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

1548 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY better; and I have heard testimony here to the effect that people are not allowed to think elsewhere. I would hate to think that it were true in this room. I want to think here, and if I want to think out loud I should be permitted to think out loud. I have a recollection— I could easily check, of course, or you could check for me—that this organization is listed—— Mr. Tavenner. Let me interrupt you a moment. I believe I have put my question in the present tense, and it should be in the past tense, of course. That is, whether or not you were at any time a member of that organization. Dr. Bigelman. I am inclined to think it is listed in your list of sub- versive organizations, so labeled by this committee. I therefore re- fuse to answer this question on the previously stated grounds. Mr. Tavenner. Did you, on July 7, 1945, go to the home of Albert Maltz and there attend a meeting of the Communist Party which was called for the purpose of discussing the Duclos letter? Dr. Bigelman. I refuse to answer this question on the previously stated grounds, although I would like to say at this time that I have read much of Mr. Maltz' works. I think he is one of the great Ameri- can novelists today and that some day our country is going to appreci- ate him as, perhaps, it will appreciate very few men in our time. Mr. Tavenner. Were you at any time chairman of the disciplinary committee of the Los Angeles County Communist Party? Dr. Bkjelman. Now. Mr. Tavenner, after all the other questions, is this one you think I am not going to refuse to answer? I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me, on the grounds of the fifth amendment. Mr. Tavenner. The committee would like to know from you whether you have been associated in any particular work in the Com- munist Party with any of the following-named persons: John Howe; Ethel Holmstock; Dr. Samuel Marcus; Joseph Aidlin, A-i-d-1-i-n; Mary Aidlin; Donald Murray; Norman Byrne, B-y-r-n-e. Dr. Bigelman. You know, defending one's rights in the Constitu- tion becomes a repetitious thing, and I am afraid I am going to be repetitious. I refuse to answer this question on the grounds previ- ously stated. Mr. Tavenner. Is it true that you, along with those persons, com- prised the membership commission of the Communist Party in Los Angeles at one time ? (At this time Representative Donald L. Jackson returned to the room.) Dr. Bigelman. This, in my opinion, is another version of the same question. I therefore again refuse to answer this question on the pre- viously stated grounds. Mr. Tavenner. The committee, Dr. Bigelman, is in possession of information that in 1944 you were assigned a Communist Political Association card No. 46157 and that in 1945, card No. 47411 Dr. Bigelman. Well, if the committee is in possession of such in- formation, an answer from me is superfluous. I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it is asking me to testify against myself, and on the grounds of the fifth amendment I need not incriminate myself. Mr. Tavenner. Are you now a member of the Communist Party ? Dr. Bigelman. I refuse to answer the question on the same grounds.