« THE WHEELING SPEECH »

Discours au Ohio County Republican Women’s Club in Wheeling, W. Va. le 9 février 1950.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Tonight as we celebrate the 141st birthday of one of the great men in American history, I would like to be able to talk about what a glorious day today is in the history of the world. As we celebrate the birth of this man, who with his whole heart and soul hated war, I would like to be able to speak of peace in our time, of war being outlawed, and of worldwide disarmament. These would be truly appropriate things to be able to mention as we celebrate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.

Five years after a world war has been won, men’s hearts should anticipate a long peace, and men’s minds should be free from the heavy weight that comes with war. But this is not such a period — for this is not a period of peace. This is a time of the Cold War. This is a time when all the world is split into two vast, increasingly hostile armed camps — a time of a great armaments race. Today we can almost physically hear the mutterings and rumblings of an invigorated god of war. You can see it, feel it, and hear it all the way from the hills of Indochina, from the shores of Formosa right over into the very heart of Europe itself. …

Today we are engaged in a final, all-out battle between communistic atheism and Christianity. The modern champions of communism have selected this as the time. And, ladies and gentlemen, the chips are down — they are truly down.

Lest there be any doubt that the time has been chosen, let us go directly to the leader of communism today — Joseph Stalin. Here is what he said — not back in 1928, not before the war, not during the war — but two years after the last war was ended: « To think that the communist revolution can be carried out peacefully, within the framework of a Christian democracy, means one has either gone out of one’s mind and lost all normal understanding, or has grossly and openly repudiated the communist revolution. »

And this is what was said by Lenin in 1919, which was also quoted with approval by Stalin in 1947: « We are living, » said Lenin, « not merely in a state but in a system of states, and the existence of the Soviet Republic side by side with Christian states for a long time is unthinkable. One or the other must triumph in the end. And before that end supervenes, a series of frightful collisions between the Soviet Republic and the bourgeois states will be inevitable. »

Ladies and gentlemen, can there be anyone here tonight who is so blind as to say that the war is not on? Can there be anyone who fails to realize that the communist world has said, « The time is now » — that this is the time for the showdown between the democratic Christian world and the communist atheistic world? Unless we face this fact, we shall pay the price that must be paid by those who wait too long.

Six years ago, at the time of the first conference to map out peace — Dumbarton Oaks — there was within the Soviet orbit 180 million people. Lined up on the anti-totalitarian side there were in the world at that time roughly 1.625 billion people. Today, only six years later, there are 800 million people under the absolute domination of Soviet Russia — an increase of over 400 percent. On our side, the figure has shrunk to around 500 million. In other words, in less than six years the odds have changed from 9 to 1 in our favor to 8 to 5 against us. This indicates the swiftness of the tempo of communist victories and American defeats in the Cold War. As one of our outstanding historical figures once said, « When a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be because of enemies from without but rather because of enemies from within. » The truth of this statement is becoming terrifyingly clear as we see this country each day losing on every front.

At war’s end we were physically the strongest nation on Earth and, at least potentially, the most powerful intellectually and morally. Ours could have been the honor of being a beacon in the desert of destruction, a shining, living proof that civilization was not yet ready to destroy itself. Unfortunately, we have failed miserably and tragically to arise to the opportunity.

The reason why we find ourselves in a position of impotency is not because our only powerful, potential enemy has sent men to invade our shores, but rather because of the traitorous actions of those who have been treated so well by this nation. It has not been the less fortunate or members of minority groups who have been selling this nation out, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offer — the finest homes, the finest college education, and the finest jobs in government we can give.

This is glaringly true in the State Department. There the bright young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths are the ones who have been worst.

Now I know it is very easy for anyone to condemn a particular bureau or department in general terms. Therefore, I would like to cite one rather unusual case — the case of a man who has done much to shape our foreign policy.

When Chiang Kai-shek was fighting our war, the State Department had in China a young man named John S. Service. His task, obviously, was not to work for the communization of China. Strangely, however, he sent official reports back to the State Department urging that we torpedo our ally Chiang Kai-shek and stating, in effect, that communism was the best hope of China.

