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

398 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Tavenner. I understand from what you say that you were a member of the Radio.Writers' Guild? Mr. Polonsky. That is true. Mr. Tavenner. Out of your interest in that particular field, did you become one of the 13 incorporators of the Hollywood Community Radio Group ? Mr. Polonsky. I am going to refuse to answer that question, sir, on the grounds previously stated, although I would like to say that if you would divide your question up, there is no relationship between the Radio Writers' Guild and the organization you mentioned. Mr. Tavenner. I didn't mean to infer there was, but out of your interest as a radio writer, were you interested in the formation of a corporation, of which you were a director, which had for its purpose the acquisition of a radio station? Mr. Polonsky. I am going to have to refuse to answer that ques- tion on the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. I hand you photostatic copy of articles of incorpora- tion of the Hollywood Community Radio Group, bearing the names of the applicants for the charter, and I notice there the signatory in ink of Abraham L. Polonsky. Will you examine that and state whether or not it is your signature ? Mr. Polonsky (after examining document and consulting with his counsel). I refuse to answer that question on the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Polonsky, hearings were conducted by the Federal Communications Commission with regard to the licensing of the operations of a broadcasting station to the Hollywood Commu- nity Radio Group on December 19, 1946. An examination of the record of those hearings shows that on that day you appeared as a witness and testified before the Commission, and that in the course of your testimony the following questions and answers appear, both on cross-examination and on redirect examination, which I clesire to read to you. Cross-examination by Mr. Welch: Question. Would you permit someone to broadcast over your station espousing the views of communism? Answer. I would permit Communists to broadcast over our station as long as they are a legal entity. Question. Espousing the views of communism? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. That is all. Then on redirect examination by Mr. Rosenberg: Question. On cross-examination, Mr Polonsky, I believe you testified that you would permit the Communists espousing the cause of communism to broadcast over your station so long as the Communist Party was legal in the United States; is that correct? Answer. I said that. Question. Would you permit Communists espousing the cause of communism so to broadcast under any and all circumstances? Answer. I should say not. Question. What circumstances would you permit them to broadcast under? Answer. Well, in terms of the discussion that I had with you during the intermission—well, he asked me that question and I will answer it. I feel only that if it is public controversy in which the subject affects the interests of all the people who could listen to our station and they want to hear the various sides of the issue and the Communist side was one of the sides to it, then I think so long as the Communist Party is legal in the United States, they should have