Mrs. RICHARDS. Yes. As a matter of fact, on the subject of Trotskyism, friendship with a Trotskyite was ground for expulsion throughout my membership in the party. Mr. TAVENNER. Have you at any time gone to a Government agency and informed them of your knowledge of the Communist Party activities? Mrs. RICHARDS. Yes, sir; I did. Shortly after the beginning of the Korean war I felt that I wanted to clarify my position; that I did not want to be identified with the death of U. N. soldiers in Korea, or to even share the responsibility in a negative sense; so I went to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and made a statement. It was about 2 weeks after the beginning of the Korean war. Mr. TAVENNER. And I believe at quite an early date you spoke with investigators of this committee, or one of them? Mrs. RICHARDS. I believe nearly 3 years ago I met Mr. Wheeler for the first time. Mr. TAVENNER. How long ago? Mrs. RICHARDS. At the very beginning of the hearings. I think that was nearly 3 years ago if my memory is correct, or 22 anyway. Mr. TAVENNER. Will you tell the committee whether or not in your opinion there has been any change in attitude on the part of the public, and possibly the employers in this area, with regard to the question of communism within the entertainment field? Mrs. RICHARDS. I think there has been a very distinct change in the motion-picture industry. I can't talk about the public. We live in sort of little tracks out here. We go to the studio and we go home; that's about all. But at the beginning of this investigation I think there was a tremendous amount of confusion in Hollywood with relation to them. There is one thing that has cleared up in particular that I feel very good about. One of the things which deters people from making a public announcement of their change in relation to communism, even if they have left the party is that in addition to earning the hatred and contempt of their former friends and associates, they are shunned by a large number of other people who think that once a Communist always a Communist. Now, in the motion-picture industry, while it is very sensitive to public opinion, has in this regard done this and it is a very courageous thing-and that is they have made it possible for people to announce this change of position without stigma or without being penalized. I think this is due to a number of factors. That the committee itself, the procedures of the committee, in that it has heard evidence and not wild hearsay and gossip, has been very reassuring to the industry. I think there are certain individuals in the industry-some of the first cooperative witnesses had a very rough time. One is a close friend of mine, and I know he had a rough time. But because of certain individuals that I don't know-I understand Mr. Roy Brewer has worked very hard to get the industry to recognize this policy toward people who come before the committee, and as a result, generally speaking, insofar as my knowledge is concerned, the industry is extremely friendly to people who come here and cooperate with the committee. Of course, another thing which has changed the feeling in town a great deal are the recent Prague trials and the use of anti-Semitism which is involved, and the use of this anti-Semitism for political purposes. Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions. Mr. JACKSON. Mrs. Richards, may I, on behalf of the committee, thank you for your appearance here today and assure you that we are very happy to have the sum of your testimony added to that already received by the committee. Your intelligence and your understanding of the problems which grow out of your experience are much needed by the forces which are combating human slavery throughout the world today. Your contribution is unique in this fight and will continue to be unique because of the fact that you can draw upon your personal knowledge of these things. I am sure that I express the opinion of all the committee members and of the staff in wishing you well and in thanking you very much for your kind cooperation. Mrs. RICHARDS. Thank you, sir. Mr. JACKSON. You are excused. The committee will stand in recess until 10 o'clock tomorrow. (Whereupon, at 5 p. m., the hearing was recessed until 10 a. m., Thursday, March 26, 1953.) Faragoh, Francis Edward (pen name, Edward Francois) –. 269, 364, 366 428 306 303 321-323 339-341 339, 340 325 428 369 328 268-292 356, 357 426 289 428 416, 418 306 306 329, 331 327-336 (testimony) 273 349 418 350 391 383 292, 293-317 (testimony) 385 328 426 425 428 Goldfrank; Goldfrank, Herbert (party name, Herbert Davis). Goldstone, Charles_. Goldstone, Nat___ Gordon, Emily. Gordon, Julian__. Gorney, Jay--- Grant, Morton_. Greenberg Grennard, Elliott-. Harris, Jet__ Hathaway, Clarence- Hecht, Harold_. Higgins, Jimmy. Hoover, President_ Hope Hopkins, Pauline_ Huebsch, Edward. 317-319 (testimony), 349, 371-380 (testimony), 396 |