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206 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY tempt proceeding. After that time, namely, in 1949, were you the signer of a petition to have him elected to membership on the board of the Screen Writers' Guild? Mr. Lees. Yes. I signed that petition. Mr. Tavenner. Was he elected ? Mr. Lees. No ; he was not that I recall. Mr. Tavenner. Has the Screen Writers' Guild to your knowledge made an effort to remove not from membership but to curtail the activities of persons thought to be members of the Communist Party within its group ? Mr. Lees. I don't know how, in what way, I could know about this, whether they have curtailed or tried to curtail. I don't know. Mr. Tavenner. You do not know ? Mr. Lees. Not that I know of. I might say that there is a state- ment of policy in the Screen Writers' Guild which says that anyone can be a member of the Screen Writers' Guild without any ban be- cause of race, creed, religion, political beliefs, something similar to the first amendment. Nobody is required to be anything but a writer to join the Screen Writers' Guild. Mr. Tavenner. Has there at any time in the past been a group or groups within that organization which from your viewpoint were endeavoring: to influence the action of that guild along Communist Party lines or in Communist Party interests ? Mr. Lees. Well, the question that you have asked involves an or- ganization on the list that I have before me here, and I decline to answer that question on the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. You do not by your reply mean to indicate that the Screen Writers' Guild has ever been listed as a Communist organiza- tion ? Mr. Lees. I simply answered the question as you represented it, and I don't know what implication—can you repeat it ? Mr. Tavenner. Then, let us make certain as to what you mean, because I understood you to say you refused to answer because the organization appeared on the list of subversive organizations. Mr. Lees. Oh, I see what you mean. No. The organization that you have mentioned along with the Screen Writers' Guild in the question. Mr. Tavenner. In other words, by reason of my reference to the Communist Party Mr. Lees. That's Mr. Tavenner (continuing). You would not answer? Mr. Lees. I refer to that organization. Mr. Tavenner. You do not mean to imply Mr. Lees. I certainly do not mean to imply- Mr. Tavenner (continuing). That the Screen Writers' Guild is a Communist organization ? Mr. Lees. I don't think it's been listed in any of your organizations, but anything is possible in this day and age. Mr. Tavenner. Well, do you mean that it's possible that the Screen Writers' Guild is a Communist organization? Mr. Lees. It's not a Communist organization, Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Tavenner. Are you certain? Mr. Lees. As I understand it.