Later, this man — John Service — was picked up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for turning over to the communists secret State Department information. Strangely, however, he was never prosecuted. However, Joseph Grew, the undersecretary of state, who insisted on his prosecution, was forced to resign. Two days after, Grew’s successor, Dean Acheson, took over as undersecretary of state, this man — John Service — who had been picked up by the FBI and who had previously urged that communism was the best hope of China, was not only reinstated in the State Department but promoted; and finally, under Acheson, placed in charge of all placements and promotions. Today, ladies and gentlemen, this man Service is on his way to represent the State Department and Acheson in Calcutta — by far and away the most important listening post in the Far East.

Now, let’s see what happens when individuals with communist connections are forced out of the State Department. Gustave Duran, who was labeled as, I quote, « a notorious international

communist, » was made assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin American affairs. He was taken into the State Department from his job as a lieutenant colonel in the Communist International Brigade. Finally, after intense congressional pressure and criticism, he resigned in 1946 from the State Department — and, ladies and gentlemen, where do you think he is now? He took over a high-salaried job as chief of Cultural Activities Section in the office of the assistant secretary-general of the United Nations. …

This, ladies and gentlemen, gives you somewhat of a picture of the type of individuals who have been helping to shape our foreign policy. In my opinion the State Department, which is one of the most important government departments, is thoroughly infested with communists.

I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who would appear to be either card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party, but who nevertheless are still helping to shape our foreign policy.

One thing to remember in discussing the communists in our government is that we are not dealing with spies who get 30 pieces of silver to steal the blueprints of new weapons. We are dealing with a far more sinister type of activity because it permits the enemy to guide and shape our policy.

This brings us down to the case of one Alger Hiss, who is important not as an individual anymore but rather because he is so representative of a group in the State Department. It is unnecessary to go over the sordid events showing how he sold out the nation which had given him so much. Those are rather fresh in all of our minds. However, it should be remembered that the facts in regard to his connection with this international communist spy ring were made known to the then-Undersecretary of State Berle three days after Hitler and Stalin signed the Russo-German Alliance Pact. At that time one Whittaker Chambers — who was also part of the spy ring — apparently decided that with Russia on Hitler’s side, he could no longer betray our nation to Russia. He gave Undersecretary of State Berle — and this is all a matter of record — practically all, if not more, of the facts upon which Hiss’ conviction was based.

Undersecretary Berle promptly contacted Dean Acheson and received word in return that Acheson, and I quote, « could vouch for Hiss absolutely » — at which time the matter was dropped. And this, you understand, was at a time when Russia was an ally of Germany. This condition existed while Russia and Germany were invading and dismembering Poland, and while the communist groups here were screaming « warmonger » at the United States for their support of the Allied nations.

Again in 1943, the FBI had occasion to investigate the facts surrounding Hiss’ contacts with the Russian spy ring. But even after that FBI report was submitted, nothing was done.

Then, late in 1948 — on August 5 — when the Un-American Activities Committee called Alger Hiss to give an accounting, President Truman at once issued a presidential directive ordering all government agencies to refuse to turn over any information whatsoever in regard to the communist activities of any government employee to a congressional committee.

Incidentally, even after Hiss was convicted, it is interesting to note that the president still labeled the expose of Hiss as a « red herring. »

If time permitted, it might be well to go into detail about the fact that Hiss was Roosevelt’s

chief adviser at Yalta when Roosevelt was admittedly in ill health and tired physically and mentally … and when, according to the secretary of state, Hiss and Gromyko drafted the report on the conference.

According to the then-Secretary of State Stettinius, here are some of the things that Hiss helped to decide at Yalta: (1) the establishment of a European High Commission; (2) the treatment of Germany — this you will recall was the conference at which it was decided that we would occupy Berlin with Russia occupying an area completely encircling the city, which as you know, resulted in the Berlin airlift which cost 31 American lives; (3) the Polish question; (4) the relationship between UNRRA and the Soviet; (5) the rights of Americans on control commissions of Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary; (6) Iran; (7) China — here’s where we gave away Manchuria; (8) Turkish Straits question; (9) international trusteeships; (10) Korea.

Of the results of this conference, Arthur Bliss Lane of the State Department had this to say: « As I glanced over the document, I could not believe my eyes. To me, almost every line spoke of a surrender to Stalin. »

As you hear this story of high treason, I know that you are saying to yourself, « Well, why doesn’t the Congress do something about it? » Actually, ladies and gentlemen, one of the important reasons for the graft, the corruption, the dishonesty, the disloyalty, the treason in high government positions — one of the most important reasons why this continues — is a lack of moral uprising on the part of the 140 million American people. In the light of history, however, this is not hard to explain.

