The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-02-10
T H ESE DAYS
GEORGE E. SOKOLSKy
GUILTY OF TREASON,

mOtlcn picture IS Cnly story and a trial in a law court is a reality; therefore comparisons are difficult. Yet, when one sees the film Guilty of Treason a motion picture dealing with the case of Cardinal Mindszzenty, it is impos- sible not to think of the long trail of the II Communist leaders in New York, of the two Alger- Hiss trials, of the numerous Harry Bridg- es trials, of the current al peals Of the contemptuous lawyers for var ious Communists and of the free dom with which spies, scientific and otherwise, Fly their trade in cur country.
 The heart of the problem is hu- man dignity-the dignity of the individual man. Tn the United States, we have thus far not per- mittcd war or the fear of war to impair our respect for the in alienabie rights of man bestowed upon him by the Creator-as it is said in the Declaration of Inde- pendence:
 :. . That all men. are endowed by their Creator with certain un- alienable rights. :"
 We have not departed rom that. Lesser men, and greater too than Alger Hiss, have been killed in other countries cut of hand for what Hiss has done. Here he was given a fair trial with every ad- vantage to prove his innocence, Ii ne could. Tn no totalitarian country would lawyers dare to act as the lawyers for the Communists did ir Judge Medina's Court. They would have been arrested, imprisoned, ex- fled or killed. Here they are given chance to appeal fror- the Judges decision.
 Ours is a good way Of life, al though dangerous. For whereas the benefits are invaluable to most Of us, there are always indecent peo- pie to take advantage of good laws to use them to the detriment of all We punish the wrong-doer without impairing the law; in the totalitarian countries, they punish on suspicion, lest the danger berome tOn pNctly tn Inc ctofp
 In Guilty or Treason" the en- tire operation of the Soviet appar- atus, not only in conquered coun- ny like Hungary, but in any ccun- 5ry, is uncovered with documentary fidelity. It is a startling, dramatic, exciting story After seeing this picture, it is possible to understand Alger Hiss, Whitaker Chambers. Noel Field, Dr. Klaus Fuchs and the vast number of persons who foul our world.
 Not all these we wonder at are Communists: some are innocent persons who for one reason or an- other find themselves dragged into l world not their own; others are moral towards who hope to prolong their days by toying with tools, the use of which they do not under stand. And others are basically vile, even sadists, who find in the per secution of their colleagues, an out let for their whims.
 do not want to spoil your taste for Guilty of Treason" I have now seen it twice and have found it to be of absorbing interest. 1 shall see it again to swell, with my dollar, it's box-office returns. That is one way of contributing to the cause of good motion pictures.
 And while we are on the subject of spending dollars on motion pie lures, I want to say that not one dollar of mine will be spent on any picture in which Ingrid Berg man or Roberto Rosselllni have any part. That is my way of pro- testing against their utter disre- ,ard of respect for the opinions ot Jthers.
 Those who have money invest ed in their films have started a propaganda which runs something ike this:
 Thousands of women have done the same thing. The only reason lngrid Bergman stands out is be- cause she is famous movie act ress After all, what has she done? Practised sacred love-"
 It is disgusting argument. Thousands have impaired the mor- als of the young. Why do we put any of them in jail? Why not have an anarchistic society?
 Precisely because Ingrid Berg man has been so well-known, she had a moral responsibility not to flout the decent opinions of others, not to set herself up as an eX- ample of the woman who wllfully deserts home, husband and child to pursue the riotous course o1 what Rossellini calls sacred love. v
 All love is sacred-and it can be experienced With rtopriety ana without putting to shame three innocent children.
 RuS AHR uEguEu AERReERR