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COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 77
Mr. McDowEi.L. What was the name of this picture yon are talking about ?
Mr. Mayer. Tennessee Johnson.
The CiiAiK]\rAN. Is tliat all tlie (juestions you have at this time?
Mr. SMrrii. It is; yes, sir.
The C^HAiRMAx. ]\Ir. Wotxl.
Mr. AVooi). Since you have been in the production business, Mr. ISIaj^er, ai)proximately how many pictures have you made?
Mr. Mayeh. About" 1,200. ])]-ol)"ably.
Mr. Wood. AVhat criticism, if any, has there been from the public or the j)ress oi' the (lovernment leveled against any of them that you have made?
Mr. Mayer. Well. Mr. C'onoressman, we have always received great approbation, until this tiling s-tarted, about this picture Song of Russia.
Mr. Wool). Well, about the time that you made Song of Russia — by the way, at that time we w^ere engaged in a war in which Russia was one of our allies, is that correct ?
Mr. Mayer. Yes, sir.
Mr. Wood. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that the committee wanted to hear from you. with reference to the underlying reasons that prompted the production of that particular picture. Can you give us any more enlightenment on that ?
Mr. Mayer. Yes. As I told you, we made Joe Smith, the American, which was an incentive to war workers. Then we made one that the (Tovermnent was terribly anxious to have made, those who used to come and visit us, to show the industrial strength of America. We called that picture American Romance, in technicolor. It showed an immigrant, coming from Sweden, getting b}^ the Statue of Liberty. And through Ellis Island, he walks out to Minnesota, to the iron mines, where he had some relations — walking across the country, getting a ride here and there. He became a Henry Ford under our system, Avhicli makes that possible. He became a great industrialist.
Mr. Wood. That was the American
Mr. Mayer. American Romance, in technicolor.
Mr. W(h;d. Mr. Mayer, I believe buck in May of this year you made a talk before tlie Ne\vsi)aper Advertising Executives Association, in San Francisco; is that right?
Mr. Mayer. Yes. sir.
Mr. Wood. About the Tth of May, was it ?
Mr. Mayer. Yes, sir; I think it was.
Mr. AVooD. I find in the Congressional
Mr. Mayer. July 7.
Mr. Wood. I find in the Congressional Record, under date of July 1;") of this year, an iiisei-tion in tlie Congressional Record by Hon. Gord<m L. McDonald, of the State of California, of what jjurports to be a copy of that address.'' Have you read it?
Mr. Mayer. Xo, sir.
Mr. Wood. You have not ?
Mr. Mayer. No, sir.
" See api)en(lix, p. 525, for exhibit 2,' 67683—47 — —6