Show Byrnes Takes Film Defense June The movie industry today called on ex-Secretary of State James F. Byrnes to defend it against charges of Eric Johnston of the of Motion Picture Producers announced that Byrnes had been hired as counsel for the movie He said Byrnes' first assignment would be to represent the industry at Washington hearings this month before the house un-American activities Expression Champion Johnston said he considered Byrnes an champion of freedom of He said that was why he wanted Byrnes to represent the movie industry in its battle for of the films are interwoven in ithe fabric of our whole economic and social Johnston picture inevitably reflect democratic habits of thought and They are potent forces for freedom free screen has made that It is our sacred obligation to protest that free are determined that subversive government or political censorship will never undermine this freedom which like freedom of press and is to a free Set Up Practices Besides helping represent the movie industry at the Washington Byrnes will help set up a plan of fair trade practices for members of the producers' Johnston Announcement of Byrnes' appointment came a few days after Johnston termed the un-American activities committee's investigation of asserted communism in the movie colony a and said there was no evidence to substantiate statements painting Hollywood as The committee began its investigation here last when chairman J. Parnell Thomas spent several days here interviewing witnesses in closed |