JUDY HOLLIDAY'S EXPLANATION
I have been affiliated in the manner indicated or my name has been used publicly by the following organizations.
National Council of Arts, Sciences and Professions
About 1944 I joined the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions. I received a number of mailing pieces at my home from this organization and it seemed to be composed of people of different professions who wanted to express themselves along political lines. At this time the ICCASP was supporting the Democratic Party. After this solicitation I sent in my dues which I think were $5 per year. After one year my membership lapsed because of nonpayment of dues. I let my membership lapse because I had never taken an active part in the organization and was not interested in making any further financial contributions.
In 1948 I favored the election of Henry Wallace as President of the United States. Although I do not recall the incident clearly, I believe someone called me the telephone and asked if I would sponsor, with others, an advertisment favoring the election of Henry Wallace. I have since learned that on October 20, 1948 this ad appeared in the New York Times under the sponsorship of the National Council of Arts, Sciences and Professions.
Shortly before this ad appeared in the New York Times, I understand a [throwaway] was circulated in New York advertising a meeting of the New York Council of Arts, Sciences and Professions on [October] 20, 1948 at the Woodstock Hotel. This leaflet indicated there would be an election of officers at the meeting and my name appeared with others as one of the nominees for office. I did not see this leaflet until recently and neither did I know at the time that my name was [placed] in nomination. I did not attend the meeting advertised on the leaflet and apparently I was not elected to any office in the New York Council of Arts, Sciences and Professions, inasmuch as I never received any notification.
Some time prior to December of 1948, someone called on the telephone, I do not recall who, and asked me to sponsor an ad in support of the ten Hollywood personalities and calling upon the film industry to stop blacklisting them from employment. I felt that they were being denied their right to work and readily agreed to sponsor such an ad. It appeared in Variety on December 1, 1948 and was apparently paid for by the NCASP.
I have recently ascertained that the "Daily Worker" of March 21, 1950 carried a news item stating that a topical cabaret and review would be held on March 25th at the Hotel Capitol. My name was listed with others as one of the "guest stars" who would be in attendance. I neither entertained for nor attended this function and as a matter of fact I have never been in the Hotel Capitol. I do not recall ever having been asked to attend this affair nor of having agreed to attend it.
The Progressive Party
Because of my support of Henry Wallace for President I volunteered to perform in a skit at a political rally on his behalf in 1948. I believe the skit was presented at the Astor Hotel. The skit was mainly for the entertainment of those attending the big political rally and, insofar as I recall, had no political content. I registered with the American Labor Party in 1948 because they were the only political party in New York supporting Henry Wallace.
I have been shown a leaflet entitled "Saluting You" which advertised a meeting of the Young Progressives of America. This organization was an affiliate of The Progressive Party. The date of the leaflet is unknown. I was listed on this leaflet, with others, as part of the entertainment. I did not appear at this meeting, nor did I entertain nor agree to entertain for the Young Progressives of America.
People's Songs
In 1947 or perhaps even before, various mail and literature was sent to my home asking for a financial contribution to People's Songs. After repeated solicitation, I finally made a contribution in the amount of several dollars. Subsequently, I learned that my name appeared on the letterhead as a member of the board of sponsors in 1947. Also a bulletin of People's Songs, the February and March Issue of 1947, listed me as having sent birthday greetings to People's Songs. Other than this financial contribution, I have never attended meetings or concerts or otherwise participated in any activities of this organization. I made no other financial contributions to People's Songs and presumably my name has not been affiliated with or used by this organization since 1947.
Stop Censorship Committee
In March 1948, I was asked to make a thirty second recording at Sardi's Restaurant, along with other actors and actresses then engaged on Broadway, protesting censorship in the theatre. This was basically a protest against the methods of the Congressional Un-American Activities Committee. I made a recording and do not now recall the exact text of what I said. This recording was played at a rally of the Stop Censorship Committee at the Hotel Astor on March 23, 1948. I did not attend this rally but I understood at the time that the principal figures in it were Moss Hart, Burgess Meredith and Margaret Webster.
