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COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 2079 Mr. Wheeler. You were a member of the Communist Party when the Stalin-Hitler Pact was originated, were you not? That was in 1939. Miss Ettinger. Yes. Mr. Wheeler. What was your reaction to the Stalin-Hitler Pact? Miss Ettinger. I thought it was just ridiculous. This is when I really started shouting. This is when I thought the whole thing was just distasteful and I couldn't understand it. I felt I had learned nothing and my purpose in going to these meetings was to learn and I felt that I had learned nothing if this is what was going on. I didn't understand it. Mr. Wheeler. Was the necessity of the signing of the Stalin- Hitler Pact explained in any way to you? Miss Ettinger. No. I think I remember reading in the magazine, one of the magazines, whichever it was, whether it was the Commu- nist-International or—what's that magazine? Mr. Wheeler. New Masses? Miss Ettinger. Or in the New Masses. One of those magazines, a whole explanation of the party having made a mistake, that they had been saying that such a thing would never happen and they said, "We made a mistake, we apologize," something like that, or "We didn't understand the situation and we have been put straight." I can't even paraphrase the words. This is, you know, what I consid- ered a real joke. Except up to then it had been a period of stress and strain, and this may be what everybody says. I don't know if everybody has this excuse, but mine is not an excuse; it's just the truth. I mean I don't know if everybody who talks to you says, "You know, I never agreed," but I didn't. I was in a constant turmoil of fighting. But it is hard when you do something you are ashamed of, you just don't put your hat on and walk away and say, "Maybe I am not so smart, how do I know all the answers?" So you wait around and listen, and you fight some more, and finally I realized that it was just silly, a silly thing and I agreed with nothing. Mr. Wheeler. Did you know George Willner in New York City? Miss Ettinger. No. Mr. Wheeler. Do you recall the names of any of the individuals who comprised these groups which you attended ? Miss Ettinger. Mr. Wheeler, it's 15 years—it's a long time, it is hard for me to remember. It is something that was a whole unpleas- ant period of my life that I wanted to forget. I just wish I hadn't waited this long, but I did, and it has just left a whole blank, like questions about groups and things which I can't even remember. I did know Lee Sabinson. I have a recollection of Lee Sabinson dis- appearing, and I had a feeling that he was gone forever, I don't know. I have seen him in the years past, he has come to Hollywood and he has produced plays. But there was never a political discussion, never a conservation, but never. I had assumed that he was either out or gone. I know he went to Europe for a while. Mr. Wheeler. You knew Mr. Sabinson in these groups? Miss Ettinger. I knew him in the beginning of the group or toward the beginning of the group, yes. I did know Nick Bela. Mr. Wheeler. That is Nicholas Bela? Miss Ettinger. Nicholas Bela.