Evening star., 1941-09-09

Compulsion 1ntimated.
Senator Mcfarland wanted to
know whether the motion picture in
dustry staged the Willkie meeting.
Se.iator Nye said he would have
plenty to report about that.
1T was not q successful meeting,
said Senator Nye, as Mr.. Willkie
laughed heartily.
Would you deny the motion pic
ture people the right to post these
notices" asked Senator Mcfarland
"Oh, no." replied Senator Nye.
Il was just trying to find out"
said Senator Mcfarland.
Senator Nye said he had letters
from employees of the picture COM
penies intimating that they had
been compelled to attend the Willkie
meeting.
Yet they didn't 60 and the meet
ing was not a success" suggested
Mr.. Mcfarland.
Fascist and Communist Films.
Before Senator Nye concluded his
direct statement to the committee
he said that he hoped the committee
would investigate charges that Nazi.
Fascist and Communist films were
being shown In this country.
Chairman Clark declared the
committee was ready to go fully into
the charges OF propaganda Of that
kind. He said he had letter from
Prof. Sheldon, representing the
Non -Sectarian Anti-Nan League,
offering to produce evidence of such
-Nazi films, shown In this coun-
try as well as in South America.
Senator Clark said that he had
already invited Prof. Sheldon, who
Is connected with New York uni
versity. to appear.
Senator Mcfarland, prodded SEN
ator Nye with long series of Ques-
tions TO learn; II pessibie, just what
the North Dakota Senator found OBJ
jectionable in the motion pictures he
had listed as war propaganda He
asked Senator Nye which he con-
sidered the most Objectionable. SEN
ator Nye replied he never could re-
call the names of motion pictures
the day after he had seen them, or
recall their contents.
Names Worst Film.
Senator Nye finally agreed that
perhaps the picture "I Married a
Nazi" was the worst. He was unable
to tell Senator Mcfarland. however,
just what parts of the picture he
objected to.
"It created a feeling of hate
against q people. that is what I
objected to-" said Senator Nye.
But that is a conclusion-not
evidence, and it is evidence want" {"
said Senator Mcfarland.
He questioned Senator Nye about
other pictures he had listed as war
propaganda, including Escape"
and Convoy" Senator Nye admit
ted that most of them he had not
seen
Then you have been telling the
committee what others have told yon
about these pictures, suggested Sem
ator Mcfarland.
Senator Nye insisted that the COM
mittee should have the pictures pro-
duced before its own eyes, so that
1t could Judge whether they were
propaganda or not
Senator Mcfarland asked If the
Senator had seen The Great Die
tator"-one of the pictures he had
listed rs propaganda-andw what he
found Objectionable In it.
Senator Nye said he had seen
this picture and he added that it
was made by great artist, "
Charles Chaplin. who had not be-
come a citizen of this country, al
though he had lived here for many
years. He said that the picture was
designed to make the American
people hate the rulers of other
nations.
Senator Mcfarland brought the
hearing to a close until tomorrow
morning by calling Senator Nye's
attention to the danger of attempt
ing to regulate what the people may
see and hear.
Nye Objects to Charge.
II have the utmost confidence In
the American people to judge what
is and what is not propaganda,
said the Arizona Senator, "and
whenever you say to any industry
you can't show this or that, who
is going to decide what is propa-
ganda?"
The main reason you object to
these pictures is they don't coincide
with your view of international af-
fairs, is that right?," Senator Nc
Farland asked Senator Nye.
The North Dakotan protested that
was an unfair conclusion, that his
objection does not go to that at
ALL"
There are people who believe Hit
Ter is conquering nations according
to 6ef7nife olan and because each