Evening star., 1947-11-25
Citing Of Movie Group
Shows House FEELING
AGAINST Communists
Red Intrigue in Conodo
Hos Aroused Suspicion
Throughout This Notion
ByDavid Lawrence

Dy DQptQ Laurence
When the House of Representa-
tives voted 346 to II in favor of cit
ing for contempt those witnesses be-
fore the House Un-American Activ-
tiles Committee who refused to say
whether or not they were Commu-
nists, a significant demonstration of
the anti Communist feeling in the
House Of Representatives was made
Despite criticism from various
quarters, the House Committee has
always had a substantial majority
behind 1t. This is because the Com
munist intrigue in Canada and else
where has aroused Nation wide sus-
picion here.
The refusal of the Hollywood
group to answer the simple question
whether or not they were Com
munists runs counter to the rights of
congressional committees to ask
questions Of all kinds which may be
OF aid in determining what legts-
lation should be written. The con-
gressional committees themselves
are the sole Judge of what tnforma-
ton they need. This principle has
been upheld by the courts repeat
edly.
Some Abuses Admitted.
Committees indeed may abuse
their privilege but, on balance, the
abuses are far outnumbered by the
constructive purposes which are
served by giving Congress the right
to ask questions of any citizen.
The Communist infiltration in the
motion picture industry actually
NAV be insignificant in amount or IN
potential danger to the country, but
when motion picture writer's refuse
to answer questions about 1t, more
suspicion than sympathy is aroused.
1t is interesting to note that
large group of writer's who oelong
to the American Writers Associa-
tion. including many who write 1or
the screen, have just issued state
ment. not as an association but as
individuals, decrying the attitude OF
the Hollywood group. The state
ment says in part:
The issues involved in the recent
hearings of the House Committee on
Un-American Activities have been
all but drowned out by irrelevant
bowling from the sidelines. Ine
matter should be set straignt.
whether or not the agents OF
foreien dictatorship are influencing
the motion picture industry Is TOO
serious a question to be smothereo
by demagogic propaganda.
THE right of Congress TO INQUIRE
into any phase Of national af1alrs Is
one of the primary safeguards OF our
system of freedom. 1t is a long
established part of our constltu-
tional procedure, as it Is OF all
democratic parliamentary systems
Inquiries by congressional commit
tees have repeatedly exposed oah-
gers and corruptions and laid the
hases for needed legislation. BY
wav of illustration we need only re-
cali the Pujo Committee, the La
roNette Committee, the wartime
Truman Committee.
Uproar Is Suspect.
Those who vilify such com
n,,ttee hamper and discred1t It's
work with incorporate abuse. stage
riotous protests and condone re1usai
of citizens to provide essential IN
formation are either confused them
selves or have a vested interest In
confusing the public. Whatever Isl
wrong with the committee system
has been wrong for long time, SO
that the sudden uproar in the pres
ent case is suspect on the face OF 1t.
THE Thomas committee operates
under congressional powers, by
methods familiar and normal in our
legislative practice When the COM
uittee questioned rightist totali-
tartan groups, self-styled liberals
eheered: they often clamored for
even more vigorous methods. But
when the inquiry was directed
against Kremlin-type totalitarians,
the same pseudo-li began to
hoot in chorus. 1t is a remarkable
and significant fact that they sud-
denly discover a menace to civil lib
critics only when Communists and
their fellow travellers are under
scrutiny.
I'VE, who detest totalitarians OF
all shades, red included, feel 1t
necessary to warn our fellow Amer
leans that the hysterical attacks on
the committee are a smokescreen
designed to shield Communists and
their stooges. We applaud the ef-
forts of the committee to disclose
the identity and methods of Com
munist agents in the motion picture
industry. We trust it will not be
deferred from continuing the in
quiry to it's logical limits.
The charge that Congress. in
seeking to expose foreign agents,
aims to control motion pictures is
patent nonsense. On the contrary,
exposure of totalitarian influences
will serve to protect the freedom of
the American screen Those pro-
ducers who cooperate with the
committee are serving the interests
of their industry lot more intelli-
gently than the hired spokesmen
who try to smear the investigation"