Transcript of Judy Holliday's Testimony - Page 12
Mr. Arens: When did you first come to the realization that there was a Communist Party and a Communist Conspiracy in the United States?
Miss Holliday: I have always known that there was a Communist Party in the United States.
Mr. Arens: When did you come to the realization that the Communist Party was a detriment to the United States, was a conspiracy, was unwholesome?
Miss Holliday: In view of what was happening in the world, naturally when Russia started being aggressive and inciting to war. That is when I realized the whole thing. But before that I think I have heard of plenty of times when unions were taken over by Communists and given a bad name. I knew.
Mr. Arens: How about some of these other organizations? Were they ever taken over by the Communists? Did you ever know about it?
Miss Holliday: I never knew about it until I was told, and there is good reason, I was never a part.
Mr. Arens: At the time you protested the indictment by the grand jury of these Hollywood people for failure to testify with reference to communism before the House Un-American Activities Committee, at that time were you cognizant of the fact that the Communist Party in the United States, Communist activity, was detrimental to the interests of this Government?
Miss Holliday: I suppose so, but I didn't take it as seriously as I take it now or even took it a year ago.
Mr. Arens: To what extent has the financial aspect of this Communist conspiracy, insofar as it effects you personally, revelations of Communist-front affiliations and yourself personally, had to do with your change in attitude with reference to these Communist-front organizations.
Miss Holliday: I would say it certainly affected it.
Senator Watkins: Well, it does as a matter of fact, I assume. Of course it would be very damaging to you?
Miss Holliday: Of course. All that has to happen to me is that I get publicity and I am through; that is true. But I am not simply turning tail because of that. I have been awakened to a realization that I have been irresponsible and slightly -- more than slightly -- stupid. When I was solicited I always said, "Oh, isn't that too bad. Sure, use my name." The few things that I actually participated in were things that I couldn't possibly have thought were subversive.
Mr. Arens: When you came to the realization of the fact that you had been affiliated with a number of Communist-front organizations, what did you do in reference to causing yourself to be disassociated from those organizations and renounce the Communist movement in this country?
Miss Holliday: I made a statement to the newspapers.
Mr. Arens: When was that?
Miss Holliday: That was right after I got the academy award last year. That was the first thing I did, and then I had my lawyers check up on any organizations that continued to use my name and there was only one, and I wrote them a letter saying they shouldn't.
Mr. Arens: After you got the academy award last year there was a barrage of adverse publicity against you for receiving the academy award in view of your many Communist-front affiliations, is that not correct?
Miss Holliday: Yes.
Mr. Arens: It was not until that barrage of adverse publicity came after you had received the academy award that you disassociated yourself from the Communist movement, is that not correct?
Miss Holliday: No; that is not correct. I made my statement before people got together and said, "It's an outrage." I made it the day that I read in the papers that I was considered a Red.
Senator Watkins: When did you first find out that people were calling you a Red? When was it you learned that?
Miss Holliday: It was about 3 days after the award.
Senator Watkins: Had you not heard of it before that, that you were considered a Communist?
Miss Holliday: No. You mean ----
Senator Watkins: Before you received the academy award, had you not heard for a number of years?
Miss Holliday: Yes, I had had trouble with the pickets, yes.
Senator Watkins: Years before you had been accused by some people?
Miss Holliday: One year before; that is, in December.
Senator Watkins: That is all?
Miss Holliday: No, no, before December. They threatened to picket before December.
Senator Watkins: Well, that first time when you went down and had your picture taken with the pickets, wherever it was in New York City, the one we called your attention to first today, did you not know at that time that people were thinking of you as being a Red or a Communist?
Miss Holliday: Oh, no, of course I didn't. If you don't think of yourself as a Red or as anything, you don't think other people are until they tell you. I never thought of myself as a Communist. Probably, as stupid as I am, if I thought I was a Communist I would join it, but I never thought of myself as a Communist. I don't like it; I want the kind of Government we have here.
Senator Watkins: Did you not suspect any of these people by reason of what you read in the papers, that they were supposed to be Reds and pro-Communists, such as Jo Davidson and Einstein and the rest? Did you not suspect that they were Communists?
Miss Holliday: At the time, of course not.
