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144 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Tavenner. Did he attend those meetings? Mr. Hatden. Yes; he did. Mr. Tavenner. Do you have any knowledge on your own part as to whether or not he was a member of the Communist Party ? Mr. Hayden. Well, I would say it would probably be safe to assume that he was. Mr. Tavenner. I don't want you to assume it. Mr. Hayden. I have absolutely, categorically, no knowledge that he was. Mr. Tavenner. Are you acquainted with Howard da Silva? Mr. Hayden. Yes. Mr. Tavenner. Did he attend those meetings? Mr. Hayden. Yes. Mr. Tavenner. Have you any personal knowledge as to whether or not he was a member of the Communist Party? Mr. Hayden. Only in his behavior before this committee. Mr. Tavenner. I understand that you withdrew or terminated your connection with the Communist Party the same year in which you joined it ? Mr. Hayden. That is right. Mr. Tavenner. Will you tell the committee what led up to the ter- mination of your relationship with the Communist Party, and whether your break was an actual break and a final break with the Communist Party ? Mr. Hayden. Thank you very much. That I would like to do. As I think is abundantly clear—and I don't make any apology— I do not mean to imply that I was dragged into the thing in any way, shape, or manner. I went into the thing voluntarily. Certainly I think it was the stupidest, most ignorant thing I have ever done, and I have done a good many such things, but I did go into it with a very emotional and very unsound approach. I hadn't been in very long— I would say it took me 3 or 4 months to realize the true nature of what I had done. I would like to say at this time, without launching into a long dis- sertation on this thing, that one thing that decided me once and for all against the whole business was the manner in which everything is predetermined. I think I had become susceptible to and, in a sense, perhaps, a victim of the idea that they had a form of democracy in mind. That was in my mind during the Yugoslav days and the time I joined. I found the belief is that they have the key, by some occult power, to know what is best for people, and that is the way it is going to be. I think any Communist or pseudo-Communist who pretends it is other than this is falsifying the fact. When I learned about this and began to think about it and digest it a bit, I decided to get out, and I got out. I would like to take this opportunity, if I may, to briefly state for the record a sort of synopsis of my complete association with anything that was Communist or might be construed as Communist front. I would like to lump it and say categorically that is all there is to it, and anybody who insinuates it is not, is mistaken. I belonged to this cell that I mentioned. Mr. Tavenner. First let me ask: Have you become a member of any other organizations since you terminated your relationship with