It is the result of an emotional hangover and a temporary moral lapse which follows every war. It is the apathy to evil which people who have been subjected to the tremendous evils of war feel. As the people of the world see mass murder, the destruction of defenseless and innocent people, and all of the crime and lack of morals which go with war, they become numb and apathetic. It has always been thus after war. However, the morals of our people have not been destroyed. They still exist. This cloak of numbness and apathy has only needed a spark to rekindle them. Happily, this spark has finally been supplied.

As you know, very recently the secretary of state proclaimed his loyalty to a man guilty of what has always been considered as the most abominable of all crimes — of being a traitor to the people who gave him a position of great trust. The secretary of state, in attempting to justify his continued devotion to the man who sold out the Christian world to the atheistic world, referred to Christ’s Sermon on the Mount as a justification and reason therefore, and the reaction of the American people to this would have made the heart of Abraham Lincoln happy. When this pompous diplomat in striped pants, with a phony British accent, proclaimed to the American people that Christ on the Mount endorsed communism, high treason, and betrayal of a sacred trust, the blasphemy was so great that it awakened the dormant indignation of the American people.

He has lighted the spark which is resulting in a moral uprising and will end only when the whole sorry mess of twisted warped thinkers are swept from the national scene so that we may have a new birth of national honesty and decency in government.

 

« REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION»

Discours prononcé à la Convention républicaine nationale de 1952.

As we approach the all important November elections, all Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike, must keep in mind all the facts as they are and not the facts as we would wish them to be. Even though those facts may be well at heart.

Fact number one, we are at war today, war in Korea, but the Korean War was merely a small phase of the great world war with the atheistic Communist.

Fact number two, for the past 7 years we have been losing that world war, at the rate of nearly one hundred million people a year. Not one hundred thousand, but losing nearly one hundred million people a year to atheistic Communist.

Fact number three, the day of July 9th 1952, the same man, the same men who delivered nearly half of the world to Communist Russia, are still in control in Washington. There has been no change; the same men are doing your planning. The same planners who were in control before 1945, 1945 when we were the most powerful nation on earth, 1945 when all we needed, all we needed was our unlimited military and economic power, with enough brains, enough honesty, enough loyalty to have restored a decent and peaceful world. But what happened, instead, instead we have allowed Communism to spread its dark shadow over half of Europe, and almost all of Asia, and for the first time, for the first time they are appearing on the pages of America’s history. Words such as “stalemate,” “retreat,” “compromise,” well Truman says, Truman says that the Democratic Party must run on its record. To that I say amen, so they must.

Now why ladies and gentlemen, why has this administration deliberately built up Russia, while tearing down the strength of America, I have been proving that this was because of a combination, a combination of abysmal stupidity and treason, and if I am wrong, if I am wrong, if no treason is involved, if the last traitor left, if the last traitor left is Alger Hiss, then the only answer, the only answer for our loss and for Russia’s gain, is that those in power are guilty of stumbling, fumbling incompetence.

But in either event, whether we are losing because of treason or because of stupidity, if America and her sons are to live, send that Yalta around, unintelligible and unintelligible must go my young friends. My good friends, I say one communist, one Communist the defense plants is one Communist too many.

 

« PROSECUTION OF E.R. MURROW ON CBS « See it Now » »

Prononcé le 6 avril 1954.

Murrow: One month ago tonight we presented a report by Senator Joseph McCarthy. We labeled it as controversial. Most of that report consisted of words and pictures of the Senator. At that time we said, « If the Senator believes we have done violence to his words or pictures, if he desires to speak to answer himself an opportunity would be afforded him on this program. » The Senator sought the opportunity, asked for a delay of three weeks because he said he was very busy and wished adequate time to prepare his reply. We agreed — We placed no restrictions on the manner and method of the presentation of his reply and we suggested that we would not take time to comment on this particular program. Here now is Senator Joseph R. McCarthy junior senator from Wisconsin.McCarthy: Good evening. Mr. Edward R. Murrow, Educational Director of the Columbia Broadcasting System, devoted his program to an attack on the work of the United States Senate Investigative Committee, and on me personally as its chairman. Now over the past four years he has made repeated attacks upon me and those fighting communists. Now, of course neither Joe McCarthy nor Edward R. Murrow is of any great importance as individuals. We are only important in our relation to the great struggle to preserve our American liberties.

