NW 45838 SECRE} the meeting and a written report stated "before the.meeting began, the _ following known Communists circulated among those present. They were acknowledged by the audience generally which. for the most part, gathered around them, chatted and passed remarks which would indicate that they were well-lnown and in a sense looked up to." - Among those named by the informant as being in this category were: John Howard Lawson and Herbert Biberman, together with other Hollywood Communists. The purpose of the meeting reportedly was to elect officers for the ensuing year and to adopt -a constitution. According to the source, the Hollywood Democratic Com- mittee "will undoubtedly develop into a powerful Communist Party pressure group in the near future. Using the war effort and the influence of power-— ful figures’ in the motion picture industry, this organization will have a, tremendous influence in putting over the Communist: Party Line in California." . Further, the.source continued; the Hollywood Democratic Committee is definitely . a Communist "front" organization, and he asserted that John Howard Lawson was among those proposed at this meeting to be considered for the Executive . Board. Lawson, accordirig to. the: source, also was one of. the eight persons who donated $25 at the collection. during the evening (W _ On February 10, 1944, the same sourcé was present at a conference . between John Howard Lawson and Revels Cayton, Negro Vice President of the California State CIO. According to the source, Cayton wanted Lawson to _ get Walter Wanger, Motion Picture Producer, .to approach Helen Gahagan, wife of Melvyn Douglas, screen actor, to run for Congress in the 15th C. D. Lawson said he could not approach Wanger on it but that.George Pepper, through the-Hollywood Democratic Committee, could make the contact. This was only one-of many conferences held concerning possible Congressional and - State Legislature candidates, and on numerous: occasions Lawson's direction and advice was sought by Hollywood Communists melative to possible candidates. -~In 1944, - Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Office, advised_that the entire organizational strength of the Communist Party -was being throwm into the local and national election cam- paigns and that the Hollywood Communists, Party line followers and sympathizers | were engaged in this type of activity.- He submitted the following report with respect to the Hollywood Democratic Committee: "The Hollywood Democratic Committee, which has no official con- nection with the Democratic Party, but is the Communist front organization which attempts to speak for the industry politically and also for the Hollywood section generally, is raising the sum - 30- DocId: 32338872 Page 14
SECRET ‘ Hollywood Reporter for June ll, 1945, contained a full page advertise- ment listing the Executive Council of this new Committee, it being noted _ that John Howard Lawson was named as a member of the Council. XW } l- In August, 1945, a highly reliable informant* advised that ' Lawson was.continuing his leadership in the Hollywood Independent Citizens : Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions. It was stated that George Pepper, Executive Secretary-of the organization, continually obtained direction and counsel from Lawson concerning the strategy and policy of the f group. . The source ‘further remarked that Lawson had been very. active at this time in building up the late General Evans F. Carlson, USMC, as a possible candidate for U.S. Senator on the Democratic Ticket to fill the seat vacated. by the late Senator Hiram Johnson. Ww ; ~ On August 11, 1945, the same reliable source advised that there was some interest in having a State-wide meeting to amounce Carlson's " candidacy or at least to discuss it with the Democratic politicians from ‘all over California. However, Lawson, according to the source, said that Philip Connelly, former President of the California State Industrial Union - Council, CIO, and a known Communist Jaccording to Elsie Monjar, a confidential informant of the Los Angeles Offic®j)was of the opinion that it was not time yet as Ed Pauley, National Treasur€r of the Democratic Party and other forces would try to maneuver to get control of this meeting. On August ll,. — 1945, the same highly reliable source advised that Lawson was to handle a reception for Carlson to be given by Edward G. Robinson. It was-indicated that the Warner. Brothers, Motion Picture magnets and other "big wigs" were to be in attendance at this reception. It was also indicated by this source ’ at the time that Orson Welles discussed with Lawson the chances of Carlson's winning the election. It was aid that Welles promised Lawson all he could | - to assist Carlson's candidacy, although of the personal opinion that Carlson would be defeated. ; On August 8, 1945, the highly reliable source* reported that the . New York City organization of the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, . Sciences and Professions had continually sought a closer knit organization throughout the United States with a constitution, by-laws, in addition to ~ _ representatives from various cities where branches were located. Lawson, ~ ‘according to the source, subtly fought a close knit organization and desired o, instead only the use of. the Independent Citizens Committee's name, being of the opinion that the Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee should otherwise remain autonomous. In a conference with Pete Iyons, an employee of the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, .Sciences and Professions of New York City, according to the source, Lawson stated that a close knit MOY frrecinical Surveillance on the residence of John Howard tareon. (P)(U abet - ae . ‘ - tt _ -2- Sk WAC! | Nw 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 15
