Evening star., 1947-11-26
10 Hollywood Figures
In Contempt Case
Protest Suspension
BY the Associated Press

NEW 1Ohh, NOV. Zo.-1Op movie
executives voted yesterday to purge
their payrolls of any known men,
bers of subversive groups and simul-
taneously ordered the suspension Of
10 Hollywood figures recently cited
for contempt of Congress for their
refusal to state whether they were
Communists.
The action. announced by Eric
Johnston, president Of the Motion
Picture Association of America,
brought immediate protests from
the 10 under citation who accused
the producers Of rushing into this
action before the issue has
been heard by the courts"
The producers action. decided by
unanimous vote. was announced at
the close of a two-day session at
tended by so representatives OF
major and independent studios.
They also called on Congress to
enact legislation to help all Amer
lean industry rid itself OF subver-
sive, disloyal elements
Must Take Oath.
The suspension without compen-
sation of each Of the 10 men, in
cluding writers, producers and di-
rectors, will remain in effect, Mr..
Johnston's statement said, until 'he
Is acquitted or has pu-ged himself
of contempt and declared under
oath that he is not Communist
In a Joint statement issued from
Hollywood the cited employees
charged that the executives were
needing the big lie" of the House
Committee on American Actlvl-
ties.
ALREADY it tthe committee has
succeeded in forcing the corpora
tions of great industry to black
list their own creative workers, de-
manding as a condition of employ
ment, submission to the Thomas
Rankin committees concept of
Americanism.
The producers" the statement
continued, not only accept the
committees big lie, but indorse 1t.
Committee Accused.
The committee. the cited group
contended, undertook its lnvestiga-
tion of alleged Communist activities
in the movie capital in an attempt
to censor the film output lin
order to facilitate the dissent
nation of nti-democratic, anti
Semitic, anti-Negro and War-inciting
doctrines. ="
Meanwhile, the producers an
nouncement was lauded in Wash
ington by Chairman Thomas of the
committee as constructive step
and body blow to the Communists"
But Robert w. Kenny. chief coun-
sci for the 10 men, said in another
statement from the Capital that
the action means that the real OBJ
iective of the committee-censor-
ship-has been attained" He added
that he was confident the courts
would rule for his clients.
Citations Approved.
The contempt citations were ap-
proved overwhelmingly by Congress
Monday. They were recommended
by the Un-American Activities Com
mittee after recent hearings during
which the 10 Hollywood figures re-
fused to say whether they were
Communists.
Mr.. Johnston, in announcing the
suspensions, said members of his
association "deplore' the actions OF
the 10 which he said have been
q disservice to their employers and
have impaired their usefulness to
the industry" -
Mr.. Johnston added that the in
dustry henceforth will refuse to
hire known Communists and will in
vite Hollywood talent guilds to work
with us to eliminate any subver-
sives. ="
The cited employees are: Albert
Maltz, Dalton Trumbo, Samuel
Ornitz, John Howard Lawson, Ring
Lardner, jr.. Lester Cole and Alvah
Bessie, writer's; Herbert Biberman.
director producer: Edward Dmytryk.
director. and Robert Adrian Scott,
writer and producer.