Evening star., 1947-12-07

petitive. system of private enter
prise, 7 had to hear myself de-
nounced as revolutionary and
Socialist" off and on for many
years, and frequently by publicists
who addressed large audiences. More
recently the tide has turned and
because of advocating the same
principles (such as freedom of labor
from any form of tyranny, find
myself now denounced as a "Fas-
cist" and 'reactionary."
Moral Principles Ignored
So, can sympathize with those
who, because of their associations
or muddle-headed liberalism. find
themselves Wrongfully accused of
being Communists or fellow travel
ers. But, there is one final defense
that any one has available by virtue
of civil rights and free institutions
which are the inheritance of Amer
leans. He can always avail him.
self OF the opportunity which is
his birthright to state frankly what
he does believe, and to express
clearly his political and economic
views and thus let his fellow men
judge of him by his own utterances
and actions.
1t should be accepted as truism
that any one who is unwilling
to have his fellow citizens know
what he believes and what he is
trying to accomplish politically is
seeking to accomplish his aims by
deceit and fraud and is not to be
trusted.
1t has been argued, with a curious
disregard of moral principles, that
Communist writer's have constitu-
tional right to conceal their opin-
ions because, if their communism
! were known, they would lose their
highly paid employments! This is 4
brazen claim that man has con-
l4SlIu W oOlulIl dllu W
hold job by fraud-by concealing
his disqualification from his en-
ployer!
According to this argument.
lawyer could properly obtain fees
from client by concealing the fact
that he was hostile to his client and
his clients ideas and by concealing
mis- intention to use his employ
ment to work against his client-as
far as he could do so without los
ing his fees! But, if bar associa-
ton should investigate such law
yer, with a view to disbarring him
for his dishonest practices we would
hardly expect to hear the lawyer
try to justify his refusal to state his
opinions on the claim of consti-
tutional right to defraud his clientl
The Producers Rights
This is precisely the claim that,
has been urged on behalf of these
overpaid egotists of Hollywood.
When q writer is employed to do
specific job it is not only on the
basis of past performances and
technical ability but also on certain
assumptions as to the kind of per-
son he is. the ideas that appeal to
him and his reactions to popular or
unpopular opinions-all of which
will inevitably affect the work he
produces. A writer might be en-
ployed to write contrary to his own
convictions If he were known to be
able and willing to do so. But,
surely the employer would have
right to inquire. or even to expect
information without inquiry, re-
garding any mental disqualification
or impeachment in an employe hired
to do mental job-just as a physi-
cal disqualification for physical
job should be revealed.
Moving picture producers may
not all have a keen sense Of public
responsibility, but the inevitable
censorship of their films by GUS
| toners, in addition to various re-
straints from religious, political and
social organizations, certainly has
powerful influence on their judg-
mentS. Whether their opinions are
wise Of foolish, they have an un-
doubted right to insist that those
who work for them shall, in good
| faith, not use their productions az
the means of spreading social, eco
nomic or political views which this
producers regard as unhealthy or
improbable or otherwise undesir-
able.
These employers certainly have \
right to know whether on employs
/ will try to do an honest Job or
whether he is fanatic who will
probably use his job as the means
of advancing his secret purposes
and accomplishing ulterior aims,
which, # eventually revealed, will
do untold injury to the employer
whom he is defrauding.
Protecting the American Way
If there were a little more atten-
ton given to the old fashioned vir-
! tue of honesty, both in Hollywood
and Washington, the excuses Of
| essentially dishonest men for
plainly dishonest conduct would not
have been seriously offered in press
conferences or seriously treated in
any news commentary.
This democratic Government OF
ours cannot endure, except upon the
basis of general confidence that the
ways of learning what is true, Of
ascertaining the facts, and of ex-
posing fraud and dishonesty, are
always open. The courts must be
able to command the testimony of
every citizen as to his knowledge or
belief, when these are pertinent to
the case on trial. Legislators must
be able to investigate all the facts
regarding the good things that
should be preserved and the evil