organization was premature and. could not be done without discussion which discussion should be held at some time after the war. Lyon said the New York Office needed more money and Lawson reiterated the Hollywood Committee was very poor and did not desire to make any further committments at the time. Lyon was anxious that the HICCASP send someone to Washington or New York to give Congressional leaders some tangible evidence of union between the National organization and the Hollywood “ane GY source indicated ; On December 4, 1945, according to a highly reliable source* the HICCASP held a rally, the theme of which was "Atomic Power and Foreign Policy". The official announcements described this affair as an attempt to make a realistic approach to the tremendous potentialities of atomic weapons and atomic energy. This rally called for international use and inter- national control of atomic energy, and in this connection, the reliable informant pointed out that Lawson, through George Pepper, Executive Secretary - of the HICCASP, carefully guided the program; It is interesting to dserve that Ned Sparks, President of the Los Angeles County Communist Party, accord- ' ing to the informant, contacted Lawson regarding this program and stated that he felt more emphasis should be put upon American intervention in China inasmich gs that was the main part of the Communist line. Lawson reportedly agreed to this and stated that he would contact George Pepper to see that. i that Lawson agreed that this might be a good thing. American intervention in China was given appropriate attention at.this rally. A highly confidential source* reported in September, 1946, that Lawson continued to be active in the affairs of the HICCASP and according to this ‘source, he frequently conferred with its Executive Secretary, Alice Hunter; in fact, this source stated that on July: 31, 1946, Hanter contacted Lawson and asked him if it was all right if the HICCASP issued a statement that they were not under the influence of the Commnist Party. According to the . informant, Lawson stated it would be all right if it were done "carefully and correctly". This informant further indicated Lawson attends most of . the meetings of the Executive Council of the HIGCASP and through close liaison with Hunter, continued to exert an influential rule in the policy | of this organization. It is noted that shortly thereafter the HICCASP merged ; ‘ with the Progressive Citizens of America, described as a Comminist-dominated group by Harvey G. Wolf, a confidential inforitant of the Los Angeles Office. EXY According to articles pearing in Los Angeles newspapers the Holly- wood Arts, Sciences and Professions Council of the Progressive Citizens of America held a five-day conference at the Beverley Hills Hotel, commencing Wednesday evening, July 9, 1947. They announced the purpose of the conference frtecinicas Surveillance on the residence of John Howard Lawson. | Yu) | ‘ ~ SECRET . NW 45838. DocId:32338872' Page 16 -
; \ ate a ; . . . ° . . . - ° SEOREY B. HOLLYWOOD WRITERS MOBILIZATION The Hollywood Writers Mobilization, according to Harvey Gilbert Wolf, a confidential informant of the los Angeles Office, was formed very soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, and was established by persons who were most active in the League of American Writers. Accord= . ing.to information contained in reports of the Joint Fact-Finding Committee, California Legislature, based on information developed in connection with interviews conducted of Hollywood writers in October, 1944, the Hollywood Writers Mobilization was under the control of the Commnists and had numerous _contacts to supply the pictures which are being released in the liberated countries. Confidential Informant Wolf advised that there-was a close connec= tion existing between the League of American Writers and the Hollywood — Writers Mobilization. . The following data with respect to Lawson's connections with the Hollywood Writers Mobilization is set forth to illystrate the direction: and control exerted over this organization by Lawson. [Most pertinent informa- tion developed relative to Lawson's control of this group was obtained by a: highly reliable and confidential sources) ul Ss - In March, 1945, a highly confidential: source* -advised:that there recently had been a strong difference of opinion between Robert Riskin, head of the Overseas Film Bureau; Office of War Information, New York, and Philip Dunne, head of the Los Angeles OWI Film Bureau, and this difference of. opinion was concerned with scripts which had been submitted by. the ; Hollywood Writers Mobilization.’ This source indicated that Sidney Buchman, Chairman of the Hollywood Writers Mobilization Editorial Board, discussed this matter with’ John Howard Lawson, Buchman advised that he had conferred with Riskin who informed him that Philip Dunne had gone overboard on the so- = called "contrived" films (films based on fiction or so-called dramatic in- cidents). Dunne had apparently instructed the Hollywood Writers Mobilization group that this was the type of film OWI desired to produce. Following Dunne's instructions, according to the source, the Hollywood Writers Mobiliza- .: .tion had gone ahead and done scripts of this type and as a result manyof the scripts had been under fire by the New York Office of the OWI, where Riskin was in charge. It was further pointed out that Riskin was strong for documentary films since he felt a responsibility to the State Department , and further that misrepresentations were bound to arise out of ‘dramatic incidents in the "contrived" films thus making them more "vulnerable't. The source stated that both Lawson and Buchman agreed that this controversy: . between Dunne and Riskin would effect the Hollywood Writers Mobilization, which they control, since most of the scripts already completed would have _ tw be redone. WW - ; , y ue ee . (wtectnical Surveillance on they idéried of John Howard Lawson.) U) NW 45838 DocId:32338872 Page 17 - 35 + ’