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444 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY privilege under the Constitution, and especially under the first and fifth amendments. Mr. Walter. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question ? Mr. Wood. Mr. Walter. Mr. Walter. What crime do you think you might be charged with? You admit you were working on a picture for the OWI. Mr. Bercovict. I decline to answer that question on the same ground. (Representative Morgan M. Moulder entered hearing room.) Mr. Tavenner. Well, you were employed by the Office of War Infor- mation, were you not? Mr. Bercovict. I was employed by the Office of War Information in 1943,1 believe. Mr. Wood. Let the record show that Mr. Moulder of the committes is present. Mr. Tavenner. Were you so employed in 1945 ? Mr. Bercovict No; I was not so employed in 1945. Mr. Tavenner. Your employment began in 1943 ? Mr. Bercovict Yes, and I believe, to the best of my knowledge, it terminated in 1943 as well. Mr. Tavenner. What was the nature of your employment? Mr. Bercovici. I was employed to write a script for the OWI. Mr. Tavenner. And what was that script? Mr. Bercovict It was a script about Italians in America. Mr. Tavenner. Did you sign an application for employment? Mr. Bercovict I signed an application Mr. Tavenner. Go ahead. Mr. Bercovict I believe to the best of my knowledge I signed an application after I completed my work, actually. I am not sure of that, but that is the way my memory serves me. Mr. Wood. You mean you were employed by the Office of War In- formation without signing a formal application for employment? Mr. Bercovict I believe there was some kind of a civil-service form, but it is my impression that I did not sign that until sometime after, or until the completion of that particular script I was working on. Mr. Wood. Did you receive compensation for your services from the Government ? Mr. Bercovict Yes; I did. Mr. Wood. Had you received that compensation prior to the time you signed that application or form ? Mr. Bercovict I believe I received it on a per diem basis. Mr. Wood. But you received it prior to the time you signed that application ? Mr. Bercovict To the best of my knowledge that is true. Mr. Wood. Who approached you on the subject of doing this work for the Office of War Information? Mr. Bercovici. I don't recall exactly. The man in charge of the "whole OWI Motion-Picture Division was a man called Robert Riskin, and I believe a man called Joseph Krumgold Mr. Wood. Joseph who? Mr. Bercovict Krumgold, K-r-u-m-g-o-l-d. Mr. Wood. Where was he located? Mr. Bercovict. He at that time was working for the OWI. Mr. Wood. Where? Mr. Bercovict In New York City.