Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-02-17
seGroup Charges
Hollywood Has Failed
To Get Rid Of Reds
By Robert K. Welsh

The House Committee on On.
American Activities charged yes.
terday that the motion picture
industry has failed to rid itself
OF Communists. 1t also warned
the television business to beware
OF Communist inf1ltration.
In its annual report to Con-
gress, the committee complained
that despite past sensational dis
closures of Communist "inflltra-
ton and manipulation" in Holly
wood. the movie industry did not
take positive and determined
steps" to meet the issue. The
committee promised to push ahead
with more hearings concerning
such Communist efforts.
Cooperation Better.
1t noted better cooperation
from the movie industry during
committee hearings last year than
during inquiries in 1915 and 1947.
But it claimed that the 1851 hear
ingS linked more than 800 motion
picture figures with Communist
Party membership, present or
past.
Recalling that many of the
same persons who said there were
no Communists in Hollywood in
1947 are saying now that Com
munism in Hollywood is myth
CAL" the committee declared:
IF Communism in Hollywood
Is mythical it is only because this
committee conducted three in
vestigations to bring it about. The
industry itself certainly did not
accomplish this. 1t was found
during the 1851 hearings that
actually the 1947 hearings had
not lessened the extent of Com
munist. infiltration in Hollywood
and had not prevented the flow of
money to the Communist Party
from Communists and fellow
travellers employed in the in
dustry."
Influence Curtailed.
'"The influence of the party in
the Screen Writers Guild, how
ever. was severly curtailed as a
result of the 1947 hearings. It
must be stated, however. that if
the same number of Communists
existed in every segment of Ameri-
can life as in the case of Holly
wood motion picture writer's dur
ing past years, the United States
would be in precarious position.
In Hollywood, the Motion Pic
ture Industry Council, comprised
of guild, union and management
groups, issued a statement reply
ing to the committee.
Council President Allen Rivkin
stated:
"On virtually the very day that
a Federal jury in Los Angeles
renders a verdict that a motion
picture producer cannot fire an
employe for unpopular political ac-
tivity, the House Committee issues
a statement condemning employ
ers for not discharging Commu-
nists. The gentlemen of the House
committee should meet the gen.
tlemen of the jury.
This is doubly ironical in view
Of the fact that the Hollywood
producers appear to be the only
MANAGEMENT group in America
that fisked legal consequences as
far back as 1947 by discharging
men regarded by the House COM
mittee as Communists.
Verdicts Are Cited.
Mr.. P!vkin was referring to-
Federal court jury verdict in favor
of producer Adrian Scott and film
writer Ring Lardner, ir. Two film
studios cancelled the contracts of
Mr.. Scott and Mr.. Lardner after
they refused to answer questions
of the House committee in 1947.
Both men were cited for con-
tempt of Congress and sentenced
to a year in Jail. Mr.. Scott sued
RKO studio for $4,000 and Mr..
Lardner asked $4,000 from Goth
Century Fox. A judge will deter
mine the amount to be paid each
man.
AS for its fear of Communist
tactics in the television business,
the committee stated:
Because of the vast new po-
tentialities of television it seems
logical that Hollywood motion pic
lures will be presented on a large
scale to television audiences. It
is logical to assume that the Com
munists will endeavor to inf1ltrate
television on a large scale. The
committee realizes that the vast
majority of entertainers and
workers in the entertainment
field are loyal Americans but the
flow of money to Communist
Golfers which comes from disloyal
ones must be stopped.
Club Faces New Quiz.
In other fields of investigation
the committee:
/. Announced it plans further
oleStioninp of Oliver Edmund