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 . 149 Mr. Mc(jUIXNKss. Well, from what I have read, the Soviet Union is very nnicli more selective abont whom they accept. I believe that some of our Soviet and Connnunist sympathizers mi<>;ht be acceptable — I don't know whether all will be acceptable — to the Soviet Union. Mr. Wood. Do yon know of any instance in which any of them who advocate that political philosopliy have ever had any difficulty in obtaining entrance into any country that is dominated by that school of thought? Mr. Mc"Guixxi<:ss. No; I do not. Mr. Wood. Well, have yon read this morning's editorial in the AVasliin<>ton Post ? Mr. McCjuinxess. No. I think there was a cartoon in it that I saw. Mr. Wood. It had, to me. a very interestinjj editorial, somewhat taking to task certain members of the industry who have appeared here as witnesses because of their pi-onounced unwillingness to assume the legal implications that might be involved by concerted action on the part of the responsible heads of the industry to eliminate this class of people from their employment, and in view of the recent decisions of the Supreme Court and a court of one of our States, particularly New Yoik, to the effect that the term "communism" is such an odious term that it formed tlie fouiulation for an action in damages and in libel against a person who might apply it to another. Don't you think that the responsible studio heads of this country have at least some justification in their unwillingness by their concerted action to undertake to eliminate men from their employment for that reason? Mr. McGuiNXESs. I am not a lawyer, but I believe that legally concerted action might be deemed conspiracy. Mr. Wood. It is difficult in this country to prove that a man is a Conmumist ; isn't it? Mr. McGuiNNESS. It is. My own observation of what constitutes a Communist has been based somewhat on this principle, that if a man goes into a saloon every night for 10 years I have to presume that he didn't go there to get a lemonade. I also follow the pattern of behavior established by Attorney General Biddle of the various twists and turns of the Communist Party in relation to the Hitler-Stalin pact period when it was an imperialist war. the change of front and attitude when Hitler attacked Stalin, the demand then that we go all out to aid the Allies, and the su})sequent demand for a second front. I might add that since the Attorney General has left office there is the additional return to the revolutionary technique, on the basis of the Jacques Duclos letter which ordered the American party to get rid of its boss. The CHAimr.vN. May we have more order, please. Mr. Wood. In view, then, of the legal implications that are involved, and that might at least be put in force, do you think a charge against the responsible heads of the moving-picture industry in America that they had been derelict in their duty for not conspiring together to eliminate ])eo])le from their industry because of their political beliefs is a little bit unfair? Mr. McGuixNEss. I think that that charge is unfair. I advocate no conspiracy by any group of men, including the Communists. I think that each producer or head of a studio nuist decide for himself what his attitude is.