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

3498 COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY munist Party any more, let's be some kind of political association." And that is apparently the way they work out things. Mr. Velde. You feel that the Communist Party of the United States is directed in its policies by the Comintern? Mr. Odets. The case I am thinking of is suddenly the French Com- munist Party, which said, "Look, you gentlemen are not functioning as you should." Lo and behold, the party makes an about-face and takes the suggestion of the French party and becomes a Communist Party instead of a political association. Mr. Velde. You still have not answered my question, or at least it is still apparent in my mind. Do you think the American Communist Party is directed from European sources or from Asiatic or Russian sources ? Mr. Odets. Let me say both Asiatic and European. Mr. Velde. I suppose you realize that the Comintern has its head- quarters in Moscow. Mr. Odets. Yes. Mr. Tavenner. Are you acquainted with the Manual of Organiza- tion of the Communist Party which was written by J. Peters? Mr. Odets. I am sorry, sir, I never heard of that document. Mr. Tavenner. You were referring and basing your judgment, I think, and your estimate of the situation, upon your surprise that a matter would be made public if it was actually a part of a con- spiracy. Let me read you a paragraph from the book written by J. Peters, the manual, The Role and Aim of the Communist Party. As the leader and organizer of the proletariat, the Communist Party of the United States of America leads the working class in a fight for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism, for the establishment of the dictatorship of the prole- tariat, for the establishment of a socialistic Soviet republic in the United States, for the complete abolition of classes, for the establishment of socialism, as the first stage of classless, Communist society. Now, that is written in black and white by the noted organizer of the Communist Party, J. Peters. So you see, it is a matter of public record as to what the Communist Party of the United States stands for, and so I again ask you, in light of what you know, and haVe learned in your study of communism: Do you maintain that com- munism is just a political party as distinguished from a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of the United States, directed from a foreign country ? Mr. Odets. If I may say so, Mr. Tavenner and Mr. Velde, you have me here in a rather singular position. You have me here defending communism. I am not here for that purpose. Mr. Tavenner. I only asked you the question to explain yourself, your very loose use of the term "political party." Mr. Odets. I simply understand this: I understand that the Com- munist Party is a legally recognized minority political party in the United States. Am I correct about that, sir ? Mr. Tavenner. No, this committee has never considered it a political party. It considers that it is a conspiratorial group. Mr. Odets. Well, then, I think that recommendation should be made, if I may be so bold as to say so, to have this party declared illegal, because at the moment my best knowledge is that this is a legal political party in the United States. And since this is an investigatory committee, then recommendations must be made for its abolishment.