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

1456 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Ashe. I think I made that fairly clear this morning, that I couldn't go along with the inhuman, brutal attitude of the [Communist Party] leadership, which I was finally obliged to realize was not purely a bad local leadership but was a reflection of the leadership clear up to the top. Mr. Doyle. 1 remember that testimony and I will interrupt you because I don't mean for you to repeat it. It was very helpful. Have you any suggestion for the functioning of this committee? Is there any field of endeavor that we should enter? Are we functioning, in your judgment, in a helpful, constructive manner or is there something we should add to our functioning ? Mr. Ashe. No. I think you are doing a very excellent job. I might add that when I borrowed this copy of the 1938 Report of the House Un-American Activities Committee from Charlie Daggett, which was in 1939, after I had ceased to be an organizational member of the party, that although that committee made many mistakes some of the testimony in there helped me to resolve my remaining idea- logical doubts and helped to set me on the right road to recovering my freedom and completely disassociating myself from the Commu- nist Party. Mr. Doyle. There is one other question I wish to ask you. I no- ticed this morning that on two occasions at least in one way or another you volunteered the statement even directing your statement to people possibly who might be in this room, that in your opinion there were many Communists that were seeking a way out Mr. AsnE. That's correct. Mr. Doyle. Of membership in the Communist Party. Why did you mention that on two occasions ? You emphasized it. Mr. Ashe. Because I went through a very difficult period myself. I feel personally responsible for the fact that some of these people that are in this room are still in the party. I regret that I have to expose them but the responsibility is theirs. They are still in, so far as I know. I would like to see them get out. I don't think they belong in there. I think they have been badly misled. _ I think if they had the benefit of associating, as long as I did, with the top leadership of the party, I think they would realize that they are asso- ciating with a bunch of rascals and skunks. That is my considered judgment. I know one man whose eye I caught here earlier this morning isa person in the Communist Party. I am satisfied just from looking in his eyes he wants to get out, and get out very badly. I hope he will. Mr. Doyle. You realize, don't you, that this committee has, over radio, through our counsel and through our distinguished chairman, offered on many occasions to cooperate with those who desire to co- operate with the committee, and help them in every way—not to harm them but to help them, as they got out or desired to get out of the Communist Party? Mr. Ashe. I understand that. But what my purpose was this morning was to try to lay an escape route for these people who have been trapped in the party and who are going through a very trying psychological period when they can't disassociate themselves. They are completely surrounded. They don't know what to do, they can't think for themselves; they have surrendered the right to think and they don't know where to start again.