Communist infiltration of Hollywood motion-picture industry : hearing before the Committee on Un-American activities, House of Representatives, Eighty-second Congress, first session (1951)

148 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY taken any other action besides that which would indicate good faith on your part in the break which you claim you have made with the Communist Party ? Mr. Hayden. I believe I have. One month after South Korea was invaded, through my attorney, a letter was sent to Mr. J. Edgar Hoover, Federal Bureau of Investigation, in which was set forth the fact that for a period of 5 to 6 months I had been a member of the Communist Party, and with the world going the way it was, it seemed entirely probably that a conflagration would develop, and I hope, if that was the case, my services would not be denied, if the Marine Corps could use me, on the basis of this mistake I had made. I have a photostatic copy of that letter I would like to produce or read for the record. Mr. Tave^ner. Suppose you produce it and read it into the record. Mr. Hayden. (Reading:) July 31, 1950. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D. C. (Attention Mr. J. Edgar Hoover) Dear Sir: This office has a client who has discussed with us a problem which I believe can only be answered through your organization. In June of 1946 this young man, in a moment of emotional disturbance, be- came a bona fide member of the Communist Party in the State of California. In November of 1946 he decided that he had made a mistake and terminated his membership and his association with the Communist Party. Ever since No- vember of 1946 this client has had no connection whatsoever with the Com- munist Party or with an organization affiliated with it. The gentleman in question is an American-born citizen with a distinguished war record. He enlisted in the Marine Corps as a private and received his termination as a captain. Because of his distinguished services he received the Silver Star medal with citation from the commanding general, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army. The citation recognized his gal- lantry in action in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations with the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Our client is not engaged in any activity where security is involved. However,, since the commencement of the operation in Korea, he has felt that the time may come, in the near future, when his services might be of aid to the United States. He is concerned with the fact that his brief membership in the Com- munist Party, as aforesaid, may operate to prevent the use of his services. In addition to the foregoing, he is married and has young children. If his services are not needed by the United States, conditions may develop so as to require an answer in connection with ordinary employment to the query: "Are you now or have you ever been a Communist?" Our client can, of course, answer honestly and frankly that he is not now a member of the Communist Party. He could not answer the rest of the com- pound question without (a) either lying, or (b) if he told the truth he would probably find himself unable to earn a living. While it must be admitted that a mistake was made in 1946, it does appear- that justice requires some method by which one mistake does not operate (a) to prevent the United States from making use of the services of our client, (&) to prevent our client from earning a living. He is perfectly willing to submit to any interrogation or examination by the Federal Bureau of Investigation so that that organization may be convinced of his sincerity and of the truth of all the statements related herein. The purpose of this, of course, is to permit our client, if the compound ques- tion is asked him, to say in answer to the question, "Please inquire of the Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation." The Federal Bureau of Investigation could then notify the prospective employer that there was no reason for not employing our client. We would appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Sincerely yours, Gang, Kopp & Tyre,. By Martin Gang.