Now ordinarily, ordinarily I would not take time out from the important work at hand to answer Murrow. However, in this case I feel justified in doing so because Murrow is a symbol, the leader, and the cleverest of the jackal pack, which is always found at the throat of anyone who dares to expose individual communists and traitors. I am compelled by the facts to say to you that Mr. Edward R. Murrow, as far back as 20 years ago, was engaged in propaganda for communist causes; for example, the Institute of International Education of which he was the Acting Director, was chosen to act as a representative by a soviet agency to do a job which would normally be done by the Russian secret police.

Now, Mr. Murrow, by his own admission, was a member of the IWW (that’s the Industrial Workers of the World), a terrorist organization cited as subversive by an attorney general of the United States, who stated that it was an organization which seeks, and I quote: « to alter the government of the United States by unconstitutional means. » Now, other government committees have had before them actors, screen writers, motion picture producers, and others, who admitted Communist affiliations but pleaded youth or ignorance. Now, Mr. Murrow can hardly make the same plea. On March 9 of this year, Mr. Murrow, a trained reporter, who had traveled all over the world, who is the Educational Director of CBS, followed implicitly the Communist line, as laid down in the last six months, laid down not only by the Communist Daily Worker, but by the Communist magazine Political Affairs and by the National Conference of the Communist Party of the United States of America.

Now the question, why is it important to you, the people of America, to know why the Educational Director and the Vice President of CBS so closely follow the Communist Party line? To answer that question we must turn back the pages of history.

A little over a hundred years ago, a little group of men in Europe conspired to deliver the world to a new system, to Communism. Under their system, the individual was nothing; the family was nothing; God did not even exist. Their theory was that an all-powerful State should have the power of life or death over its citizens without even a trial; that everything and everybody belonged to the rulers of the states. They openly wrote — Nothing’s secret about it — that, in their efforts to gain power, they would be justified in doing anything; they would be justified in following the trail of deceit, lies, terror, murder, treason, blackmail. All these things were elevated to virtues in the Communist rule book. If a convert to Communism could be persuaded that he was a citizen of the world, it of course would be much easier to make him a traitor to his own country.

Now for 70 years the Communists made little progress. Let me show you a map of the world as it stood in the middle of the First World War of 1917, before the Russian Revolution. You will see there is not a single foot of ground on the face of the globe under the domination or control of the Communists, and bear in mind that this was only 36 years ago. In 1917 we were engaged in a great World War in defense of our way of life and in defense of American liberty. The Kaiser was obliged to divide his armies and fight in both eastern and the western fronts. In the midst of the war, the

Russian people overthrew their Czarist master and they set up a democratic form of government under the leadership of Alexander Kerensky. Now, Kerensky’s government instantly pledged all-out support to the allies. At this instant the imperial German government secretly financed the return to Russia of seven Communist exiles led by Nicolai Lenin, exiles who had been forced to flee the country, a rather important event in the history of the world.

Now, once in Russia, by the same methods which the Communists are employing in the United States today, they undermined the Army; they undermined the Navy; the civilian heads of the government. And in one hundred days those seven Communists were literally the masters of Russia. Now, with all of — of the wealth of the nation at their command, they proceeded to finance Communist parties in every country in the world. They sent to those countries trained propagandists and spies. In every country they of course had to find glib, clever men like Edward R. Murrow who would sponsor invitations to students and teachers to attend indoctrinational schools in Moscow, exactly as Murrow has done. They trained Communists in every country in the world. Their sole purpose was [to] infiltrate the government, and once Communists were in government they in turn brought others in.

Now let us look at the map of the world as it was twenty years ago. At that time there was one country with 180,000,000 people in Communist chains.

Now let us look at a map of the world as of tonight, this 6th day of April, nineteen hundred and fifty-four. Over one-third of the earth’s area under Communist control and 800,000,000 people in Communist chains, in addition to the 800,000,000 in Communist chains in Europe and Asia. Finally, the Communists have gained a foothold and a potential military base here in our half of the world, in Guatemala, with the Communists seeping down into the Honduras. My good friends, how much of this was achieved by military force and how much was achieved by traitors and Communist-line propagandists in our own government and in other free governments?