Scientific and Cultural Conferences for World Peace and the World Federation of Democratic Youth
In the spring of 1949, a delegation of three young people came to my apartment in New York and identified themselves as being representatives from a youth organization working in the interest of world peace. We had a brief discussion at the time and I endorsed the principles of peace as they were advanced to me.
During the Peace Conference that was sponsored by the Scientific and Cultural Conference at the Waldorf Astoria, I was unaware that my name was then being used as a sponsor of the conference. I first learned about the character of the conference upon reading a subsequent issue of [There is a crease in the original paper causing a line of text here to be unreadable on the photocopy.] as to how my name could have been used by either the Peace Conference or the World Federation of Democratic Youth. I have since learned that the State Department termed this conference "a sounding board of Communist propaganda." I knew nothing about this at the time.
Moscow Art Theatre
In 1948, I sent greetings to artists associated with the Moscow Art Theatre. The purpose of the telegram was to show that artists, regardless of politics, could respect each other. I was told that the telegram had nothing to do with ideologies but was merely a gesture of professional respect.
Save the Voice of Freedom Dinner
Early in 1947 I attended a party at which about fifty people were present. I recall it being very crowded and noisy. At this party several speeches were made about persons who had recently been discharged from their radio engagements because
of their political beliefs. These people to the best of my recollection were William Shirer, Robert St. John, Johannes Steele, Raymond Walsh and possibly others. The speakers at the meeting stated that it was unjust that these men should lose their jobs because of their political beliefs. I was not acquainted with the speakers. During the time I was present a man took up a collection from the guests. I contributed several dollars towards the fund collected to protest the firing of these radio personalities.
I have recently seen a copy of the program listing me as a vice-chairman of the Save the Voice of Freedom Committee Dinner which was given at the Park Central Hotel on March 5, 1948. I did not attend this dinner nor take an active part in the preparation for it. I have never been a member of the organization now in existence called the Voice of Freedom.
Council on African Affairs
Recently I have seen a photostatic copy of the "Daily Worker" of May 23, 1946. It carried an advertisment indicating that I would be one of those present at a rally to be sponsored by the the Council on African Affairs on June 6, 1946. I did not attend this rally nor do I ever recall being asked to either attend or sponsor such a meeting.
Civil Rights Congress
It has been alleged that I have been a supporter of the Civil Rights Congress. This I do not recall at any time or at any place. Some time ago, I did make a small contribution to help defray the expenses of the six Trenton Negro boys presently being tried for murder. I contributed this amount after receiving an appeal in the mail for funds to defray various expenses surrounding their legal defense. This is the only possible way I know of that I could be termed a supporter of the Civil Rights Congress was them collecting funds for this.
[There is a crease in the original paper causing a line of text here to be unreadable on the photocopy.]...the use of my name by the Civil Rights Congress, attended any meetings of the CRC, or contributed any money to the CRC except for the purpose related above.
American Committee for Spanish Freedom and the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
It is alleged that I participated in a picket line sponsored by these two organizations outside of the Spanish Consulate at 515 Madison Avenue, New York City on April 16, 1946. I have never picketed on Madison Avenue, and have never seen the Spanish Consulate.
Josephine Baker Day Rally
I have been shown the May 14, 1951 issue of the "Daily Worker" which carries a news item concerning the Josephine Baker Day Rally scheduled for May 20th in Harlem. The rally according to the article in the "Daily Worker", was to be sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People which I understand to be a non-Communist organization working for the social and economic betterment of Negroes. My name is listed in the "Daily Worker" as being a scheduled "participating artist."
I was neither asked to participate, nor had I agreed to in any way lend my name or talents to it. I cite this only as an example, and a very recent one, of how names of people are made public without their knowledge or consent. I intend this in no way to be a reflection on Miss Baker or the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People for whom I have high respect.