Hearings regarding the communist infiltration of the motion picture industry. Hearings before the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first session. Public law 601 (section 121, subsection Q (1947)

COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 63' Mr. Nixon. The grounds which generally have been given by those who dislike any criticism of Hollywood following, an anti-Communist line, shall we say, or any criticism of the pictures which have, shall we say, been pro-Comnuuiist, is that they do not feel tliat propaganda and tiie motion pictures should be controlled and they do not feel that it should be used for the purpose of attacking any way of thinking. You, of course, have heard of the control arguments which have been used time and time again. Mr. Wood. Yes, sir; I saw a copy of that meeting. Mr. Nixox. This group obviously, therefore, has said we don't want to see any investigations of Communist activities in Hollywood, we don't want to see any pictures which are anti -Communist, or any influence exerted to make anti-Communist pictures, because if that is the case we would be leveling an attack upon the right of people to believe anything they want in the United States and to say it openly. But by the same token have any members of those groups ever criticized 3'ou, or to your knowledge have they ever criticized any segment of the industry for the pictures which Hollywood has made in which Hollywood has leveled a devastating attack on the totalitarian form of government ? j\Ir. Wood. Well, that is a long question. Do 3'ou want me to take it by sections ? Mr. Nixox. Have you any knowledge that this group that leveled attacks upon your organization, have they ever criticized you, or to your knowledge have they ever criticized the industry generally, because the industry has made in the past pictures which attacked the Nazi and Fascist totalitarian governments? ]\rr. Wood. Of course, they made no attacks during the time Hitler and Stalin were together: they welcomed that. Previous to that Hitler and Mussolini were both their enemies. As soon as Hitler and Stalin got together, then the whole thing was changed. It wasn't in the interest of America or in the interest of anything in particular but Stalin. That was their main idea. ]Mr. Nixox. So far as this group is concerned, it is "thought control'' whenever the motion-picture industry might make an antiCommunist film: but it isn't "thought control" if they were to make an anti-Fascist or anti-Nazi film? In other words, they welcome the first but oppose the latter? Mr. Wood. If you would read the review of that meeting of the "thought conference" held at Beverly Hills Hotel you would know exactly what was in their mind. It is only one thing. It is not America. As far as investigation is concerned, we would welcome an investigation. Our books are open to you at any time. ]Mr. Nixox. You have indicated that the main success of those who follow the Communist line in Hollywood has not been in what they have been able to get into i)ictures but what they have been able to get out ? Mr. AVooD. I think they are both dangerous, but I think what they keep out is doubly dangerous. You wouldn't notice that. If the script is accepted, you don't check back. I do. I generally go back over the book and try to check to see if anything important was left out. But if they don't check back, they leave things out that puts this country and our way of living in a favorable light.