Evening star., 1947-10-28
Un-Americun
Continued From First Page

sisted he would not refuse to answer
any question" but would not be
held to yes" or mo" answers.
After banging his gavel vigorously
to quell Mr.. Trumbo's repeated at
tempts to make statements which
Mr. Thomas did not consider an
swers, the chairman ordered the
witness from the stand and directed
Committee Counsel Robert E. Strip
ling to proceed with reading of
report on investigation of Mr.. Trum-
bo by committee investigators.
The slight, moustached writer had
been denied at the outset OF his
appearance the privilege of read
ing a prepared statement in which
he. declared the investigation had
produced "a capital city on the eve
of its Reichstag fire.
For those who remember Ger
man history in the autumn of 1882
there is the smell of smoke in this
very room" the author of Thirty
Seconds Over Tokyo" "A Guy
Named Joe" and numerous other
screen plays said in the statement.
Gard Made Out to "Dalt T."
The alleged Communist Party
card of Mr. Trumbo. made out to
"Dalt T." came into evidence in
the testimony of Louis j. Russell,
committee investigator. who said
he had obtained a code revealing
this to be Mr. Trumbo's designation
within the party. He said the card
covered the year 1914, bore the
number 47,187 and replaced one
numbered 37,300
Mr.. Trumbo was f1anked by Attor-
neys Robert w. Kenny and BARLEY
C. Crum, two of the staff represent
ing a group of 19 hostile witnesses,
as he took his seat before the COM
mittee dais. He wore heavy. horn
trimmed glasses and hunched over
the table as he spoke.
He Immediately asked permission
TO read his prepared statement. Mr..
Thomas said he would receive the
statement and look it over to view
to determining whether or not it
was pertinent to the inquiry"
The three committee members
studied the statement for several
minutes and then Mr.. Thomas an
nounced it had been found not per-
tinent and would not be heard
Warned by Thomas.
Mr.. Trumbo, keeping his voice
low and his words clipped, reminded
the committee that it had once con-
sidered statement of Gerald L. K.
Smith pertinent to an inquiry. \
If you conduct yourself as the
witness did yesterday you won't be
witness long" Mr.. Thomas warned.
Mr. Trumbo then began what be-
came repeated attempts to get into
the record what he described as
evidence from responsible people"
to answer attacks on his work. He
managed to get into the record such
personalities as Gen. H. H. Arnold.
former chief of the Army Air Forces;
the chief of the motion picture
branch of UNRRA, several juvenile
court judges and the naval chaplain
In charge of choosing movies for
the Navy.
His<words were half lost. however
because they were shouted over the
pounding of Mr.. Thomas gavel.
Questioned by STRIPPING.
His avoidance of direct answers
came when Mr.. STRIPPING asked him
if he was members of the Screen
Writers Guild.
The rights of American labor
have been won at great cost of blood
and intense hunger" Mr. Trumbo
began. These rights are an Ameri-
can tradition ~
IF you want to make speech,
we can find a corner where you can
make it," interrupted Mr.. Thomas.
AS the witness protested that the
question would subject every Ameri
can laborer to being hauled" before
a congressional committee and sub
.iected to coercion. Mr.. Thomas in
1uired:
Cant you say yes or no. or I
think so. or maybe?"
Representative Mcdowell assured
the witness it was no disgrace to
identify yourself as the member of
labor union"
Witness Protests.
The witness protested that labor
unions have the right to secrecy of
their membership list
Mr.. Thomas then order the wit
ness excused, but Mr.. STRIPPING inter
rupted to ask one more question.
Was Mr.. Trumbo a member of the
Communist Party?
Mr.. Trumbo said he understood
the press had been given copy Of
an alleged membership card in the
Communist Party. He wanted to
know if that was true
Mr., Thomas told the witness the
committee was asking the questions.
T believe I would have the right
- @n~w