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COMMUNISM IX HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 3505 that to fight for the right of any legally recognized minority political party was good old-fashioned solid American practice. Mr. Tavenner. That brings us back into the discussion again as to whether or not the Communist Party is a political party in the sense of which you used it or whether it is a conspiratorial group designed to overthrow the Government of the United States. That is a very basic matter. Mr. Odets. If I may, I would like to stand on the record of what I said, and that I have no intention of defending the Communist Party. Mr. Tavenner. In discussing this meeting with Wellman, did you ask him whether he was still a member of the party, or did he state whether or not he was still a member of the party? Mr. Odets. What happened there, sir, is very clear in my memory. I was in a sickbed and he contacted me something like 7 o'clock at night. I was not announced to speak there. Six-thirty or 7 o'clock at night he came around and contacted me and I did not want to go. I got off my sickbed and did go. There wasn't very much discussion, in fact he had to help me into a taxicab to get there. Mr. Tavenner. Did you discuss communism in the course of your trip to and from the place of speaking? Mr. Odets. No ; in no way. Mr. Tavenner. Well, did Wellman state to you that he was still a member of the Communist Party, or did you ask him any question relating to his Communist Party membership? Mr. Odets. No ; I didn't. I am certain none of this matter came up. Mr. Tavenner. I show you the report of the Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace held in New York City in March 1949. On page 146 of this report you are listed as one of the sponsors. Did you attend or participate in this conference ? Md. Odets. Yes, sir; I did. I spoke at it. Mr. Tavenner. Who solicited your sponsorship of that meeting? Mr. Odets. This could only be by mail, in this case by special-deliv- ery mail, I am sure, but I would not remember who sent that to me. It was undoubtedly one of the heads of the Arts, Sciences, and Pro- fessions Council. Mr. Tavenner. The World Congress for Peace was held in Paris in April 1949. According to a circular you were a member of the American sponsoring committee. Will you tell the committee the circumstances of your connection with this group ? Mr. Odets. This I do not remember, but if I had felt that it were a continuation of the Waldorf-Astoria affair I might have lent my name to it. Otherwise I have no memory of it. Mr. Tavenner. The American Continental Congress for World Peace was held in Mexico City in September 1949. According to the Daily Worker of July 29,1949, at page 5, you were one of the endorsers of that meeting. How was your support solicited for that meeting?' Mr. Odets. Again, it could only be done through mail or by tele- gram or perhaps a cable, I don't know. Mr. Tavenner. You have no further recollection of it ? Mr. Odets. I have no recollection. 1 have usually been very care- ful about anything that emanated from a European source in terms of a statement or where a signature was needed. I certainly did not attend either of these affairs.