Communist infiltration of Hollywood motion-picture industry : hearing before the Committee on Un-American activities, House of Representatives, Eighty-second Congress, first session (1951)
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176 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Wood. If it develops he is unable to come here for that purpose, the committee will take under advisement the question of sending a subcommittee up to his place to take his testimony. Mr. Tavenner. I would like to call Mr. Marc Lawrence. Mr. Madden. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am Murdaugh S. Madden, a Washington attorney, 1830 Jefferson Place NW. I represent Mr. Lawrence. He is under subpena to appear today and is persently in a sanitarium in Alhambra, Calif. I first contacted the committee through Mr. Tavenner on that matter about 10 days ago, and at that time I had not myself verified his con- dition. I went out there and satisfied myself that he physically could not appear at this time and checked with his doctors and got doctors' statements, which I have with me today. I am not asking that the committee vacate the subpena. The man's condition is such and can readily be verified as such that if it would be possible for the committee to take testimony there at the sanitarium or at his home, if he is in his home, within a reasonable time in the future, that is the request that I would like to make now. Mr. Wood. How long in your opinion would it be before he would be able to come here? Mr. Madden. When I left California 4 days ago the doctors thought that it would be maybe 2 to 3 weeks. I got word yesterday that he had since been sent to the sanitarium, and the doctors now will not say when he might improve. His is a mental and physical break- down that is bordering on complete breakdown at this time, as I understand it. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Chairman, when counsel got in touch with me about it, we endeavored to have our investigators who were then in California make some check of this matter. They were unable to locate the physicians at the time, or the witness. We have found out later that the witness had gone out into the country where he could be alone, but we have not been able at this time to make a check of the medical facts reported here or to interview the doctors in the shoit period of time which we have to work on it. For that reason, we feel that we should have a sufficient amount of time to investi- gate it. Mr. Wood. Supposing we continue the subpena in force for a period of 2 weeks and in that time get some definite statement from the physi- cian if we possibly can and submit it to counsel for the committee here, and we will be able to take appropriate action and notify you what is desired. Mr. Madden. Thank you. I would like to repeat the request that if it appears that he will then be in no condition to come if it would be possible for a subcommittee or some other type of questioning to be taken out there. He is fully prepared to answer completely and honestly all the questions of the committee. Mr. Wood. I am sure the committee will explore that possibility and take whatever action it thinks the circumstances will warrant. Mr. Madden. Thank you. Mr. Doyle. May I ask this question, Mr. Chairman, of counsel: Would his doctors stipulate that he was physically able to testify out there, or would we be confronted with a surprise statement by a doctor out there that he wasn't physically able to testify there either, if his health was so bad ?