are not members of the Communist Party at this time. This is my opinion only. If they are, they shouldn't be. Mr. Potter. If you had knowledge of a man who committed murder, certainly you wouldn't be hesitant to give that information to the proper authorities? Mr. Parks. That is correct. Mr. Potter. Now, I assume that you share the belief that we share that an active member of the Communist Party believes in principles that we don't believe in, in overthrowing our Government by force and violence. Now, you say you would readily give information con- cerning a man you have knowledge has committed murder. Wouldn't you also give information to the proper authorities of a man you knew or a woman you knew or believed to be working to overthrow our Gov- ernment by force and violence ?