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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204 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee ? If it's a question of re- freshing your recollection, I can tell you something more about that. Mr. Lees. Well, since the organization you refer to is on that list, I decline to answer for grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. Did you protest at the action of the Ambassador Hotel? Mr. Lees. This is connected with the previous question, and I decline to answer for the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. Were you a member of the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee ? Mr. Lees. There are so many organizations down here, Mr. Taven- ner, that make it impossible for any other answer but the fact that I decline to answer on the ground previously stated. Mr. Wood. He's only asking you about the one. Mr. Lees. What's that, Mr. Wood ? Mr. Wood. He was only asking you about the one. Mr. Lees. I know. It's down there. I looked through this. Mr. Wood. Well, confine your answer, please, specifically to the organization about which you were asked. Mr. Lees. Yes, Mr. Wood. Mr. Wood. Do you decline to answer as to that organization ? Mr. Lees. I decline to answer as to that organization on the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. Were you a member of the Screen Writers' Guild ? Mr. Lees. The Screen Writers' Guild today has a 100 percent guild shop, and every writer who works in Hollywood is a member of the Screen Writers' Guild or almost all. Mr. Tavenner. Then do I infer you are a member ? Mr. Lees. I am. Mr. Tavenner. How long have you been a member ? Mr. Lees. I was a member of the Screen Writers' Guild, I guess, from almost the time that it was made a Screen Writers' Guild by the NLRB election which finally allowed many unions to come into being. I think that was in 1936 the Screen Writers' Guild was founded as it is today. Mr. Tavenner. You recall that a number of personalities in Holly- wood were subpenaed before this committee back in 1917. After that date were you a candidate for election to the executive board of the Screen Writers' Guild ? Mr. Lees. I have been a candidate for the board for the Screen Writers' Guild on several occasions. Mr. Tavenner. Were you a candidate in 1948 ? Mr. Lees. I thinkā€”I might have been. I don't know whether that was the year I was nominated by the nominating committee of the Screen Writers' Guild, but I have been nominated, as I say, for the board of the Screen Writers' Guild on several occasions. It might very well have been in 1948 I was also nominated. Mr. Tavenner. Have you sought election to that board since 1947 ? Mr. Lees. Since 1947? Mr. Tavenner. Yes. Mr. Lees. I don'! know. Actually what happens is the nominating committee puts your name up, and if you're willing to run you run, and if you're elected you're elected. I don't know if the nominating committee has had my name up since then or not,