◆ SpookStack

a times, by the press and even his friends and associates, for being too quick-tempered and forrefule-thia largely because eS we a ee Wee A ye he is a pronounced non-conformist and a free-thinker who goes out of his way to champion the cause of the underdog. Individuals interviewed expressed the opinion that the applicant had a bad press primarily because of his tendency to come to the rescue of the oppressed. They cited a recent controversial incident involving applicant's engagement of a writer, ALFRED MALTZ, one of the "Hollywood Ten," to do a screen story. The "Hollywood Ten" were a group 6f motion picture scenario writers who, when subpoenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee investigating Communist infiltration in the last decade, declined to cooperate and took refuge behind the Fifth Amendment. The American public then became so incensed that the motion picture industry in order to protect its interests took action which was tantamount to a blacklist. After all errangements (financing, productions, etc.) had been completed, newspapers took up a cudgel of criticism which resulted in cancellation of the production contract; that SINATRA entered into an agreement with this writer in the belief that he was the best qualified person available to do the story; that others in the group identified as the "Hollywood 10" had recently completed screen plays without a wave of protest engulfing the individuals who had retained them; that SINATRA then terminated his agreement with MALTZ; and, that at the moment he is being sued by MALTZ not only for a claim based on personal services but for defamation of character ag a result of news releases recounting the charges brought by the House Un-American Activities Committee some years ago. Upon interivew, SINATRA denied being aligned with Communists, hoodlums or the so-called underworld element; stating that in the course of his career he has been introduced to any number of people, good and bad, and that he is not in 67