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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1533 Mr. Townsend. I did state that I, as a member of the Screen Writers' Guild, worked to get myself on the board of the guild. That was considered my mass organization. Mr. Doyle. Why would you want to work to get yourself on the board? Mr. TowNSEND. Because it was felt by the party that if a number of Communists were on the board they might be able to direct the thinking of the guild. This they never accomplished, I might say. Mr. Doyle. By directing the thinking of the guild, that would lead, would it not, logically, or am I in error, at least to indirect control of the thinking of men that were writing screen scenarios ? Mr. Townsend. Indirectly, yes; but again I must say there never was any control by the Communist Party of either the Screen Writers' Guild or the content of films. I would like, if I may, at this point to disagree with yesterday's witness, Mr. Ashe. I believe he said that he detected, as an expert, several instances of Communist propaganda in American films. I am not quoting him directly, but this is as I recall it. He was, to my knowledge, not in the motion-picture in- dustry. I suppose I can call myself an expert, too. I am at least in the motion-picture industry, and I don't know of any Communist propaganda in motion pictures. I think he referred to the motion picture, Blockade. Now, it seems to me that at the time Blockade was made the ma- jority of the people in this country were sympathetic to the Loyalists in Spain, so that the content, in my opinion, couldn't be considered propaganda at the time unless, of course, it suited their purpose at the moment. Mr. Doyle. I think Mr. Ashe's active membership in the party was prior to yours by several years, wasn't it ? Mr. Townsend. Yes, it was. Mr. D:>yle. And prior to the time you became, claimingly, an ex- pert ; isn't that true ? Mr. Townsend. Yes. Mr. Doyle. So Mr. Ashe might well have had information that you never heard of? Mr. Townsend. This is possible. I don't recall that he brought it put in testimony. Mr. Doyle. No; but there is a difference of many years there be- tween your experience and his experience ? Mr. Townsend. Yes, of course. Mr. Doyle. Now, 1 am not intending to argue with you, but I am interested in again asking you why the Communist Party directive would dictate to you that you should get on the board of the Screen Writers' Guild if your membership in the Screen Writers' Guild as a member of the Communist Party, taking directives from the Com- munist Party, was not intended to influence Mr. Townsend. Oh, I must say I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't. Certainly it was intended to influence. Mr. Doyle. I see. Influence what ? Mr. Townsend. Influence the guild, how the guild was conducted; possibly to gain control of the guild would be the goal. Mr. Doyle. Why would they want to gain control of the guild ?