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

3538 COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Odets this morning discussed the question of front organiza- tions, and how it is very difficult picking the tune. I feel that it is up to this committee to expose the core of these organizations, and I think that the minute this happens, the people who are duped or fooled will be able to pick out, as Mr. Odets puts it, the right tune. I know that it is not the idea of this committee to destroy liberal thought. On the other hand, it is not the purpose to further com- munism, which most of these organizations do. Mr. Walter. In other words, it is not only important to hear the right tune, but it is of importance to know who is playing. Mr. Roberts. Yes. You have to know the man who is the band leader; I would say. In finishing this, I am not going to slash my wrists, as seems to be the behavior in many cases. I made a great mistake. My knowledge of communism was purely on a local level. I should have asked ques- tions, but I didn't. The first time I understood the Duclos letter was when Sidney Buchman testified on television, and then I began to understand what it meant. My disillusionment was on the basis of local level entirely, that these people will stoop to anything to justify any ends, and I can only guess from here what the international level might be. Mr. Tavenner. Then I understand that your severance with the Communist Party has been full and complete? Mr. Roberts. Absolutely complete. I am very proud of the fact that after 1948 I could not be fooled. I did not sign the amicus curiae petition! I wouldn't go near it. I did not sign the Albert Maltz nominating petition. The minute that these things began to circulate, the question was, The idea may be fine, but who is doing it? Usually when you see a petition you can guess pretty well where it comes from. Mr. Tavenner. Have you advised any Government agency of your activities in the Communist Party other than the Committee on Un- American Activities? Mr. Roberts. Yes; I gave the FBI pretty much the same informa- tion in January of 1951. Or should I spell it out, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Velde. Mr. Roberts, during the time you were a member of the Communist Party, did you have an impression or idea that the policies of the American Communist Party were being directed by the Comin- tern in Soviet Russia? Mr. Roberts. Mr. Velde, in all honesty, my activity was so special- ized that it would be impossible for me to know this. I did not attend, as most people in Hollywood, any lecture sessions. I have no knowledge of Marxism or a very small knowledge of it, and I never attended discussion groups at all. Most of us were bored with that. Mr. Velde. Do you think that same is true of the average member of your particular group ? Mr. Roberts. I would say, in the case of most of the people I know, yes, they have absolutely no knowledge of what they were doing. It was a place to discuss labor conditions, of working conditions in Hollywood, and as I said originally, it was the way of meeting people at the beginning. It seems a strange way to find a sociable club, but this is pretty much the truth. I had never heard any dis- cussion at all on an international level about a conspiracy or anything. Had I heard that I would have been out in 2 years.