Evening star., 1947-10-20
Warner Names Is ScreenWriters
Fired by Studio as Un-American'
As House Probe Of Films Opens
Ring Lordner, Jr.;;
Odets, Loveryo and
Trumbo onList
(PictureS on Page BIZ

The names of 16 screen writer's
dismissed by Warner Bros. STU
dios as "un-American" were dis
closed today as the House Com
mittee on Un-American Activi-
ties got off to a stormy start in
its inquiry into Communist in
fuence in Hollywood.
The names were contained in secret
testimony of Jack L. Warner before
the committee last May in Califor-
MIA. They were made public for the
first time today when Mr.. Warner
took the witness stand.
Nine of the 16 already have been
subpoenaed by the committee. They
were among 10 Hollywood personali-
ties who tried unsucceSsfully,
through their attorneys, to have
their subpoenas to appear quashed
at the start of the hearing today.
This maneuver failed after sharp
exchange between Chairman Thomas
and their lawyers.
A capacity crowd in the old House
Office Building caucus room sat on
the edge of their chairs for the ex-
change between Robert w. Kenny,
one of the battery of attorneys for
the 10, and Chairman Thomas.
Mr.. Thomas agreed to accept a
brief in support of the motion to
quash the subpoenas and halt the
investigation but he refused to hear
any argument.
List of Men Fired Is Read.
Mr.. Warner, in his Hollywood tes-
timony, which he heard read today.
estimated that IS per cent of the
communism in Hollywood was
among the writer's.
The names Of the men he said he
fired, as read aloud by Committee
Counsel Robert E. STRIPPING, in
cluded: Ring Lardner, jr. Clifford
Odets. Emmett Lavery, Dalton
Trumbo, Alvah Bessie, Gordon
Kahn, Guy Endore, Howard Koch,
John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz
Robert 'Rossen, Irwin Shaw, John
Wexley, Julius and Philip Epstein
and Sheridan Gibney.
Mr.. Warner said he didn't know
whether they were Communists,
but II could tell from what they
were putting in their scripts they
were un-Americans."
Firing Denied by Kenny.
In defense of his clients, Mr..
Kenny told reporters, after the
morning session, that it was "abso-
lutely untrue" that the men named
by Mr.. Warner were fired from the
studio. He said the majority of
the writer's named by Mr.. Warner
have been offered jobs at Warner
Bros. ''time and time again" and
have turned them down.
Every seat was taken in the high
ceilinged old room, which accommo-
dated approximately 400 spectators.
Half a dozen newsreal cameras were
trained on the witnesses and still
photographers, more than 80 strong.
had to be warned by Mr.. Thomas
not to block the view of spectators
as they massed beside the witnesses.
:. Paul v. McNutt, former Ambas-
sador to the Philippines, appeared
as an attorney for Mr.. Warner and
was an easily identifiable figure in
the crowded room.
At the end of the morning session,
Mr.. Thomas announced that Adolph
Menjou, Jack Moffet and Ayn Rand
will face the committee tomorrow.
Corrects Testimony on Davies.
During his appearance Mr.. War
ner told the committee he wanted
to correct a portion of his Holly
wood testimony, referring to the
circumstances under which his COM
pany decided to produce Mission
to Moscow"
He declared he was in error
when he indicated the suggestion
might have been made by Joseph
E. Davies, former Ambassador to
1Eaa TTNAMEPICAN Pace A,4l