CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--INVESTIGATORY POWER OF CONGRESS--VALIDITY OF THE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE INQUIRIES INTO PROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS

Authors

Charles M. Soller, University of Michigan Law SchoolFollow

Abstract

The recent probe into the motion picture industry by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the resulting indictment of ten witnesses for contempt of Congress have served not only to keep this controversial committee in the publicity spotlight, but have also raised some constitutional questions which have long gone unanswered. The indictment of the ten recalcitrant witnesses under Title 2, section 192, of the United States Code followed their citation for contempt by the House of Representatives for refusal to give direct answers to the Committee's questions: "Are you a member of the Screen Writers Guild?" and "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?" There is a good chance that some of these cases may reach the Supreme Court, but in any event the problems involved warrant study at this time, particularly in view of the growing boldness of the committee in projecting its inquiries into a field dangerously near the dividing line between private affairs and legitimate Congressional objectives.

Recommended Citation

Charles M. Soller, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--INVESTIGATORY POWER OF CONGRESS--VALIDITY OF THE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE INQUIRIES INTO PROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS, 46 Mich. L. Rev. 521 (1948).
Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mlr/vol46/iss4/5