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COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 105
Mv. Nixon. Getting down to specific cases as to what the industry should do
Mr. Menjou. Yes, sir.
Mr. Nixon. To rid itself of un-American activities in Hollywood if, for example, a producer were to be given unequivocal proof that one of his star actors was a member of the Communist Party do you believe that that producer has tlie responsibility as an American not to renew that person's contract?
Mr. Menjou. Well, I would not want to say that. I was one of the persons most deeply shocked when Mr. Cecil B. DeMille was deprived of his job on the radio. I thought that was perfectly shocking. I asked Mr. Cromwell about that and he said, "He is rich." I said, "What has wealth to do with the matter ?" .
I think Mr. DeMille showed incredible moral courage, more than I have, in giving his job up. He cannot work any more on the radio because he refused to put up a dollar for political purposes. The Taft-Hartley Act has negated all that. I don't believe that an actor, if he is a member of a Communist Party and is careful to state that — I think the public will take care of him.
Mr. Nixon. In other words, you believe the producer in that case would be justified in keeping him in his employment ?
Mr. Menjou. He won't last long if he is labeled as a Communist.
Mr. Nixon. What if a producer is informed that a writer he has in his employ is a member of the Communist Party, what should his action be ?
Mr. Menjou. He could be very carefully watched; this producer could watch every script and every scene of every script. We have many Communist writers who are splendid writers. They do not have to write communistically at all, but they have to be watched.
Mr. Nixon. Your answer would be the same in case he learned that ix director or one of the top employees in the particular industry was a member of a Communist Party ?
Mr. Menjou. Yes, sir. I am firmly convinced of the evils of Stalinism or Marxism ; it is so evil and it is such a menace to the American people that I think it should be watched and watched and watched.
Mr. NixoN. Then so far as your program is concerned, what you advocate is publicity of the fact that certain people in the industry are Communists?
Mr. Menjou. If they are members of the Communist Party they should say so.
Mr. Nixox. And once that publicity is given by vigilance on the j)art of the producers and those responsible for the films that go to the public they can see that no un-American propaganda ge|;s into those films ?
Mr. Menjou. Yes, sir. I have no objection. Mr. Nixon, to communistic picture propaganda if it is so labeled an an honest, faithful picture. I would like to see it. I would like to see pictures of the ])eople at the place where Mr. Wallace made his speech; I'woidd like the American people to see that. That would be an honest picture of what is going on in Russia today.
Mr. Nixon. If we refuse to allow a Communist picture to be made and advertised as such we would probably be falling into the same error that we criticize the Communists for in Russia, is that right?