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

COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 1615 Mr. Tavenner. How lone: have yon lived in California? Mr. Stevenson. Since that time; since the spring: of 1944. Mr. Tavenner. What major credits have you received in the field of screen writing? Mr. Stevenson. The only credit I have received was on my first picture, which was the Ernie Pyle story of GI Joe which, I think by common consent of the GI's, was perhaps the best picture done on World War II and it was an extremely lucky first break. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Stevenson, this committee is now engaged in an investigation and study of the extent of Communist infiltration into the moving-picture industry. If you have been in a position, since 1944, in the practice of your profession, to see or to know anything regarding the extent of Communist infiltration, I would like to call upon you to cooperate with this committee in giving it such informa- tion as you have. Mr. Stevenson. Yes, sir. I am going to claim my privileges under the first and fifth amendments of the Constitution in connection with such questions, and I hope I may observe that repeatedly the attempt has been made here to say that men are hiding behind these valuable protections to the individual. I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not hiding behind any- thing ; that the Bill of Rights was designed, according to my research, to protect the individual from heresy hunting in the Government. (At this time Representative Clyde Doyle entered the hearing, room.) Mr. Wood. Mr. Stevenson, please give the committee credit for understanding the Bill of Rights without going into a lecture. What is your answer, that you decline to answer anything with reference to any connection with communism? Is that what you mean? Mr. Stevenson. That is correct, sir; but I do think people are under a misapprehension concerning this, and I would like a chance to make people Mr. Wood. I think this is a question of their own apprehensions and the inferences that may be legitimately drawn from a man who re- fuses to answer the questions on whether or not he has Communist connections on the grounds of self-incrimination. I don't think the committee needs any lecture about that. Any further questions, Mr. Counsel ? Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Stevenson, this committee has heard some evi- dence through Mr. Collins regarding the activity of the Communist Party in the extension of the existence of the Hollywood Writers' Mobilization for the purpose of using it as a tool for propaganda pur- poses. Were you at any time a member of the Hollywood Writers' Mobilization, and will you tell the committee what you know about Communist influence within that organization ? Mr. Stevenson. Again, sir, I want to express it is a feeling of duty on my part to use the Bill of Rights and the purpose for which it was intended, and I do decline because I must decline to answer that question on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me. Mr. Wood. Let it be distinctly understood now and hereafter, so long as you are on the witness stand before this committee, that there isn't any compulsion on you to decline to answer any question by this committee or otherwise, unless it is compulsion of your own conscience.'