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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COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 501 Mr. Bkecut. No ; I do not. You see, I had not veiT much to do with the filniization itself. I AAi'ote the story and then to the script writers some advice about tlie back<2:round of Nazis, nazism in Czechoslovakia, so I had nothinj^ to do with the actors. The Chairman. ISIr. Stripling, can we hurry this along? We have a very heavy schedule this afternoon. Mr. Stripling. Yes* Now, Mr. Bi'echt, since you have been in the United States have you contributed articles to any Communist publications in the United States ? Mr. Breoht. I don't think so; no. Mr. Stripling. Are you familiar with the magaziiie New Masses? Mr. Brecht. No. Mr. Stripling. You never heard of it ? Mr. Brecht. Yes; of course. Mr. Stmpling. Did you ever contribute anything to it? Mr. Brecht. No. Mr. Stripling. Did they ever publish any of your work ? Mr. Brecht. That I do not know. They might have published sometranslation of a jioem, but I had no direct connection with it, nor did I send them anything. Mr. SiTiiPLiNG. Did you collaborate with Hanns Eisler on the song' In Praise of Learning? Mr. Brecht. Yes; I collaborated. I wrote that song and he only wrote the music. Mr. SiTiiPLTNG. You wrote the song? Mr. Brecht. I wrote the song. Mr. Sti^ipling. Would you recite to the committee the words of that song? Mr. Brecht. Yes ; I would. May I point out that song comes from another adaj)tation I made of Gorky's play. Mother. In this song a Russian worker woman addresses all the poor people. Mr. Stripling. It was produced in this country, wasn't it ? Mr. Brecht. Yes, 35, New York. Mr. Stripling. Now, I will read the words and ask you if this is the one. Mr. Brecht. Please. Mr. Stripling, (reading) : Learn now the simple truth, you for whom the time has come at hist ; it is not too late. Learn now the ABC. It is not enough but learn it still. Fear not, be nf)t downhearted. Again you must learn the lesson, you must be ready to take over — Mr. Brecht. No, excuse me. that is the wrong translation. That is not right. [Laughter.] Just one second, and I will give you the correct text. Mr. Stripling. That is not a correct translation? Mr. Brecht. That is not correct, no; that is not the meaning. It is not very beautiful, but I am not speaking about that. Mr. Stripling. What does it mean? I have here a portion of The People, which was issued by the Communist Party of the United States, published by the Workers' Library Publishei-s. Page 24 says : In praise of learning, by Bert Brecht ; music by Hanns Eisler.