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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476 COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Mr. ScHARY. I think there are Communists in Hollywood. No one at any time would care to deny that. That has been testified here, and I would be glad to testify that I believe there are Communists in Hollywood, but again testimony has revealed that these people at any time they have tried to dominate guilds and unions have been defeated. I think the large segment of Hollywood, represented, I think, very ably this morning by Mr. La very, like most Americans of a middleof-the-road group — some of them may be left of center, some right, but essentially middle-of-the-road people. ^ Whenever the Communist attempts to dominate any organization in Hollywood he is defeated and for that reason, while I believe there are Communists, I don't think they have any weight either in the organizations of Hollywood or in tlie actual things that appear on the screen. I think that since we are investigating im|)artially — and I shall be very happy to continue that investigation impartially — we should talk about the actual things that get on the screen and I think to that end, I don't know of any subversive films ever made, I just don't. The Chairman. I want to say to you in answer, in the first place, I want to make it very clear that your appearance here today is no reflection on you. ]Mr. ScHARY. Thank you, sir. The Chairman. We are very pleased to have you. In regard to the scripts and the pictures, investigators of this committee now are making a very thorough study of some of the pictures. Mr. ScHARY. Yes, sir. The Chairman. It is very likely that in another phase of these hearings we will devote all of our time to just that thing. I feel as you do, Mr. Schary, that your industry is just like many other industries, there are a number of Communists in it. The influence of the Communists in the industry — the influence is far out of proportion with the number of Communists in the industry, let me put it that way. But the mere fact that it is there deserves our attention. I know you and your associates out there want us to give it our attention. That is our job so we are going to do that, we are going to continue to do that. Mr. Vail, do you have something? Mr. Stripling. Mr. Chairman, on that point, could I The Chairman. Mr. Stripling. Mr. Stripling. Could I ask you this question, Mr. Schary? Mr. Schary. Yes, Mr. Stripling. Mr. Stripling. Are you now producing, is your company producing a picture based upon the book entitled, "Rachael" written by Howard Fast? Mr. Schary. Yes, that is a short story called "Rachael." Mr. Stripling. Written by Howard Fast? Mr, Schary. Yes. It was purchased — I think the studio has owned it since 1936. Mr. Stripling. Are you familiar with the Communist record of Howard F'ast ? Mr. Schary. I am familiar with it, yes.