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

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1616 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Stevenson. It is a compulsion of my own conscience, sir, and conscience is the sovereign of the mind, in my opinion. Mr. Wood. Then under the prompting of your conscience, what is your answer to the question ? Do j^ou answer it or not ? Mr. Stevenson. I decline to answer the question, sir. Mr. Wood. All right. Well, the answer that you "must decline to answer it" is an improper answer to this committee, because that indi- cates that we are putting you under some compulsion about it when we aren't doing anything. Mr. Stevenson. I am under compulsion, according to my ideas and Mr. Jefferson's ideas, of what an American citizen should do. Mr. Wood. We are not concerned about your ideas. We are con- cerned about your actions, whether you answer the question or not. Mr. Stevenson. Is that a question, sir ? Mr. Wood. I say that is our concern, whether you answer the ques- tion or not. I understood you declined to answer; is that right? Mr. Stevenson. That's correct. Mr. Wood. For reasons that you have stated? Mr. Stevenson. That's right. Mr. Wood. Proceed, Counsel. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Sam Moore also appeared as a witness before this committee, and he refused to testify regarding his position on the radio committee of the Hollywood Writers' Mobilization. Did you attend a meeting of that group, the radio committee of the Hollywood Writers' Mobilization, which discussed the plans of that body? Mr. Stevenson. Again I think I shall decline to answer on the grounds of possible self-incrimination. Mr. Wood. You say you think you will. Do you ? Mr. Stevenson. I do. Mr. Wood. All right. Let the record show that Mr. Doyle is now present. Mr. Tavenner. Do jou recall the existence of a plan designed to place before the public information relating to the atomic bomb in such a manner as to use it for propaganda purposes ? Mr. Stevenson. Excuse me, sir. I may have missed the beginning of that question. About what organization or group, are you talking? Mr. Tavenner. I am not certain whether I stated that. Will you read the question back ? (The question was read by the reporter, as follows :) Mr. Tavenner. Do you recall the existence of a plan designed to place before the public information relating to the atomic bomb in such a manner as to use it for propaganda purposes? Mr. Tavenner. I am referring to a plan that was put into effect, or allegedly so, by the Hollywood Writers' Mobilization. Mr. Stevenson. Well, again I decline to answer on the grounds previously stated. Mr. Tavenner. The name of Nora Hallgren, secretary to a person known as J. Peters, has come before the committee frequently. Can you give the committee any information relating to Nora Hellgren or any of her activities in Hollywood ? Mr. Stevenson. Well, as to the names of persons alleged to have undertaken subversive activities before this committee is concerned, I shall again decline to answer the questions on the grounds of possible self-incrimination.