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124 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Do you believe a committee of Congress should investigate sub- versive activities or the security of our country? Miss Sondergaard. Mr. Congressman, I do believe that a committee of Congress could and should do investigating work, but I do feel that this committee at this time is doing incriminating work much more than investigating work, and that is the reason I wish to object. Mr. Kearney. You wouldn't like to go over some of our files, would you? Mr. Tavenner. Miss Sondergaard, the records of the committee disclose that you served as a sponsor of the Cultural and Scientific Congress for World Peace which was held in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, March 25 to 27, 1949, under the auspices of the National Council of Arts, Sciences, and Professions. Is that correct ? Miss Sondergaard. It is a very odd thing that whenever the word "peace" comes up people begin to tremble. I must refuse to answer that question for the reasons previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. The Daily Worker of June 23, 1950, states that you were scheduled to speak at the rally on June 28, 1950, in Madison Square Garden under the auspices of the Civil Rights Congress. On June 29, 1950, the newspaper stated that rally was staged in behalf of the 11 national Communist Party leaders who had been convicted of conspiracy to advocate the overthrow of the Government by force and violence, as well as in behalf of Eugene Dennis, Communist Party national secretary, who was jailed for contempt of Congress. Other speakers on the program, according to the newspaper account, were identified as Gus Hall, who was one of the 11 convicted Commu- nist Party leaders; the avowed Communist, Ben Gold; Paul Robeson, Vito Marcantonio, Ring Lardner, Jr., and Earl Coward. I would like to ask you to tell us all you know about the selection of the speakers on that occasion and your participation in the program, if you will. Miss Sondergaard. Is that a question ? Mr. Tavenner. Yes. That is a request for you to give us that in- formation. Miss Sondergaard. There are many things I would like to say in regard to a thing like this, but because you have already branded this kind of a meeting, this kind of an organization, I refuse to answer for the reasons previously stated. I wonder if I could interpolate here the fact that I am the wife of Herbert Biberman, as you asked me before. Herbert Biberman was one of the Hollywood 10 who has very recently come out of prison for defending the first amendment before this committee. In my statement I have said that in 1937— may I go on ? Mr. Wood. No. Miss Sondergaard. No? I just wanted that in the record. Mr. Wood. Any further questions? Mr. Tavenner. I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Wood. Mr. Frazier? Mr. Frazier. No questions.