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COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1559 Mr. Tavenner. Did you work for the same employer during that entire time when you served as a staff reader? Mr. Levitt. You mean the same immediate superior? Yes; the same place, Paramount Pictures. Mr. Tavenner. During that period of time did you attempt on any occasion to influence the studio in accepting any script which was slanted, to your knowledge, according to the Communist Party line ? Mr. Levitt. I believe that anybody who attempted to influence the purchase of a script on the basis of its slant in any direction would not last very long in his job. The attempt, at least, is made to purchase scripts on the basis of merit so that the slant of a script, the political attitude of a script, could never in itself, or at least at that time could never influence its purchase. Mr. Tavenner. Now will you answer my question, please ? Mr. Levitt. Would you repeat the question, please ? Mr. Tavenner. Would you read the question to the witness. The reporter read the question as follows: Mr. Tavenner. During that period of time did yon attempt on any occasion to influence the studio in accepting any script which was slanted, to your knowledge, according to the Communist Party line? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. Tavenner. Will you please indicate that the witness is con- ferring with counsel. Mr. Levitt. I beg your pardon ? Mr. Tavenner. I asked the reporter to always indicate when the witness was conferring with counsel. Mr. Levitt. I have never attempted to influence the purchase of any script on the basis of its slant in any direction. Mr. Tavenner. Did you, in your reading, approve or recommend for acceptance any script that you knew was prepared by a member of the Communist Party ? Mr. Levitt. I can't even recall now as a reader—one covers a great many manuscripts in the course of a week. This was—I ended my work as a reader in 1942,9 years ago. Even if it were so, that I had any basis, or any opinion about the writer of the script, I can't remember which scripts I recommended and which I didn't. Mr. Tavenner. But you do remember the individuals who prepared the scripts, do you not ? Mr. Levitt. No ; I don't recall the scripts that I covered as a reader. Mr. Tavenner. Do you recall whether or not any script that you covered as a reader was written or prepared by a person known to you to be a member of the Communist Party \ Mr. Levitt. In order to recall such a thing, there would have to be an indication on my part of knowledge or acquaintance with member- ship in the Communist Party, and I don't intend to answer such ques- tions which would have such implication. Therefore, I decline to answer that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment. Mr. Tavenner. Namely, that to answer it might tend to incrimi- nate you ? Mr. Levitt. That's right; an answer might tend to incriminate me. Mr. Tavenner. That's all. Mr. Levitt. Before I am excused, I forgot to ask to have my state- ment received.