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92 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Parks. No, Counsel, I clo not believe that this is the result of my argument at all. What I say to you and what I believe is that the few people that I knew at that time are people like myself who are as loyal to this country as you or anybody else is. Mr. Tavenner. And if every witness who came before this com- mittee were permitted to take that position, then the extent of the investigation that this committee could conduct would be limited entirely by the attitude of the witness, wouldn't it ? Mr. Parks. But I told you the circumstances surrounding my small activity with the Communist Party, you see. And this makes quite a difference. This makes quite a difference. Mr. Tavenner. In your judgment? Mr. Parks. In my judgment, yes. Not only in my judgment. I know—at least inside of myself—that these people were like myself, and the most that you can accuse them of is a lack of judgment. And even this—— Mr. Tavenner. Now, you- Mr. Parks. Even this I will say again : I say none of this in apology for what I did, because a young man at 25, if he's not a liberal, if he is not full of idealism, is not worth his salt. And if you make a mis- take in judgment like this, I don't particularly, myself, believe that it is serious. If you arrive at certain conclusions after this Mr. Tavenner. Yes; but if every witness who took the stand before this committee would be the final judge of when a thing was serious and when it was not, and the committee would be limited accordingly, how could this committee carry out its statutory duty? Mr. Parks. But I'm asking you as a man, having told you and opened myself to you, that—— Mr. Tavenner. And I'm only asking that you see the other side of it. Mr. Parks. I do see the other side. Mr. Tavenner. Now you have placed Hollywood on a very high pedestal here. Mr. Parks. I have. Mr. Tavenner. But there has been testimony here involving the scientific professions, persons in Government, persons in numerous in- dustries, and I take it that there is no distinction or no preference of any kind that should be allowed to your profession over that of the scientific professions or any other calling in life. Mr. Parks. That is true. But I have told you and, as I say, opened myself as wide as I know how to you and told you the extent of my activities as a member at one time of the Communist Party as a young man. What little I know, as you can judge for yourself—as I told you, and it's the truth—I was probably the poorest member of the Communist Party that 1ms existed And the few people that I knew, you probably know their names. I can see no way that this would be of additional help to this committee. And, Counsel, I am sure that you realize that if this was really consequential, I would do it. But you must realize the position. Mr. Tavenner. Pardon me. Mr. Parks. I say you must realize (hat, as inconsequential as I was in it, the few people that I knew, that it is very distasteful to me to be forced into that position.