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COMMUNISM IX HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 3465 If I am not mistaken, this was the time of the United Front, this was the time when the Communist Party tried to work with all other liberal and left groups. Actually, there were a lot of people on this delegation who in my opinion had nothing to do with Communists or communism. Mr. Kearney. Were you arrested or were the members of the dele- gation arrested by the Cuban authorities ? Mr. Odets. We were promptly arrested and promptly lined up and marched to jail. Mr. Kearney. Were yon asked whether you were members of the Communist Party or not by the police of Cuba ? Mr. Odets. Xo, sir; we were not asking anything. We were not told anything and not asked. We were just arrested. Mr. Kearney. Arrested and put in jail. Were there any charges placed against you? Mr. Odets. Xo. We were held incommunicado except for a phone call or two for about 24 hours and to see the American consul. And then I asked him with a great deal of honest indignation why we were arrested, what this was about, and it had Mr. Kearney. Pardon me for interrupting, but was this the time that you yourself were a member of the Communist Party \ Mr. Odets. I might have been. Yes, I was. Mr. Kearney. That was the time that you asked with honest in- dignation what it was all about? Mr. Odets. I believe the indignation was honest, sir. I went there as a citizen of the United States. I didn't go there as a Communist Party member. Mr. Kearney. I inferred from your answers that the group was arrested because they were members of the Communist Party. Mr. Odets. We weren't told why we were arrested. As a matter of fact, after reading the newspaper when I got back to New York City, because I couldn't read the Spanish newspapers, I learned that that is why we had been arrested. I, of course, suspected—I am not going to be naive—I suspected that that is why we were arrested. Mr. Kearney. Did you see the American consul or talk with him ? Mr. Odets. I saw him one time, and he said very coyly, "You know, you know." A very coy gentleman. Mr. Kearney. And you were held there for 24 hours? Mr. Odets. Twenty-four or 36, something like that. Mr. Kearney. What happened after that? Mr. Odets. Then we were very carefully marched back to another boat going back to Xew York and we were on our way back to Xew York. It was not a pleasant experience. Mr. Kearney. I should not think so. Mr. Tavenner. You later found out that the person originally selected to act as chairman of this commission was Mother Bloor, did vou not \ Mr. Odets. That is correct. Mr. Tavenxer. And why was it that Mother Bloor did not go through with the assignment, or the proposed assignment? Mr. Odets. Well, when I got back I had a real indignation because I thought that if one went down there on the basis of saying there is a horrible, repressive movement here against intellectuals and col- 21546—52—pt. 8 2