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The Great Depression and the Arts
A Unit of Study for Grades 8-12

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Special Committee on Un-American Propaganda Activities in the United States

House of Representatives 1938

Wallace Stark

Wallace Stark was formerly employed by the Federal Theatre Project in New York. According to his testimony he was an "instructor in dramatics, public speaking, and screen techniques." In the following excerpt he is questioned by Chairman Martin Dies (Democrat, Texas) and Congressman J. Parnell Thomas (Republican, New Jersey).

Chairman Dies. While you were there working on that project, did you know personally of any communistic activity that took place there?

Mr. Stark. Yes. At the very beginning of Mrs. Flanagan's taking over the office, she put in a man by the name of Irving Mendell, a candymaker from Brooklyn.

Chairman Dies. Was he a Communist?

Mr. Stark. Yes, an avowed Communist.

Chairman Dies. An admitted Communist?

Mr. Stark. Yes.

Chairman Dies. What position did he occupy?

Mr. Stark. She put him in at the head of the personnel department to induct people into the Federal Theater in the different units.

Chairman Dies. Did he bring other Communists into that project?

Mr. Stark. Yes; several from the unit of dance music and drama where I taught, even the students that I taught.

Chairman Dies. What took place with reference to communistic activities after he became head of the personnel division?

Mr. Stark. He was afterward transferred to the living newspaper, which was supposed to be the unit that advocated the overthrow of the Government type of plays on the Federal Theater.

Chairman Dies. Do you charge that Mrs. Flanagan participated in communistic activity?

Mr. Stark. I have seen reports on several plays and read several plays that she has produced up in Poughkeepsie.

Mr. Thomas. Have you ever had any conversation with Mrs. Flanagan?

Mr. Stark. No. She has avoided every opportunity I have had to offer any constructive plans of mine, of my organization, which I represented, to have a veterans' project on the Federal Theater.

Chairman Dies. What organization do you represent?

Mr. Stark. I do not represent any at this time.

Chairman Dies. At one time did you represent any organization?

Mr. Stark. I was one of the deputies of the Veterans' Association.

Chairman Dies. And then you base your statement that she engaged in communistic activity upon these plays that were produced by the Federal Theatre Project?

Mr. Stark. I do, sir.

Chairman Dies. What were the political theories of the project?

Mr. Stark. From what I understand-

Chairman Dies. Not from what you understand, but from what you know. What do you know?

Mr. Stark. The propaganda plays, the putting on of propaganda plays.

Chairman Dies. What kind of propaganda, to do what?

Mr. Stark. To advocate communism, social-problem plays of a revolutionary nature. And I hope you can suspend Mrs. Flanagan.

Chairman Dies. That is not within the province of the committee.

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The Great Depression and the Arts

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