Evening star., 1947-10-21

tAAoU Vic 1lllll CoplVe@1 10 OI1C VI
activity in America"
ing committee members to see fol
themselves the pictures accused oi
} carrying hostile doctrines.
i Chairman Thomas said he woulc
take Mr.. McNutt's invitation under
advisement, but I'VE will determine
our own procedure
THE committee may put on some
movies of its own" Mr. Thomas
added. But we have so many wit.
nesses, I doubt If we'll have time te
look at any movies"
The committee heard three pro-
ducers and a screen writer yesterday
They were Louis B. Mayer, produc-
ton chief of Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Mr.. Warner, executive producer o.
Warner Bros; Mr.. Wood and Miss
| Rand.
Mr.. Mayer and Miss Rand offered
opposing opinions on Song of Rus
sia," an MGM Aim produced in 1943
The producer termed it little
more than g. pleasant musical ro-
nance" while the writer charged II
was weighted heavily with Com
munist propaganda.
Script Rewritten.
| Mr.. Mayer said the original script
for Song of Russia" was rewritten
because it dealt with farm col
lectivism" He said he had not
been to Russia, so could not say
whether the final version was an
accurate portrayal of life in Russia
He added, however, 1t was intended
principally as pat on the back
for our then ally"
Mr.. Mayer said. in response to a
question by Mr.. Stripping, that the
idea for the film originated in his
studio as vehicle for bringing
Tschaikowsky music to the screen
and had not been suggested by Gov
eminent officials
| He said Government representa-
tives visited his studio from time to
time and discussed pictures they
felt might be helpful in the war
effort, but "at no time did they at
tempt to tell us what we should or
! should not do"
t Taylor Makes Picture.
! Mr.. Mayer said he thought Robert
Taylor would be ideal for the lead
ing male role, but the actor did not
like the story. The producer testi-
fled:
"At the time, Taylor mentioned
his pending commission in the
Navy, so taephoned the Secretary
of the Navy, Frank Knox, and told
him of the situation, recalling the
good that had been accomplished
with Mrs. Miniver' and other pic
lures released during the war
period.
'T'he Secretary called back ano
said he thought Taylor could be
given time to make the film before
being called to service. Accordingly
Taylor made the picture
Mr.. STRIPPING read into the record
a letter from Lowell Mellett, then
chief of the Bureau of Motion Pic
lures of the Office of War Infor-
nation, to Capt. Leland P. Eovette
then Navy Department director o1
public relations. dated May II, 1913
In the note, Mr.. Mellett mentioned
an MGM request for delay in the
induction of Mr.. Taylor as a naval
aviation cadet to permit the finish
ing of the film.
The note stated the opinion OF
owl the film Would serve useful
purpose in the war effort" and was
devoid OF political Implications
(Mr. Mellett, now columnist
for The Star, explained in a state
ment published in The Star last
Sunday that the writing Of this
explanatory note, at the request
of Gregory Ratoff, an MGM di-
rector, was his only connection
with Song of Russia.")
No Supporting Evidence.
Mr.. Mayer was asked whether he
knew of any Communists on the
MGM payroll. He replied he had
heard Writers Dalton Trumbo
Lester Cole and Donald Ogden
Stewart spoken of as Communists,
but had not found anything in their
work to support such charge.
At that point, H. A. Smith, COM
mittee investigator, read into the
record MGM salaries paid the
three \According to Mr. Smith, Mr.
Trumbo was paid 1866 $50 from 1913
through october, 1947: Mr.. Cole re-
ceived $130,857 from 1945 to Octo-
ber, 1947, and Mr.. Stewart collected
$149 500 over a period of four years.
Later. Representative Vail, Re-
publican, of Illinois asked Mr.
Mayer why highly paid screen
writer's would be interested in en-
bracing communism.
Il think they're cracked Mr.
Mayer replied.
Miss Rand identified herself as a
naturalized citizen who was born in
st. Petersburg neningrad, Russia,
and came to the United States in
1926. She said her real name is
Mrs. Frank O'Connor.
Never Returned to Russia.
The witness explained she reached
this country on a visitors permit
and never returned to Russia.
She testified she had seen "Song
of Russia" recently at the request OF
the committee counsel and then
went into, detailed statement OF
aspects she said represented Com
munist propaganda.
Scenes of smiling Russians, Of vii
layers receiving priests in their
homes, of attractive restaurants, and
of Russians dressed in satin blouses
such as you see only In Russian res
taurants here" presented distorted
picture of the country, she declared
I'm my time in Russia" she re-
called, we were a bunch Of ragged