Let’s start in Europe, if we may. They took by military force a little piece of Finland. In the same way they took three small Baltic states: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. They took half of Poland in the same way. They acquired the rest of Poland through Polish traitors and Communists in our own government, who gave American dollars and American support to the Communists in Poland. They took over Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, without firing a single shot. They did this by the infiltration of Communists in a [sic] key spots in the governments. The Communists took over Czechoslovakia without firing a shot. This they did by the infiltration of Communists into the Czechoslovakian government also. And listen to what a high official in the anti-Communist government of Czechoslovakia had to say about the Communist enslavement of Czechoslovakia. Here’s what he said. He said,

In my country, the pattern was identical to what it is in the United States. If anyone, before the Communists took over, dared to attack those Communists who were preparing and shaping the policy of my government, shaping the policy to betray my people, he was promptly attacked and destroyed by a combination of Communists, fellow travelers and those unthinking people who thought they were serving the cause of liberalism and progress, but who were actually serving the cause of the most reactionary credo of all times, Communism.

Still quoting: « Because of those people, night has fallen upon my nation and slavery upon my people. »

Now, shifting to another area of the world, to the East, how about this vast land area and the teeming masses of China? Let’s just take a look at that map,2 if you please. Keep in mind that a few short years ago China was a free nation, friendly to the United States. Now, were the –were — let’s take a look at that map. Were those 400,000,000 Chinese captured by force of arms? Certainly not. They were delivered — delivered to Communist slave masters by the jackal pack of Communist-line propagandists, including the friends of Mr. Edward R. Murrow, who day after day shouted to the world that the Chinese Communists were agrarian reformers, and that our ally, the Republic of China, represented everything that was evil and wicked.

Now my good friends, if there were no Communists in our government, would we have consented to and connived to turn over all of our Chinese friends to the Russians? Now my good friends, if there had been no Communists in our government, would we have rewarded them with all of Manchuria, half of the Kurile Islands and one-half of Korea? Now how many Americans — how many Americans have died and will die because of this sell-out to Communist Russia? God only knows.

If there were no Communists in our government, why did we delay for 18 months, delay our research on the hydrogen bomb, even though our intelligence agencies were reporting day after day that the Russians were feverishly pushing their development of the H-bomb? And may I say to America tonight that our nation may well die — our nation may well die — because of that 18- months deliberate delay. And I ask you, who caused it? Was it loyal Americans? Or was it traitors in our government?

It is often said by the left wing that it is sufficient to fight Communism in Europe and Asia, but that Communism is not a domestic American issue. But the record, my good friends, is that the damage has been done by cleverly calculated subversion at home, and not from abroad. It is this problem of — of subversion that our Committee faces.

Now let us very quickly glance at some of the work of our Committee, some of the work it’s done in slightly over a year’s time. For example, 238 witnesses were examined in public session; 367 witnesses examined in executive session; 84 witnesses refused to testify as to Communist activities on the ground that, if they told the truth, they might go to jail; 24 witnesses with Communist backgrounds have been discharged from jobs [in] which they were handling secret, top-secret, confidential material, individuals who were exposed before our Committee.

Of course you can’t measure the success of a committee by a box score, based on the number of Communist heads that have rolled from secret jobs. It is completely impossible to even estimate the — the effect on our government of the day-to-day plodding exposure of Communists. And that is, of course, why the Murrows bleed. For example, the exposure of only one Fifth Amendment Communist in the Government Printing Office, an office having access to secret material from almost every government agency, resulted in an undisclosed number of suspensions. It resulted in the removal of the Loyalty Board, and the revamping of all the royal — of the loyalty rules, so that we do have apparently a good, tight loyalty set up in the Printing Office at this time. Also disclosure of Communists in the military and in the radar laboratories resulted in the abolition of the Pentagon board which had cleared and ordered reinstated Communists who had for years been handling government secrets. Also, as a result of those hearings, Army orders have been issued to prevent a recurrence of the Major [Irving] Peress scandal, which was exposed by the Committee. Now to attempt to evaluate the effect of the work of an investigating committee would be about as impossible as to attempt to evaluate the effect of well-trained watchdogs upon the activities of

potential burglars.

