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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 445 Mr. Wood. Was he the man who approached you about doing this work for the Office of War Information ? Mr. Bercovici. I don't know that he actually approached me, but 1 was in the building and I knew Mr. Kruingold from college, and I be- lieve he asked if I would be interested in writing a script for OWI, and I said I was. Mr. Wood. You say you believe ? Mr. Bercovici. That is the best of my knowledge. Mr. Wood. And is that the way you obtained your employment? Mr. Bercovici. To the best of my knowledge. Mr. Wood. Were you approached by anyone in OWI prior to the time you gained employment other than the man you mentioned ( Mr. Bercovici. Not to my knowledge. Mr. Velde. What did Robert Riskin have to do with your employ- ment with OWI ? Mr. Bercovici. I don't know that he had anything to do with it, but I imagine approval of all jobs had to go through Mr. Riskin, because he was in charge of the whole OWI Motion Picture Division. That is the only connection I had with Mr. Riskin. Mr. Tavenner. Did you sign an affidavit of any character when employed or while employed by the OWI relating to your past mem- bership or present membership in various types of organizations ? Mr. Bercovici. I believe I signed some sort of an affidavit that may have included that statement. Mr. Tavenner. Did you sign an affidavit to the eifect that you were not a member of an organization which believed in the overthrow of the United States Government ? Mr. Bercovici. I may have signed such a document; yes. Mr. Tavenner. How did you answer that question ? Mr. Bercovici. May I consult counsel ? Mr. Tavenner. Yes. (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. Bercovici. To the best of my knowledge, I signed the entire document. As to the particular elements in it, I would have to have my memory refreshed on it. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Edward Dmytryk testified before this com- mittee relating to you in the course of his testimony as to his attend- ance at Communist Party meetings. His testimony is as follows: Question. Describe each of these groups to which you were assigned. Mr. Dmytryk. The second group I was assigned to met in Hollywood. In this group I saw Herbert Biberman, Arnold Manoff, Mickey Uris, and Leonardo Bercovici. Did you meet with the group to which Mr. Dmytryk referred in his testimony ? Mr. Bercovici. I decline to answer that question on the ground it may tend to incriminate or degrade me and it violates my privileges under the Constitution, and especially the first and fifth amendments. Mr. Tavenner. Are you acquainted with Herbert Biberman ? Mr. Bercovici. I decline to answer that question on the same ground. Mr. Tavenner. Are you acquainted with Arnold Manoff? Mr. Bercovici. I decline to answer that question on the same- grounds. Mr. Tavenner. Are you acquainted with Mickey Uris?