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)

64 COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Nixon. In addition, they might also be interested in keeping out of the fihiis anything that ^vas derogatory of the Communist system of Government? Mr. Wood. Oh, my heavens, yes ; oh, yes. Mr. Nixon. But they would have no interest in keeping out of the film anything that was derogatory of a Fascist or the Nazi system of government ; that is true ? Mr. Wood. Pardon me. I didn't get that. Mr. Nixon. They wouldn't be interested in keeping out of the film anything derogatory of nazism or fascism? Mr. Wood. No, Mr. Nixon. Which illustrates the point I was trying to make in a rather lengthy way — that their interest is only when it comes to keeping anti-Communist things out of a picture. Mr. Wood. You see, if I may offer something there, these new names of fronts ai'e used. They start a front, and they milk it. Where the money goes, you don't know. They come out and say they have a Greek relief. Everybody wants to give to the Greek relief. Checking into it, it is found it has gone to the guerrillas. Half of the people that give money — people feel they want to conti'ibute to a good cause — they don't know the purpose for which the money is given; they don't know where the money goes. These organizations take one and milk it and start a new one. Sometimes they overlap and one is carried on over the other. Mr. NixoN. If Hollywood were to make a picture pointing out the methods used — a factual picture pointing out the methods used and which have been used in Europe and are used at the present time by the ConuTiunists in taking over various governments now behind the iron curtain, a picture similar to those made about the Nazis before World War II, would you anticipate serious opposition from this group ? Mr. Wood. They would try every possible way to stop it, of course. Mr. NixoN. Is that one of the reasons such pictures have not been made in the past ? Mr. Wood. No; I don't think so. I think at the present time the studio heads rather feel that anything having: to do with war at the present time is not a good subject. I don't think anyone would hesitate to make it if there were a good story presented. Mr. NixoN. To get clearly your attitude — because I think it is important that we draw the lines pretty clearly — from what you have indicated you believe that no control — or shall we say criticism — should be "directed toward Hollywood for making pictures like the ones Mr. Stripling described, which may point out the sordid side of life in the United States? Mr. Wood. I think it would be a great mistake to have that censorship. It might rectify something that is wrong with our system. Mr. Nixon. As a matter of fact, isn't it true that there are many pictures which point out the weak features of our own American system which have been made by people whose loyalty, insofar as communism is concerned, is absolutely unquestioned? In other words, peoi)le' who are anti-Communist have made, and will continue to make, pictures which point uj) weaknesses in our American system? Mr. Wood. Yes, sir; if it is a good subject, they make it. Mr. Nixon. You believe it is essential to maintain that privilege?