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

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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1445 criticized for this. No sense of humor. It is astounding. That is about all I have to say. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Ashe— Mr. Ashe. I would like to say one thing. During this period when I was working my way out of the party after I learned beyond any shadow of a doubt that there were huge concentration camps in the interior of the Soviet Union, in which workers were imprisoned be- cause they had been suspected of thinking, I couldn't help but wonder what one of these brooding workers would think behind these stock- ades as he contemplated, the Marxist admonition: Workers of the world, unite. You will have nothing to lose but your chains and a world to gain. Mr. Tavenner. That is a quotation, that is from the Manifesto? Mr. Ashe. That is correct. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Ashe, I had planned to ask you some other gen- eral questions, but I believe members of the committee will likely cover them Mr. Ashe. All right. Mr. Tavenner. So rather than have the repetition, I believe that I will close my examination. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Wood. At the outset, I requested the members of the committee to refrain from interposing questions during the conduct of the exami- nation by counsel and assured them that I would give each an oppor- tunity in turn to ask such pertinent questions as they desire, but since the hour of lunch is approaching, I think at this time I will withhold the examination by the individual members until we return from lunch, and the committee will now take a recess until half past 1 o'clock. (Whereupon, at the hour of 12: 25 p. m., an adjournment was taken in the above proceedings until the hour of 1: 30 p. m. of the same day.) afternoon session (Whereupon at the hour of 1: 30 p. m. of the same day, the pro- ceedings were resumed, the same members being present.) TESTIMONY OF HAROLD J. ASHE—Resumed Mr. Wood. Let the committee be in order. Mr. Counsel, are you ready to proceed or do you desire any further questioning yourself of the witness ? Mr. Tavenner. I think not, if it please Your Honor. Mr. Wood. I yield to the members of the committee. Mr. Walter of Pennsylvania. Mr. Walter. Mr. Ashe, during the course of your testimony you mentioned the names of various people who are connected with the labor movement as having been members of the Communist Party, and among them was Joseph Tracy, Railroad Brotherhood, the head of the fisherman's union, the business agent for the waiters' union, and Don Healy, of the painters' union. Do you know whether or not those individuals are still actively engaged in union activities ? Mr. Ashe. I would have no way of knowing about some of them. In the case of the first person you mentioned, the correct name is Jim Tracy.