Mr. Arens: Your affiliation with this Manhattan section of the American Labor Party, which was really a unit of the Communist Party, was of your own volition?
Miss Holliday: When I went in to register, I registered ALP, and in my mind, ALP for years had been all right. I knew it meant nothing.
Mr. Rifkind: You mean nothing subversive?
Senator Watkins: Just what she meant we should leave to her to say, Judge.
Mr. Rifkind: All right. Mr Chairman, will you let her read that statement?
Senator Watkins: As far as I am concerned, we will let her read the statement. Since she has adopted it, I think she should have that opportunity. Go ahead and read it. I will ask you some questions about it as we go along.
Miss Holliday: In preparation for my appearance before the Internal Security Subcommittee of the United States Senate, I have put down on paper in my own words my beliefs and attitudes so that the members of the committee would know exactly how I feel about Americanism and the subversive forces which are trying to undermine it.
I am not a member of the Communist Party; I never was a member of the Communist Party; I am not a Communist; I am not a subversive; and I have never been associated with any movement known to me to be subversive. I am opposed to communism; I am opposed to the manner in which communism operates, to the way in which it perverts the truth. I resent its threat to our existence.
I am wholeheartedly devoted to democracy. I believe in representative government. I believe in personal freedom and that freedom should be restricted only to the extent necessary to maintain order and morality. I believe in the dignity of each man and woman. I believe that each human being is entitled to an opportunity to make the most of himself. I dislike regimentation. I do not want the Government to shape my career or the career of any other American.
I believe in truth, and I believe in justice administered in the American tradition.
I am opposed to any force which would deprive us of our freedom. I know enough of communism to know that it is opposed to the principles to which I am devoted, and that is why I am against communism.
Having been brought up with people of the theater, I very early acquired an aversion to censorship. I early learned to be opposed to the persecution of minority races and religions. In order to give effect to my beliefs I have on occasion contributed to or identified myself with organizations whose principles seemed to coincide with mine. Some of these organizations are now cited as subversive. At the time of my association with them I had no knowledge or suspicion that any of them were subversive. I joined them because I was motivated by idealism and good faith, and I believed that the organizations were devoted to the principles which they publicly represented.
Naturally, like many others, I have since become more alert to deception and misrepresentation on the part of organizations which pretend to favor a worth-while cause. On a number of occasions, I have recently learned, my name was used without my permission or even my knowledge. If any subversive organizations are using my name they are doing so without my permission.
The beliefs and principles to which I have subscribed in this statement have been part of me for many years. During my short professional career I have given of my means and my energy to a great many good causes which reveal where my heart lies. I have many times given performances at the Stage Door Canteen to entertain our servicemen. I have performed at Fort Dix and Fort Monomouth. I have made appearances before the Police Athletic League of New York and at St. Albans Hospital for veterans. I have posed to aid in the publicity for the Salvation Army; Sydenham Hospital; the Blood Bank; the Heart Fund; the Cancer Fund; the Polio Fund; the Cerebral Palsy Fund; and the Red Cross. I have entertained our soldiers at Governor's Island and I have made appearances before aircraft workers.
During the war I played a role in the motion picture Winged Victory, a picture produced and exhibited with the cooperation of the Air Force.
I will continue to accept my responsibilities as a loyal American citizen and to give such help as lies in my power to worth-while causes designed to further and protect our American way of life.
I love America. With all my heart I would defend it any time, anywhere, against any enemy.
Mr. Arens: Did you have all this hatred for communism at the time you joined in the protest of the trial of the Hollywood Ten?
Miss Holliday: Yes, I did. I believe, and I know is sounds old hat, but I believe in the right to be something without believing in what that something is. For instance, when I was picketed by these people, I was horrified by it, but if someone had said, "Stop them from picketing," I would say, 'No, they can't be stopped from picketing; that is their right to picket."
Mr. Arens: Is there any law in the United States, or was there any law even at the time you protested the trial of these 10 Reds from Hollywood, which keeps anybody from being a Communist if he wants to be?
Miss Holliday: No.
Mr. Arens: These people you knew were not being tried for being Communists, were they?
Miss Holliday: No.
Mr. Arens: They were being tried for failure to answer questions respecting the security of this Nation before the House Un-American Activities Committee?
Miss Holliday: Yes.
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