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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1477 Mr. Tavenner. But in referring to a fraction meeting you were re- ferring to a Communist Party meeting ? Mrs. Ashe. A Communist Party meeting, made up of Communist Party members in a joint fraction. In other words, the fraction from the Federal theater project and the fraction from the Federal writers' project were meeting jointly. Mr. Tavenner. It was at this Communist fraction meeting that Mary Virginia Farmer appeared and took part in the discussion? Mrs. Ashe. That is correct. Mr. Tavenner. To whom did you make your complaint about per- mitting her appearance and disclosure at this meeting? Mrs. Ashe. I don't believe I made a complaint. I think the com- plaint was made against me for going against party decision. Mr. Tavenner. Will you tell the committee the circumstances under which you severed your connection with the Communist Party eventu- ally? Mrs. Ashe. Well, I started withdrawing from the party in 1936. I was injured in February of 1936. I had gotten so tired, so worn out, I was run dry. I felt that I was in a voluntary servitude that was becoming most involuntary. I was ill. I saw my marriage going on the rocks, and from February of 1936 I was not a very good Com- munist. It took me 3 years to sever all connections. It is like a race horse. A race horse gets to the winning line and then canters a little, you know, before they stop. Well, it took me 3 years to canter to a stop in such a way that nobody knew I was out. I did a MacArthur, I just sort of faded out. Mr. Tavenner. What do you think led you more definitely than anything else to make the break from the Communist Party? Mrs. Ashe. I think I know what you are leading up to, but that is- something that I did a few notes on. I can't say that I became so completely disillusioned with the Com- munist Party that I wanted to break with it. That came lfiter. Be- cause when you are in the party you are in a state of mesmerism. As my husband stated, you don't think for yourself at all. You work 16 and 18 hours a day, you don't have enough food, you don't have anything. And after 3 years of that we got a little tired. I got tireder than anybody else, evidently. It wasn't until I was away from the party and had been away for quite a little while that I began to get perspective on it and began to realize what a vicious, rotten, sub- versive thing it is. Mr. Tavenner. Is your break with the Communist Party a definite and final break in all respects? Mrs. Ashe. If I thought that through any weird machination of fate I should ever again be put into the Communist Party I would rather open up my veins and let all the blood out of my body. I don": want any more Communist Party. Mr. Tavenner. I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Wood. Mr. Walter. Mr. Walter. No questions. Mr. Wood. Mr. Doyle. Mr. Dotee. I notice, Mrs. Ashe, the dues book which you produced, in which the stamps are posted, does show the last posting as of June 1939. In this book, also, is the constitution and bylaws of the Com- munist Party of the United States. I don't find any place in it where