It's not necessary to ascribe an agenda when the plain realities of a studio production of the era account perfectly well for all the changes.
A book has one author, with some input from an editor or two.
A Hollywood team taking on that book would involve multiple writers (some credited, some not); a director, multiple tiers of producers, a hands-on studio head whose primary concern was box office numbers, and - in this and many other productions - top-of-the-line stars with influence on the story and its characters.
Most authors had no say-so in what became of their story, and from all appearances it was fairly rare for a book plot to make it to the screen without major surgery. Gone with the Wind was a rarity in how little was changed (two of Scarlett's children evaporated entirely), but even in that case Margaret Mitchell signed the check, handed over the movie rights, and walked away.
Donald Ogden Stewart was a great screenwriter, well-regarded with a good number of hits. But his "agenda" if he had one wouldn't stand a chance against Louis B. Mayer's greater interests.
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Nothing to see here, move along.
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