We Americans live in a free world, a world where we can stand as individuals, where we can go to the church of our own choice and worship God as we please, each in his own fashion, where we can freely speak our opinions on any subject, or on any man. Now whether — whether we — we shall continue to so live has come to issue now. We will soon know whether we are going to go on living that kind of life, or whether we are going to live the kind of life that 800,000,000 slaves live under Communist domination. The issue is simple. It is the issue of life or death for our civilization.

Now Mr. Murrow said on this program — and I quote — he said: « The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have given considerable comfort to the enemy. » That is the language of our statute of treason — rather strong language. If I am giving comfort to our enemies, I ought not to be in the Senate. If, on the other hand, Mr. Murrow is giving comfort to our enemies, he ought not to be brought into the homes of millions of Americans by the Columbia Broadcasting System.

Now this is a question which can be resolved with very little difficulty. What do the Communists think of me? And what do the Communists think of Mr. Murrow? One of us is on the side of the Communists; the other is against the Communists, against Communist slavery.

Now the Communists have three official publications in America, and these are not ordinary publications. They have been officially determined to be the transmission belts through which Communists in America are instructed as to the party-line, or the position which Communist writers and playwrights must take — also, of course, telecasters, broadcasters. The first of these is a booklet which I would like to show you, if I may. It’s entitled « The Main Report, »3 delivered at the National Conference of the Communist Party of the U.S.A. — published in New York in October, 1953. The report states, quote: « The struggle against McCarthyism is developing currently along the following main line » — Keep in mind this is a Communist publication giving instructions to members of the Party — « along the following main line: the struggle against witch hunting, the struggle against investigations of the McCarthy/McCarran type, and defense of the victims of McCarthyism such as Owen Lattimore, etc. In addition there is the direct attack on McCarthy. » Let me ask you, does that sound somewhat like the program of Edward R. Murrow of March 9 over this same station?

Now in this — in this report, the Communists do not hesitate to instruct — to instruct the comrades that their fight on McCarthy is only a means to a larger end. Again, let me quote from the instructions from the Communist Party to its membership, on page 33, I quote:

Our main task is to mobilize the masses for the defeat of the foreign and domestic policy of the Eisenhower Administration and for the defeat of the Eisenhower regime itself. The struggle against McCarthyism contributes to this general objective.

Just one more quotation, if I may, from page 31 of these instructions of the Communist Party to its members, and I quote: « Since the elections, McCarthyism has emerged as a menace of major proportions. » I think maybe we know what the Communist Party means by « a menace of major proportions. » They mean a menace of major proportions to the Communist Party.

Now let’s take 30 seconds or so, if we may, to look a little further to see who’s giving comfort to our enemies. Here is a Communist Daily Worker of March 9, containing seven articles and a principal editorial, all attacking McCarthy. And the same issue lists Mr. Murrow’s program as — listen to this — « One of tonight’s best bets on TV. » And then — just one more — here’s the issue of

March 17. Its principal front-page article is an attack on McCarthy. It has three other articles attacking McCarthy. It has a special article by William Z. Foster, the head of the Communist Party in America — and now under indictment on charges of attempting to overthrow this government by force and violence — this article by Foster, praising Edward R. Murrow. Just one more, if I may impose on your time: the issue of March 26. This issue has two articles attacking witch-hunting, three articles attacking McCarthy, a cartoon of McCarthy, and an article in praise of Mr. Edward R. Murrow.

And now I would like to also show you the Communist political organ, entitled Political Affairs. The lead article is a report dated November 21, 1953 of the National Committee of the Communist Party of the United States, attacking McCarthy and telling how the loyal members of the Communist Party can serve their cause by getting rid of this awful McCarthy.

Now, as you know, Owen Lattimore has been named as a conscious, articulate instrument of the Communist conspiracy. He’s been so named by the Senate Internal Security Committee. He is now under criminal indictment for perjury with respect to testimony in regard to his Communist activities. In his book Ordeal by Slander, he says — I think I can quote him verbatim — he says, « I owe a very special debt to a man I have never met. I must mention at least Edward R. Murrow. » Then there’s the book by Harold Laski, admittedly the greatest Communist propagandist of our time in England. In his book Reflections on the Revolution of Our Times he dedicates the book to « my friends E. R. Murrow and Latham Tichener, with affection. » Now, I am perfectly willing to let the American people decide who’s giving comfort to our enemies. Much of the documentation which we have here on the table tonight will not be available to the American people by way of television. However, this will all be made available to you within the next two weeks.

