Evening star., 1947-10-29

the record attacked the committee
on the ground that it was trying to
drive a wedge into the component
parts of the industry, hoping the
producers would succumb to the
threats of the committee whether
or not they were disguised as pleas.
10 Counts in Report.
The Investigators report on Mr.
Biberman, made a part of the
record, included 10 counts.
This report charged that Mr.
Biberman was on the staff of the
Peoples Educational Center, has
written for the New Masses, was g
member of the National Council OF
the American Peace Mobilization
was listed as an officer of the
American Peace Crusade, was listed
as signer of a pro-Soviet statement
for the American Committee to
Save Refugees, was sponsor OF a
benefit for Spanish Loyalist Chill
dren and was contributor to an
ambulance for Loyaist Spain.
A committee investigator also
placed in the record photostatic
copies of what he described as the
Communist party cards of Mr.. Or
nitz and Mr.. Bibermap. The pur-
ported card of Mr.. Biberman was
made out in his full name, it was
stated, while that of Mr.. Ornitz
was issued to Sam o. ~".''
Mr.. Lavery, playwright and screen
writer, declared he was convinced
the great rank and file of the
guild membership is what call
liberal center" while admitting it
probably included disciples of the
extreme right and extreme left.
OF the possible Communist men,
bers, he said:
II say they do not have control
of the guild, and if they had control
I would have stayed at home"
900 Active Members.
Mr.. Lavery said he did not under
stand why the committee appeared
to rate so highly" evidence against
the writer's heard ahead of him
pointing out they were only few
among the more than 900 active and
more than 500 associate members OF
his guild.
When Mr.. Stripping asked about
the Hollywood Writers Mobilization
which Mr.. Lavery said he headed
during the war, the witness said in
vestigators had obtained incorrect
information when they reported
this unit was a successor to the
allegedly Communist-front League
of Hollywood Writers.
Mr.. Lavery explained the mobiliza
ton members wrote ION assignment
for Government agencies and ex-
hibited a medal he said was given
him by the Treasury Department
"in recognition of my services as
head of the mobilization during
the war"
Mr.. Lavery emphasized he ap-
proved provision of the guilds con-
stitution which prohibited his in
quiring into the political affiliations
of any member and said all he knew
about the politics of writer's ordered
from the witness stand yesterday
and today was what he had heard
at the hearing.
He suggested it would be unwise
to make political martyrs" in the
guild of writers accused of being
Communists.
Agrees to Consider Motions.
Mr.. Lavery was not given per.
mission to read a statement CIV
ing his views on the investigation
but the committee agreed to re-
ceive and consider several motions
including one in which he asked
the recall of Producer Jack L. War
ner, who testified last week
Representative Vail, Republican
of Illinois wanted to know if Mr.
Lavery didn't think it was vital te
alert American people to the
danger of Communism. The writer
replied:
"1f we keep harping on a note
of fear, it's like revival meetings
where they. talk about fear of the
devil. After a week, people are used
to it. I think this is the time te
love the things we hold dear"
Before leaving the stand, Mr.
Lavery urged the committee to con-
slider seriously the possibility of ar
international film festival to be helc
here annually under the sponsor
ship of the Library of Congress ane
Congress itself as means of better
understanding between Eations.