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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 99 Mr. Parks. Well, you're really going a bit further than I said, Congressman. Mr. Doyle. Well, you go as far as you honestly can and tell us what activities the cell participated in to increase its membership. Mr. Parks. Well. I think that certain members of the group approached people about becoming a member of the Communist Party. I myself never did this. I have never Mr. Doyle. Well, names were submitted of other prospective mem- bers in your presence; were they not ? Names of prospective members were read off or possibilities were read off or submitted to the cell membership; weren't they ? Mr. Parks. It's possible that this was done. Mr. Doyle. Well, was it done? Mr. Parks. As I say, it's been a long time ago. I'm not evading the question at all. But, as I told you, I attended a very few meetings. I was not considered a good member. I'm not clear and articulate about everything that happened, because I know very little of what happened. Mr. Doyle. Well, was any difference in philosophy between commu- nism and our form of government ever discussed in the cell ? What did you discuss besides drinking coffee? Mr. Parks. Well, we didn't discuss drinking coffee; we just drank it. As I told you, at that particular time the war was going on, and this was of major importance to every American at the time; and this, as I recall, was the major topic of conversation most of the time. Then, the discussions also evolved around current events of the time. They also had to do with conditions of actors, as we were, as I recall, all actors—how we could get more money and better conditions. These were the major topics of conversation as I recall them. Mr. Doyle. Well, was it discussed among you that you could get more money as a member of the Communist Party than you could just being a plain Democrat or Republican or member of some other party or not being a member of any party? Mr. Parks. No; this was never discussed to my knowledge at all. And, as a matter of fact Mr. Doyle. What was the Communist Party membership in this cell going to do for you in Hollywood? What were the benefits of it? Why did you join the cell ? What did you get out of it or hope to get out of it? Mr. Parks. As I told you, as a young man of 25, with ideals and a feeling for the underdog, I felt at the time that this was a legitimate political party, like you would join the Democrats or Republicans, and Mr. Doyle. When did you first begin to feel—I don't mean to interrupt. Mr. Parks. Excuse me. Could I just continue? Mr. Doyle. I think you gave that answer a few minutes ago, the same answer you are giving now. Mr. Parks. No ; I really didn't. I felt at the time that this was the most liberal of the political parties of the time. You might be inter- ested to know that all of this time I was a registered Democrat. I still am. And I have voted from that time and before it the straight Democratic ticket, because this was the practical thing to do. The other was an idealistic thing. 81595—51—pt. 1 4