In conclusion, may I say that under the shadow of the most horrible and destructive weapons that man has ever devised, we fight to save our country, our homes, our churches, and our children. To this cause, ladies and gentlemen, I have dedicated and will continue to dedicate all that I have and all that I am. And I want to assure you that I will not be deterred by the attacks of the Murrows, the Lattimores, the Fosters, the Daily Worker, or the Communist Party itself.

Now I make no claim to leadership. In complete humility, I do ask you and every American who loves this country to join with me.

Murrow: That was film of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, presented at our invitation. It was in response to a program we presented on March 9th. This reporter undertook to make no comment at this time, but naturally reserved his right to do so subsequently.

Good night, and good luck.

«DEBATE WITH WELCH DURING SENATE TRIALS»

Débat parlementaire du 2 décembre 1967.

Welch: Mr. Cohn, what is the exact number of Communists or subversives that are loose today in these defense plants?

Cohn: The exact number that is loose, sir?Welch: Yes, sir.

Cohn: I don’t know.

Welch: Roughly, how many?

Cohn: I can only tell you, sir, what we know about.

Welch: Well, that’s 130? Is that right?

Cohn: Yes, sir, I’m going to try to particularize for you, if I can.

Welch: I’m in a hurry. I don’t want the sun to go down while they’re still in there if we can get them out.

Cohn: I’m afraid we won’t be able to work that fast.

Welch: Well, I’ve got a suggestion about it, sir. How many are there?

Cohn: I believe the figure is approximately 130.

Welch: Approximately one-three-o?

Cohn: Those are people, Mr. Welch–

Welch: I don’t care. You’ve told us who they are. And how many plants are there?

Cohn: How many plants?

Welch: How many plants?

Cohn: Yes, sir. Just one minute, sir. I see sixteen offhand.

Welch: Sixteen plants. Are you alarmed at that situation, MrCohn?

Cohn: Yes, sir, I am.

Welch: Nothing could be more alarming, could it?

Cohn: It’s certainly a very alarming thing.

Welch: Will you not, before the sun goes down, give those names to the FBI and at least have those men put under surveillance?

Cohn: Sir, if there is need for surveillance in case of espionage or anything like that, I can well assure you, Mr. John Edgar Hoover and his men know a lot better than I, and I might respectfully suggest, sir, than probably a lot of us, just who should be put under surveillance. I do not purpose to tell the FBI how to run its job.

Welch: And they do it. And they do it, don’t they Mr. Cohn? Cohn: When the need arises, of course. Welch: Then they’ve got the whole 130 have they, Mr. Cohn? Cohn: I am sure of it, sir, and a lot more.

Welch: Then what’s all the excitement about, if J. Edgar Hoover is on the job, chasing those 130 Communists.

Cohn: Mr. Welch, all the excitement? McCarthy: Mr. Chairman, in view of… Chairman Karl Mundt (R-SD): Do you have a point of order?

McCarthy: Uh–not exactly, Mr. Chairman, but in view of Mr. Welch’s request that the information be given once we know of anyone who might be performing any work for the Communist Party, I think we should tell him that he has in his law firm a young man named Fisher whom he

recommended, incidentally, to do the work on this Committee, who has been, for a number of years, a member of an organization which is named, oh, years and years ago, as the legal bulwark of the Communist Party, an organization which always springs to the defense of anyone who dares to expose Communists. Knowing that, Mr. Welch, I just felt that I had a duty to respond to your urgent request that, « before sundown, » that if we know of anyone serving the Communist cause we let the agency know. We’re now letting you know your man did belong to this organization for either three or four years. Belong to it long after he was out of law school. And I have hesitated bringing that up, but I have been rather bored with your phony requests to Mr. Cohn here, that he personally get every Communist out of Government before sundown. Whether you knew that he was a member of that Communist organization or not, I don’t know. I assume you did not, Mr. Welch, because I get the impression that while you are quite an actor, you play for a laugh, I don’t think you have any conception of the danger of the Communist Party. I don’t think you, yourself would ever knowingly aid the Communist cause. I think you’re unknowingly aiding with it when you try to burlesque this hearing in which we’re attempting to bring out the facts.

