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

1768 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY any way limit the scope of your artistry, that would in any way affect your religious rights, or any right that is guaranteed under the Con- stitution. I personally fail to see the objection to the oath proposed. Mr. Foreman. I took the oath, Mr. Jackson. Mr. Jackson. But you also interposed objections to having anyone else in the membership take the oath. (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. Jackson. Did the membership itself vote on the question of whether or not a loyalty oath should be taken by the membership or was this an action of the board ? Mr. Foreman. You know, I don't quite remember that. It seems to me that prior to this board meeting a resolution was brought up before the guild membership at a late hour, and I think I had left before the resolution came up. The general feeling I got, both from members or from everybody—that includes the members of the all- guild coalition—that they were very much against the submission of a resolution for a loyalt}^ oath to the general membership. And I can swear to that. So if you say, "Was it ever proposed to the membership on that basis?" it was. It was never brought up again. I must tell you that I voluntarily signed an oath. I am in favor of voluntary oaths for people who want to make them. Mr. Jackson. Let me say in conclusion, Mr. Chairman, that the ultimate test of the credibility of a witness before the committee, as far as I am concerned, is the extent to which he is willing to co- operate with the committee in giving full details as to not only the place of activities, but also the names of those who participated with him in the activities within the Communist Party—and I am not relat- ing this to your membership or nonmembership, Mr. Foreman—I personally will place no credence in the testimony of any witness who is not prepared to come before this committee and fully cooperate with respect to the activities within the Communist Party. In that connection, Mr. Chairman, I ask permission to insert in the record at this point an editorial from the Herald Express of Sat- urday, September 22. Shall I read it, Mr. Chairman? Mr. Walter. Yes. Mr. Jackson. It says: Let's not forget the loyal Americans. As Hollywood and the motion-picture world is rocked and shocked hy revela- tions of the activities of Communists and fellow travelers who seek the destruc- tion of America, it would be well to pause and to pay tribute to those loyal Americans who dared to sacrifice their very livelihood in the films in an effort to fight back the Red menace when first it reared its ugly head. Today the House Committee on Un-American Activities is doing a splendid job of bringing Red traitors out of hiding—and exposing the stooges of those who are taking their orders from Moscow. Good Americans everywhere are cooperating fully with the investigation. But we should not forget the sacrifice of the few who did their best to fight communism in the industry from the very start. We should remember Jim McGuinness, who really gave his life to the cause. We should remember Morrie Riskind, Richard Macauley, Jack Moffitt, Fred Niblo, Jr., and half a dozen others who knew that their jobs in the movies were at stake—and who didn't hesitate to do what they felt was their patriotic duty. So it is that today as we cooperate, approve, and join in the long-overdue housecleaning in the motion-picture industry, let us not forget those who saw the danger long ago—and dared to fight it to the best of their ability. Mr. Walter. I have been very much disturbed by reports that I received over the week end that some of the men who came forward