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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1460 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY better see him. I made an appointment with him and met him at Man- ning's Cafe on Third Street. We talked around a while about literature. He wanted to write a book. I couldn't see much possibility in it but at any rate he seemed to be interested in writing a book. I gave him such encouragement as I could and then pretty soon he came around to the question of how 1 felt about communism, so I proceeded to tell him. At this point I suddenly realized that Jack Moore had not sought me out with a view to getting any help, any guidance in resolving his problem, but rather quite obviously he had been sent by the party to interview me and to find out where I really stood. In other words, was I antiparty or was I merely out of the party. There is con- siderable difference. In other words, the party apparently was hope- ful that I had been sufficiently neutralized that I would not harm the party. I know that we got onto the question of the possibility of an- other war and he wanted to know where I stood and indicated that he had grave doubts—remember he was an officer in the United States Army attached to a tank-destroyer battalion, I believe second lieu- tenant. He said that he would have grave doubts as to whether he would fight for this country in the event of another war. I told him that there was no doubt in my mind where my loyalty would stand. At one point we reached the point where we—we both had pretty good voices and we reached the point where we were shouting at each other in Manning's Cafe. And that is the last time I have seen Mr. Moore. I am quite sure that he immediately reported to the county office, where his wife at that time was some kind of functionary. I learned that later. Mr. Potter. Mr. Ashe, at any time did the party functionaries ever get together and discuss that "come the revolution" they would be the men in control ? Mr. Ashe. Yes; there was a good bit of talk like that, but not too much. Some of it was more or less in jest. I mean they would kid about where they were going to live, but it was half kidding and half serious. I mean these guys weren't living too well and I suppose some of these residences out in Hollywood, and so forth, did appeal to them, and the idea of having three good meals a day. I mean there was a certain amount of that in a semihumorous vein, although, as I say, they have no real sense of humor. Mr. Potter. Did your organization, your county organization, re- ceive many of the high functionaries from either the State central committee or the National central committee of the Communist Party ? Mr. Ashe. Receive many? Mr. Potter. Yes. Did they come out and visit you or lecture to you, and so forth? Mr. Ashe. Oh, yes. Sam Darcy, who was State organizer, came down here periodically to Los Angeles to meet with the leadership and frequently stayed at the home of Dr. I. S. Decker. I have at- tended several meetings at Dr. Decker's home where Sam Darcy was present. We discussed immediate policies of the party, recruiting, how to infiltrate organizations, work in the united front, and other practical day-to-day problems. There have been national figures come out..