Evening star., 1941-09-15
j. :. Ordered Movies
Made as Defense Aid,
Senate Probers Told
Officials Checked Those
Who Wouldn't Use Film,
Theuter Owner Says
Nv T. A. OIFARY.

Senator Clark, Democrat, OF Idaho,
chairman.
The charges were contained in
correspondence of the Senator re-
ceived from Fulton Cook, owner of
the Bungalo Theater in st. Marys,
Idaho, who forwarded letter he
said he received from Maurice Saffle,
branch manager of LoeW's, Inc, in
Seattle, after Mr.. Cook had rejected
"The Land of Liberty" film.
Letter Submitted.
Written on the letterhead Of
Metro-Goldwyn-Maye Pictures, dis
tributed by Loew's, the letter of Mr..
Saff1e read:
ct note your letter of May 10 and
I notice that among other elimlna-
tions you ask that we take out Land
of Liberty I wonder If you realize
lust what this subject is and why
we ask that you play it?
Metro Goldwyn-Ma is distrib-
uting the picture, at its expense, and
putting it in place OF one OF our
own features, on which we might
show a profit We are doing this at
the request of the United States
Government, who felt that every
man, woman and child in America
should see this subject during these
times of national defense. In TACT,
they are so interested in the playing
of the subject that we have been
asked to wire Immediately the names
of those exhibitors who eliminate 1t.
All rentals on the picture are turned
over to the Government.
I'm view of the above am going
to ask that you reconsider and try
to find a date for this subject"
Saf1e to Testify.
Chairman Clark announced that
the subcommittee would call Mr..
Saff1e and ask him where any orders
came from in the Government.
The Idaho Senator also prefaced
today's hearing with the charge that
at least IS per cent Of the better
known" newspaper columnlsts have
been trying to smear" the subcom-
mittee's investigation since it
started.
Let me say to them now" Sena-
tor Clark admonished, that that
just couldn't have happened. 1t
smacks of a conspiracy, and We are
going to find out something about
that"
Not After Job, Willkie Says.
Meanwhile, Wendell L. Willkie,
counsel for part of the motion pic
ture industry at the hearings, termed
ridiculous" rumors that he may
succeed Will Hays as arbiter for the
film industry. He added that he
was mot looking for any job.p
Mr.. Willkie, who remained away
from this mornings session for the
first time since the inquiry started,
made the comment at his downtown
hotel. He explained he had some
other work to do this morning.
The picture Land of Liberty"
referred to by the Idaho theater
owner in his letter to Chairman
Clark, was described by film sources
as dramatization of the history
of the United States made up of
excerpts from many feature pictures
and neWSreels. 1t was said to
have been compiled originally as
the industry's contribution to the
Worlds Fairs in New York and San
Francisco.
After these preliminary develop
ments, James M. Jimmy" Fidler,
newspaper and radio commentator
on happenings in Hollywood, took
the stand, to assert that for several
years the movie industry "in devious
ways has tried to censor my column
and broadcasts."
Asked by Chairman Clark If he
thought some of the war pictures
are calculated TO arouse fear and
hate In the people, Mr.. Fidler re-
piled:
whether they were calculated
to do that or not. some of them
have had that effect"
Others Pushed War Films.
In his letter to Senator Clark, Mr..
Cook, the Idaho exhibitor, declared
that Loew's, Inc, was not the only
source that urged him to show war
films. Mr.. Cook wrote that a Mr..
Pennington" called on him from
the Paramount Pictures Distributing
Co. to urge him to show certain
films, and added, Il almost had to
throw him out"
Mr.. Cook wrote that he told Mr.
Saff1e he did not see why he should
have to explain to you or the
United States Government why I do
not wish to show a certain picture"
Mr.. Fldler told the committee that
q cycle of war pictures started some
years ago and is still continuing"
adding that in some cases their
effect has been to breed hate in
the minds of the American people" Z"
He also told of what he said were
attempts to censor his radio talks,
made by representative of the mo-
tion picture industry, and backed up
by representatives, he said, of the
National Broadcasting Co. and the
Columbia Broadcasting System. He
said these attempts began four or
five years ago.
Told to PLAY Ball"
Mr.. Fidler said he was told he
should recognize he was part of the
industry and he should play ball;
that the companies were paying out
a lot of money for these pictures
and they should not be panned.
Were you threatened" asked
Chairman Clark.
mo actual threats were made that
recall" said Mr.. Fidler.
THE first big blow up" he as
serted, was over an M-G-M picture,
Conquest starring Greta Garbo
and Charles Boyer. Although it
had cost about s3,000,0OO, I thought
1t turned out quite badly"
Louis Mayer of M-G-M, he added,
protested to the National Broad
casting Co. and Don Gilman, vice
president of N. B. c., wrote a letter
to New York saying Mr.. Fidler's
reviews should be held off the air for
80 days after picture was released.
Says Firms Made Pact.
~T71e studios and N 3 C. and the