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174 COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY
Commission, and I was told by the Cultural Commission that they had looked over this script and decided that this movie was one of the most anti-Communist movies in years, and that they were going to line up a boycott of it. I reviewed the movie — that was in 1939 — I reviewed the movie and we called for a boycott of the picture. The next day the party had already prepared around three columns of protests from so-called progressive labor leaders, community leaders, and people like that. The letter and telegram barrage against Paramount started immediately but the entire campaign was planned to begin on the opening day of the picture on Broadway.
Mr. Stripling. In these boycotts does the Communist Party mobilize a united front of its various front organizations or is it strictly the activity of the party itself ?
Mr. RusHMORE. Oh, they use every organization that they control or have influence in, not only their major organizations, the CIO and the A. F. of L., but tile Council of American-Soviet Friendship, the old-time American League for Peace and Democracy, the American Youth for Democracy, they have factions in such church organizations as Epworth League, they have a faction of ministers under Communist control who can be depended on.
Mr. Stripling. A faction of ministers?
Mr. Rushmore. Yes. The word "faction" means a group who work within a large organization.
Mr. Stripling. Could you identify the group ?
Mr. RusHMORE. I never met with them. Clarence Hathaway, editor of the Daily Worker at the time I was there, was in charge of these ministers. Clarence used to tell me how he got a big kick out of meeting twice a week, as he said with a bunch of preachers and giving them the party line, which they carried out through various front organizations set up, and individually, and perhaps in their churches.
Mr. Stripling. M'r. Rushmore, there has been testimony before the committee given yesterday by Mr. Rupert Hughes to the effect that certain producers in Hollywood refrained from producing antiCommunist films because they were forewarned that if they did socalled stinkpots would be placed in theaters and the upholstery in the seats would be slashed. As a former Communist and one who was in the inner circle of the party do you think that the Communist Party would resort to such tactics or do you know whether they ever have?
Mr. Rushmore. Not of my own knowledge but it is very possible that they would do that. I have been at union meetings when they discussed the breaking of windows or the breaking of skulls, so the use of stinkpots in a movie is quite possible.
Mr. Stripling. Who was the commissar of the motion-picture industry when you were in the Communist Party?
Mr. RuSHjroRE. At the time I was there the person in charge of party activities in Hollywood was John Howard Lawson.
Mr. Stripling. Mr. Chairman, John Howard Lawson is a writer
Mr. Rushmore. He is a writer.
Mr. Stripling. And one of those who has been subpenaed before the committee.
Did you ever meet John Howard Lawson ?
Mr. Rushmore. I did.
Mr. Stripling. Where did you meet him?