Welch: Mr. Chairman…. Mundt: The Chair may say that he has no recognition or no memory of Mr. Welch recommending

either Mr. Fisher or anybody else as counsel for this Committee. McCarthy: I refer to the record, Mr. Chairman, on the, to the news story on that.

Welch: Mr. Chairman. Under the circumstances, I must myself have something approaching a personal privilege.

Mundt: You may have– Welch: Senator McCarthy, I did not know, Senator — Senator, sometimes you say may I have your

attention —

McCarthy: I’m listening.

Welch: May I have your attention?

McCarthy: I can listen with one ear.

Welch: No, this time, sir, I want you to listen with both. Senator McCarthy, I think until this moment–

McCarthy: –Good. Just a minute. Jim, Jim, will you get the news story to the effect that this man belongs to the–to this Communist front organization…

Welch: I will tell you that he belonged to it.

McCarthy: Jim, will you get the citation, one of the citations showing that this was the legal arm of the Communist Party, and the length of time that he belonged, and the fact that he was recommended by Mr. Welch.

Welch: Senator, you won’t need anything in the record when I finish telling you this. Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Fred Fisher is a young man who went to the Harvard Law School and came into my firm and is starting what looks to be a brilliant career with us. When I decided to work for this Committee, I asked Jim St.Clair, who sits on my right, to be my first assistant. I said to Jim, « Pick somebody in the firm to work under you that you would like. » He chose Fred Fisher, and they came down on an afternoon plane. That night, when we had taken a little stab at trying to see what the case was about, Fred Fisher and Jim St. Clair and I went to dinner together. I then said to these two young men, « Boys, I don’t know anything about you, except I’ve always liked you, but if there’s anything funny in the life of either one of you that would hurt anybody in this case, you speak up quick. » And Fred Fisher said, « Mr. Welch, when I was in the law school, and for a period of months after, I belonged to the

Lawyers’ Guild, » as you have suggested, Senator. He went on to say, « I am Secretary of the Young Republican’s League in Newton with the son of [the] Massachusetts governor, and I have the respect and admiration of my community, and I’m sure I have the respect and admiration of the twenty-five lawyers or so in Hale & Dorr. » And I said, « Fred I just don’t think I’m going to ask you to work on the case. If I do, one of these days that will come out, and go over national television and it will just hurt like the dickens. » And so, Senator, I asked him to go back to Boston. Little did I dream you could be so reckless and so cruel as to do an injury to that lad… It is, I regret to say, equally true that I fear he shall always bear a scar needlessly inflicted by you. If it were in my power to forgive you for your reckless cruelty, I would do so. I like to think I’m a gentle man, but your forgiveness will have to come from someone other than me.

McCarthy: Mr. Chairman, may I say that Mr. Welch talks about this being cruel and reckless. He was just baiting. He has been baiting Mr. Cohn here for hours, requesting that Mr. Cohn before sundown get out of any department of the government anyone who is serving the Communist cause. Now, I just give this man’s record and I want to say, Mr. Welch, that it had been labeled long before he became a member, as early as 1944–

Welch: Senator, may we not drop this? We know he belonged to the Lawyers’ Guild. And Mr. Cohn nods his head at me. I did you, I think, no personal injury, Mr. Cohn?

Cohn: No, sir.

Welch: I meant to do you no personal injury, and if I did, I beg your pardon. Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?

McCarthy: I know this hurts you, Mr. Welch. Welch: I’ll say it hurts. McCarthy: Mr. Chairman, as point of personal privilege, I’d like to finish this. Welch: Senator, I think it hurts you, too, sir.

McCarthy: I’d like to finish this. I know Mr. Cohn would rather not have me go into this, I intend to, however, and Mr. Welch talks about any sense of decency…. I have heard you and everyone else talk so much about laying the truth upon the table. But when I heard–the completely phony–Mr. Welch, I’ve been listening now for a long time, saying, now before sundown you must get these people out of government. So I just want you to have it very clear, very clear that you were not so serious about that when you tried to recommend this man for this Committee.

Welch: Mr. McCarthy, I will not discuss this further with you. You have sat within six feet of me and could ask, could have asked me about Fred Fisher. You have seen fit to bring it out, and, if there is a God in heaven, it will do neither you nor your cause any good. I will not discuss it further. I will not ask, Mr. Chairman, for any more witnesses. You, Mr. Chairman, may, if you will, call the next witness.