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

COMMUNISM EST HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 3545 Miss Hellman. I would very much like to discuss this with you, Mr. Tavenuer, and I would like at this point to refer you to my letter. I have every desire to discuss this with you. To be fair to myself I think I have worked very hard over this letter, and most seriously. I would like to ask you once again to reconsider what I have said in the letter. Mr. Tavenner. In other words, you are asking the committee not to ask you any questions regarding the participation of other persons in the Communist Party activities ? Miss Hellman. I don't think I said that, Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Wood. In order to clarify the record, Mr. Counsel, at this point would it be wise to put into the record at this point the correspondence that has been had between the witness and me as chairman of the committee, pertaining to her letter. Mr. Tavenner. Yes, sir. I have here the letter of Miss Hellman, addressed to the chairman, May 19,1952, and a copy of the reply by the chairman of May 20, 1952, which I produce and ask to be made a part of the record as Hellman exhibit No. 1. That will be 1 and 2. (Documents referred to marked "Helman Exhibits Nos. 1 and 2" and filed for the record.) Mr. Tavenner. I notice the press is passing around copies. Are those copies being disseminated by you ? Mr. Rauh. By me, Mr. Tavenner. I thought you had accepted them in the record and that was proper. I am sorry if I had done anything that was not proper. Mr. Tavenner. Not at all. I was just interested to know whether you were prepared to do that before you came here. Mr. Rauh. We had to have the copies, Mr. Tavenner. If you had not put them in the record I would not have done it. I thought it was proper once you made it a part of the record. Mr. Tavenner. There is no objection to that. Mr. Wood. I might state in that connection, Mr. Counsel, for the purpose of suggesting that the correspondence be placed in the record, it is in my view that in the function of this committee we cannot be placed in the attitude of trading with the witnesses as to what they will testify to, and that is the substance of my reply which is in the record and which I think should be read publicly now, in view of the fact that the witness has been circulating them among the press, Mr. Tavenner. The letter by Miss Hellman reads as follows: Dear Mr. Wood : As you know, I am under subpena to appear before your committee on May 21,1952. I am most willing to answer all questions about myself. I have nothing to hide from your committee and there is nothing in my life of which I am ashamed. I have been advised by counsel that under the fifth amendment I have a constitu- tional privilege to decline to answer any questions about my political opinions, activities, and associations, on the grounds of self-incrimination. I do not wish to claim this privilege. I am ready and willing to testify before the representa- tives of our Government as to my own opinions and my own actions, regardless of any risks or consequences to myself. But I am advised by counsel that if I answer the committee's questions about myself, I must also answer questions about other people and that if I refuse to do so, I can be cited for contempt. My counsel tells me that if I answer questions about myself, I will have waived my rights under the fifth amendment and could be forced legally to answer questions about others. This is very difficult for a layman to understand. But there is one principle that I do understand: I am not willing, now or in the future, to bring bad trouble to people who, in my past