RULES ADOPTED BY THE 83D CONGRESS House Resolution 5, January 3, 1953 RULE X STANDING COMMITTEES 1. There shall be elected by the House, at the commencement of each Congress, the following standing committees: (q) Committee on Un-American Activities, to consist of nine members. RULE XI POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES 17. Committee on Un-American Activities. (a) Un-American Activities. (b) The Committee on Un-American Activities, as a whole or by subcommittee, is authorized to make from time to time, investigations of (1) the extent, character, and objects of un-American propaganda activities in the United States, (2) the diffusion within the United States of subversive anad un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by our Constitution, and (3) all other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary remedial legislation. The Committee on Un-American Activities shall report to the House (or to the Clerk of the House if the House is not in session) the results of any such investigation, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable. For the purpose of any such investigation, the Committee on Un-American Activities, or any subcommittee thereof, is authorized to sit and act at such times and places within the United States, whether or not the House is sitting, has recessed, or has adjourned, to hold such hearings, to require the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and documents, and to take such testimony, as it deems necessary. Subpenas may be issued under the signature of the chairman of the committee or any subcommittee, or by any member designated by such chairman, and may be served by any person designated by any such chairman or member. INVESTIGATION OF COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA-Part 1 MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1953 UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, PUBLIC HEARING Los Angeles, Calif. The Committee on Un-American Activities met, pursuant to call, at 10 a. m., in room 518, Federal Building, Hon. Harold H. Velde (chairman) presiding. Committee members present: Representatives Harold H. Velde (chairman), Donald L. Jackson (appearance noted in transcript), Kit Clardy, Gordon H. Scherer, Morgan M. Moulder, Clyde Doyle, and James B. Frazier, Jr. Staff members present: Frank S. Tavenner, Jr., counsel; Louis J. Russell, chief investigator; Thomas W. Beale, Sr., chief clerk; Raphael I. Nixon, director of research; and William A. Wheeler, investigator. Mr. VELDE. Will the committee please come to order?. Miss Reporter, let the record show that there are present the following members of the Committee on Un-American Activities of the House of Representatives: Mr. Clardy, of Michigan; Mr. Scherer, of Ohio; Mr. Moulder, of Missouri; Mr. Doyle, of California; Mr. Frazier, of Tennessee; and the chairman, Mr. Velde, which constitutes a quorum of the full committee for the purposes of this hearing. I am advised that Representative Francis E. Walter, of Pennsylvania, will arrive during the course of the day. And I am advised, too, that Mr. [Donald L.] Jackson was detained on the way down here. Before the hearings resume, I would like to make a statement for the benefit of the witnesses who have been subpenaed, the television companies which are participating in the televising of this hearing, and the public. After receiving a request to permit the televising of this hearing as a public service, the following resolution was adopted by the committee on March 4, 1953: Be it resolved, That in the event the chairman of the Committee on Un-American Activities or the chairman of any subcommittee thereof, duly appointed by the chairman, shall admit to the hearing room television facilities as a public information medium under the provisions of a resolution adopted by the committee on the 22d day of January 1953, the hearing may be televised under the following conditions: (1) That television facilities in the hearing room be restricted to two cameras and the minimum lighting facilities practicable, all television production to be available on a pooled basis to other established television companies desiring participation; (2) Telecasts of committee hearings shall be on the basis of a public service only and this fact shall be publicly announced on television at the beginning and close of each telecast. No commercial announcements will be made from the hearing room and no actual or intimated sponsorship of the hearings will be permitted in any instance; and (3) Upon the request of a witness that no telecast be made of him during the course of this testimony the chairman shall direct the television cameras to refrain from photographing him during the taking of his testimony. I also desire to call to the attention of the audience which is present that you are here as a courtesy of this committee and that the committee will not tolerate any demonstration either by way of approval or disapproval of anything which may occur during this hearing. Smoking will not be allowed. There will be no standing in the aisles or along the walls. The area in the corridors immediately adjacent to the hearing room shall be considered a part of this hearing room while the committee is in session. Anyone who violates these instructions shall be removed from the hearing room by the United States marshal or his deputies who, in addition to his responsibility as a Federal officer, is appointed sergeant at arms for the purpose of preserving order during this hearing. Mr. Tavenner, are you ready to proceed? Mr. TAVENNER. Yes, sir. I would like to call as the first witness Mr. Danny Dare. Mr. VELDE. Will you stand and be sworn? Do you solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give before this committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. DARE. I do. TESTIMONY OF DANNY DARE, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS COUNSEL, MARTIN GANG Mr. TAVENNER. What is your name, please, sir? Mr. DARE. Danny Dare. Mr. TAVENNER. Are you accompanied by counsel ? Mr. DARE. Yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. Will counsel please identify himself for the record? I do not see counsel present. Mr. GANG. Martin Gang is my name. Mr. TAVENNER. Spell your name, please, Mr. Dare. Mr. DARE. D-a-r-e. Mr. TAVENNER. When and where were you born? Mr. DARE. New York City, March 1905. Mr. TAVENNER. Where do you now reside? Mr. DARE. Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. TAVENNER. Will you tell the committee briefly, please, what your educational background has been? Mr. DARE. Public school, eighth grade; high school, approximately 6 months. Mr. TAVENNER. What has been the record of your employment? Mr. DARE. Sporadic. Mr. TAVENNER. Since 1935. Mr. DARE. Since 1935, staging shows for picture theaters, occasional studio jobs as a dance director, unemployed for a period of approximately 2 years from 1937 to 1939, and following that I was employed at a picture studio for approximately 6 years, and then unemployed from the middle of 1948 to early 1950, and from then on in television. Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Dare, during the course of the hearings conducted by this committee in Los Angeles in September of 1951, a person by the name of Martin Berkeley testified, and I want to read you a portion of his testimony which related to you. This question was asked him: Is there an organization in Hollywood known as the Hollywood Theater Alliance. Mr. BERKELEY. There was such an organization; yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. Did you come in contact with the work of that organization? Mr. BERKELEY. Yes. I worked. I attended a few meetings of the faction of that organization around 1938 or 1939. Mr. TAVENNER. Did you know the circumstances under which it was organized? Mr. BERKELEY, The Hollywood Theater Alliance was organized directly by the Communist Party for the purpose of presenting so-called progressive or left-wing anti-Fascist propaganda. I believe their first production, which was the one I couldn't think of before in relation to Mr. Bassman was Meet the People, which was very successful, both here and in New York. I attended a meeting of the faction which helped organize the Hollywood Theater Alliance, although I had no active part in the Theater Alliance at all. As a matter of fact, I attended a meeting of this organization and subsequently when there was talk of doing my Lincoln play, by that time there was no money left and the Lincoln play was never done. The leading spirits in the faction were QUESTION. And again, by "faction" you are referring to members of the Communist Party? Mr. BERKELEY. Dues-paying members of the Communist Party. Mostly, actually, the members of this faction were the men who helped organize the show and put it on-writer, director, and so on. Edward Eliscu, a writer, was a member of this group and very active in the show itself. Incidentally, it was a very amusing show. Robert Rossen. QUESTION. Is he the same Robert Rossen who appeared before the Committee on Un-American Activities, as far as you know? Mr. BERKELEY. Yes, sir. Edward Chodorov. Incidentally, he was the first producer I worked for in town, and the man I went with was Guy Endore. To go back way early this morning, he is a well-known playwright and producer, and Henry Blankfort, a writer. QUESTION. Is he the same individual who appeared before this committee yesterday? Mr. BERKELEY. He is, sir. I saw his picture in the paper and there is no doubt in my mind. Danny Dare, producer and director, who has worked for several of the major studios in both capacities, and I believe is now working on television. And then the witness proceeds to name other persons who were connected with that enterprise. (Continuing to read:) QUESTION. Do you know whether she is the same Bess Taffel who occupied the chair yesterday that you are now occupying? ANSWER. Yes, she is the same girl. George Sklar, an excellent writer; Irving J. White; and Francis Faragoh, the writer. QUESTION. Did you attend a meeting in the home of Offner? I understood you to say that you attended a meeting but you did not state where it was. Mr. BERKELEY. I attended the first meeting of this group at the home of Mortimer Offner, who was then a screen writer, and today I believe is a television writer or producer or director, I don't know which. Now, soon after that testimony was taken by the committee, the committee received a telegram which I would like to hand you and ask you whether or not you can identify it as a telegram which you sent to the committee. Mr. DARE. Yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. I desire to offer it in evidence and ask that it be marked as "Dare Exhibit 1." Mr. VELDE. It will be received. (The document referred to was received in evidence and marked "Dare Exhibit No. 1.") Mr. TAVENNER. This telegram reads as follows: NEW YORK, September 24, 1951. Chairman, House Un-American Activities Committee: Did you then receive a telegram from this committee? Mr. TAVENNER. I will ask you to look at this copy of a telegram and state whether or not that is a copy of the telegram you received. Mr. DARE. Yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. I desire to offer it in evidence and ask that it be marked "Dare Exhibit 2." Mr. VELDE. It will be received.. (The document referred to was received in evidence and marked "Dare Exhibit No. 2.") Mr. TAVENNER. This telegram reads as follows: DANNY DARE, New York City: Committee expect to adjourn tomorrow. It bears date of September 24, 1951. Will make arrangements for your appearance in Washington as soon as practicable after return of subcommittee. FRANCIS WALTER, Acting Chairman, Un-American Activities Committee. Now, in response to that exchange of telegrams, did you appear before a subcommittee of the Committee on Un-American Activities in Washington on September 27, 1951? Mr. DARE. Yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. I believe you appeared there before some of the committee members had been able to return to Washington from the hearing, as well as members of the staff who were working here. Mr. DARE. That is true. Mr. TAVENNER. At Los Angeles. Mr. DARE. That is true. Mr. TAVENNER. The records of the committee show that you did appear on September 27 before a subcommittee composed of Representatives Francis E. Walter, James B. Frazier, Jr., and Bernard W. Kearney. In the course of that hearing, Mr. Walter, the chairman of the subcommittee, made this statement: I understand you desire to make a statement concerning testimony given within the last few days in California before the subcommittee that was taking testimony out there. Do you recall that question having been asked or statement made? Mr. DARE. Yes, sir. Mr. TAVENNER. What was your reply? Mr. DARE. Would you repeat the question, please? I'm sorry. |