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COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 4485 Mr. Burrows. No; everyone, regardless. Mr. Wood. Do you know a single human being in the State of Cali- fornia who has been subpenaed before this committee that wasn't a Communist who availed himself of the protection of the Constitution? Mr. Burrows. No, sir; I don't know of any of the background. All I know is that I have never asked to avail myself of it since the be- ginning. I said to my lawyer, you know, sometimes it seems it might be easier for me if I just said, "Well, yes, I give up." Mr. Wood. Now, Mr. Burrows, let's get down to cases. What this man wanted you to say here or suggested that you say here was that you refuse to answer the question as to whether or not you were a member of the Communist Party or had been, on the ground that to do so would incriminate you. Mr. Burrows. I don't think that connotation was meant. Mr. Wood. I understand. But you say you knew what the fifth amendment was. Mr. Burrows. I knew it. Mr. Wood. And you knew then what he was referring to; did you not? Mr. Burrows. I don't believe he was referring to this aspect of it. What he was referring to, I believe, was that a Communist Party member, in the fifth amendment, discovered a way to refuse to answer the questions of the committee without being cited for contempt, and I believe they would like everyone who is called, and that includes non-Communists, to refuse to answer this committee. Mr. Wood. Now, let's follow that up just for a minute; permit me to follow it up for a minute. If I am called for any investigation that is empowered by law to administer an oath, and I take that oath that I will swear to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and then I am asked a question whether I am a Communist or not, and I say I won't answer that because to do so would involve criminal prosecution against me, or might have a tendency to sub- ject me to criminal prosecution, is there any alternative in your think- ing as to whether or not I am telling the truth, if I am a member of the party? If I am not a member of the party, I am swearing to a lie? 'Sir. Burrows. No alternative; no, sir; none at all. Mr. Wood. All right. Mr. Velde. Mr. Burrows, have you heard of branch D of the Com- munist Party of Los Angeles, the northwest section? Mr. Burrows. No, sir'; I haven't. I was asked that question in my last testimony. The names and the symbols mean nothing to me. I would like to adjust one little note, if I may, something I was paying to Judge Wood before, that it is possible, just like Owen Vinson said, that Sam Moore may have assumed I was a Communist, Judge Wood. That is entirely possible. And that would explain, sir, the difference Mr. Wood. Why would he assume it? Mr. Burrows. Well, I was there. I was around a good many of those things. I am sorry I was, you know, but I was, sir. Mr. Tavenner. Was Georgia Backus known to you to be a member of the Communist Party?