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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1431 friends. The next time I saw him on the street he wouldn't speak to me, or didn't speak to me. Mr. Tavenner. Does Syd Birk spell his name S-y-d ? Mr. Ashe. That's correct. Mr. Tavenner. B-u-r-k-e ? Mr. Ashe. B-i-r-k is a party name. His real name is Berkowitz. Mr. Tavenner. How does he spell his last name ? Mr. Ashe. B-e-r-k-o-w-i-t-z. I would like to say, for his father, that his father has no sympathy whatsoever for Syd's politics. Mr. Tavenner. When was the last time that you saw Charles Daggett ? Mr. Ashe. I saw Charley Daggett in about 1939 up in San Fran- cisco. A rather amusing incident impressed it on me. Charley had just rented an apartment up there that was unfurnished, and he had undertaken to make some furniture to get out of buying any. I recall distinctly that he had a chair that he was very proud of and was show- ing me the construction of it. It was simply four upright legs and a piece to go across for the seat, and I remember that I sat down on it and the thing collapsed. It developed that all he had done was to drive one nail through each leg of the chair, and I know he was very much distressed that his craftsmanship had been exposed. I really think he ought to get himself a job as an apprentice with Percy Solotoy. Mr. Tavenner. Did he at that time or any other time deliver to you any document or book relating to communism ? Mr. Ashe. Yes. He gave me a book, the 1938 Report of the Un- American Activities Committee, which I have in my possession now with his name on it. I understand Mr. Daggett doesn't remember me, but I have a book I borrowed from him in his home, and I have it to this day. Mr. Tavenner. Do you have it with you. Mr. Ashe. I do not, unfortunately. It was a book that he, in turn, received from Congressman Havenner, of San Francisco. Mr. Tavenner. Containing reports of this committee ? Mr. Ashe. That's-correct, for the year 1938. Mr. Tavenner. What was the occasion for his giving you a report prepared by this committee ? Mr. Ashe. Oh, he was amused at some of the testimony and thought it might be enlightening to me. It was, very, because at that time I was out of the Communist Party. Mr. Tavenner. Now, during the period of time that you were in the party, you must, of course, have become well acquainted with other functionaries in the Communist Party. Mr. Ashe. That's correct. Mr. Tavenner. I wish you would give us the names of the func- tionaries in southern California who were active in the work of the party. Mr. Ashe. When I came into the party, the bureau was composed of Elmer Hanoff, organizer—this is the county; Elmer Hanoff, organ- izer: Lawrence Ross, organization secretary, and Jimmy Allen. I never did figure out what Jimmy Allen's function was. A short time later Hanoff was removed as organizer. Lawrence Ross became acting organizer, and Louise Todd came down at about that time and she became organizer. There was a considerable shuffle there. It was quite a scandal in the party, which they hushed up. Then Ross went to