The Committee's argument ran: "This is an investigative hearing, not a court of law, therefore we do not have to allow such niceties as cross-examination or the introduction of defense character witnesses." The fact that people could, and many did, go to prison for "contempt of Congress (or the State Legislature, in the case of the Canwell Committee) because they refused to answer questions under these circumstances, made no difference to the inquisitors. For folks whose political beliefs or social attitudes differed from those in power, those were perilous times.

It is hardly surprising that some were unable to stand up against that sort of intimidation and knuckled under, naming names of those they thought had been Communists, or at least "fellow travelers" back in the 30s and 40s. They feared not only prison, but also the blacklist that could cost them their careers in the entertainment business. The blacklist was not an official government agency or activity. It was privately maintained by a group of fanatic right-wing "patriots" who would get in touch with advertisers and warn them of boycotts of their products if they sponsored shows that employed artists whom they suspected were communists or communist sympathizers. That cost a lot of people their jobs in radio and television. Producers and advertising agencies were totally intimidated.

But it was not only happening in the entertainment world. Professor Joe Butterworth, Chaucerian scholar fired by the University of Washington, wrote to 2000 members of the Modern Language Association, looking for a job. Qualified Middle English teachers were then in demand, but no one offered to hire him. He did odd jobs until his savings ran out, and finally went on public assistance, a broken man.

Sandy