Evening star., 1941-09-10

hearings should be conducted fairly,
but as Senate hearings are usually
conducted, by each Senator calling
witnesses he desired.
Addressing Senator Brooks, Mr..
Willkie said: "If l can submit to
you evidence that Senate commit
tees in the past have permitted
counsel to examine witnesses, will
you consider it?"
Senator Brooks said he would
consider it, without committing
himself to a decision.
Wants to Show Films.
In his request to the committee
that hearings be halted until mem
bers view the films which Senator
Nye has charged contain this war
propaganda, Mr.. Willkie said:
1T is clear that, always assuming
jurisdiction, the only thing which
your committee should consider is
whether or not in its judgment the
films themselves are of such char
acter or may have such an effect as
to justify further inquiry and report
accordingly"
He said that Senator Nye, in his
statement to the committee. clearly
demonstrated that he had not seen
the pictures of which he complained
and on which he had based his de-
mand for an inquiry, except for one
or two. and that he knew nothing
about the pictures except wha: some
one else had told him.
Cites Nye's Request.
Senator Nye, said Mr. Willkie, has
requested that there be full in
vestigation into "the national and
racial backgrounds of those who
produce, direct, write or act in pic
lures; a full investigation into the
financial interest abroad and the .ex-
tent of control of certain companies
over production and distribution;
investigation into the citizenship,
types of visas, beliefs on interna-
tlonal affairs, etc, of those con-
nected with pictures; whether there
are any underlying sinister reasons
for the cooperation with the ma
tional administration in defense ef-
forts.
"All these and more involving the
personal and private affairs of in
dividuals, are urged by Senator Nye
as necessary subjects for investiga-
ton by your committee in order
that it may have a basis for re-
porting to the Senate whether or
not any reasonable grounds exist for
investigating into the effect on the
American people of pictures pro-
duced, exhibited, existing and imme-
diately available for the members of
this committee to see. Available for
them to see now so that they may
judge for hemselves-rather than
accept the charge made by unknown
others-whether or not the possible
effect upon people may be such as
to warrant further inquiry"
Urges Mellett Testimony.
Mr.. Willkie also wrote to Sub
committee Chairman Clark of Idaho
denying the charge of Senator Nye
that the motion picture producers
had been urged by the Roosevelt
administration to produce war prop
aganda pictures. He asked. too,
that Lowell Mellett. head of the
Office of Government Reports, men,
toned by Senator Nye in his state
ment yesterday, be asked to appear
before the committee. Mr.. Willkie
said that Mr. Mellett has no con-
nection" with the motion picture
industry.
Senator Clark Of Missouri began
his testimony by explaining how
he had tried without success in the
last Congress to get through a reso-
luton for a broader investigation
of war propaganda from any
source, which he said was strangled
in the Senate committee which al
locates funds for Senate inquiries.
Less Harsh to Radio.
Although the present resolution
deals with both radio and moving
pictures, Senator Clark dealt less
harshly with radio. If an inter
ventionist gets Is minutes on the