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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1852 COMMUNISM IN MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY refused to answer any questions in that connection. This fact, when taken with relation to the other evidence which was available with re- spect to the individual writers, would seem to indicate that some of the assignments were given to people who, if not actual members of the Communist Party, were certainly sympathetic toward its aims and goals. Is the procedure at the present time with respect to writers who are assigned to such projects the same as it has been in the past? Do you simply make a list of the entire membership or a portion there- of available to the Government, or do you do any screening at all in the Screen Writers Guild? Mr. Tunberg. We do a certain amount of it. The procedure has changed. You referred to the Writers' Mobilization. This does not come within my direct experience. I did not become active until 1947. Mr. Jackson. I understand that. Mr. Tunberg. My understanding is that the Writers' Mobilization, which was started as a Government agency to help the Government in the writing of material, not only restricted material but unrestricted material for bond drives, for tours, I think practically every—this Mobilization was started, and practically every writer in Hollywood was a member of it. It was only later that the Communists saw the possibility of taking this over, and I think early in the history of the Writers' Mobilization there probably wasn't a screening of these people, especially when they weren't dealing with restricted material. Mr. Jackson. Well, could you set a figure on the present member- ship of the Screen Writers' Guild of admitted or known members of the Communist Party ? Mr. Tunberg. I could only guess at it. Mr. Jackson. What would your best guess be ? Mr. Tunberg. These are now people who have admitted pub- licly- Mr. Jackson. That's right, either on the stand or have been so identified. Mr. Tunberg. I should say probably 60. Mr. Jackson. Sixty? Mr. Tunberg. Yes. Mr. Jackson. What is your present membership? Mr. Tunberg. Twelve hundred. Mr. Jackson. Twelve hundred? Mr. Tunberg. Twelve hundred; yes, sir, approximately. I think it is a few under that—1,180; something like that. Mr. Jackson. But your feeling is that the Screen Writers' Guild as of today has the situation in hand; that there is no chance of a repe- tition of what occurred when there appeared to have been a succession of secretaries Mr. Tunberg. Yes. Mr. Jackson (continuing). Who, if they were not members of the Communist Party, themselves, certainly lent every aid and comfort to the Communist Party ? It is your feeling—is it, Mr. Tunberg ?— that that situation is today in hand in the Screen Writers' Guild? Mr. Tunberg. It is indeed, sir. I feel that it is well in hand. I should point out here that after we got rid of Mr. Pomerance we then had an executive secretary by the name of Alice Penneman, who served us well for several years. She recently retired, and we now