`THE ORDER TO INVESTIGATE`

        Dated June 14, 1950, this is a letter from J.Edgar Hoover's office to the FBI's Los Angeles office. The purpose of this letter is to "request" that the Los Angeles branch begin an investigation into Judy Holliday's alleged Communist ties. The request was sent to L.A. because Judy was in Hollywood beginning work on the film version of Born Yesterday for Columbia Pictures.

        At one point in the document, Hoover asks the L.A. office to recommend whether a Security Index Card should be prepared for Judy. The Security Index was a secret list of individuals who in case of a national emergency (invasion, insurrection, etc.) would be arrested within 24 hours and detained in concentration camps. The purpose of this would be to prevent them from committing acts of sabotage against the Government.

        Enclosed with this letter was a copy of the 2-page "Special Report" prepared by a confidential source. That confidential source was most likely the people behind the anti-Communist newsletter Counterattack and its spin-off Red Channels. The "Special Report" is also available for viewing on this site, but I have made it a separate document.

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