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)

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364 COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. Maltz. May I ask whether you asked Mr. Gerald L. K. Smith to see his statement before you allowed him to read it? The Chairman. I wasn't chairman at tliat time. Mr. Maltz. Nevertheless you were on the committee, Mr. Thomas, wei-e you not ? The Chairman. I asked him a great many questions and he had a hard time answering some of them, too. Mr. Maltz. I am interested in that, but I still would like to know whether he had his statement read before he was permitted to read it. The Chairman. Well, we will look at yours. Mr. Maltz. I gather that you don't want to answer my question, Mr. Chairman. (After a pause :) The Chairman. Mr. Maltz, the committee is unanimous in permitting you. to read the statement. Mr. Maltz. Thank you. I am an American and I believe there is no more proud word in the vocabulary of man. I am a novelist and a screen writer and I have produced a certain body of work in the past 15 years. As with any other writer, what I have written has come from the total fabric of my life — my birth in this land, our schools and games, our atmosphere of freedom, our tradition of inquiry, criticism, discussion, tolerance. Whatever I am, America has made me. And I, in turn, possess no loyalty as great as the one I have to this land, to tlie economic and social welfare of its people, to the perpetuation and development of its democractic way of life. Now at the age of 39, I am commanded to appear before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. For a full week this committee has encouraged an assortment of well-rehearsed witnesses to testify that I and others are subversive and un-American. It has refused us the opportunity that any pickpocket receives in a magistrate's court — the right to cross-examine these witnesses, to refute their testimony, to reveal their motives, their history, and who. exactly, they are. Furthermore it grants these witnesses congressional immimity so that we may not sue them for libel for their slanders. I maintain that this is an evil and vicious procedure; that it is legally unjust and morally indecent — and that it places in danger every other American, since if the rights of any one citizen can be invaded, then the constitutional guaranties of every other American have been subverted and no one is any longer protected from official tyranny. What is it about me that this committee wishes to destroy? My writings? Very well, let us refer to them. My novel. The Cross and the Arrow, was issued in a special edition of 140,000 copies by a wartime Government agency, the armed services edition, for American servicemen . abroad. My short stories have been reprinted in over 30 anthologies, by as many American publishers — all subversive, no doubt. My film. The Pride of the Marines, was premiered in 28 cities at (hiadalcanal Day banquets imder the auspices of the United States Marine C()rj)S. Another film. Destination Tokyo, was j)remiered aboard a United States submarine and was adopted by the Navy as an official training film.