The Lacuna (52 page)
Authors: Barbara Kingsolver
The Wheeling Intelligencer,
February 10, 1950
M’Carthy Charges Reds Hold U.S. Jobs
Wisconsin Senator Tells Lincoln Fete Here ‘Chips Down’
by Frank Desmond of the
Intelligencer
Staff
Joseph McCarthy, junior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, was given a rousing ovation last night when, as guest of the Ohio County Republican Women’s Club, he declared bluntly that the fate of the world rests with the clash between the atheism of Moscow and the Christian spirit throughout other parts of the world.
More than 275 representative Republican men and women were on hand to attend the colorful Lincoln Day dinner of the valley women which was held in the Collonnade room of the McLure hotel.
Disdaining any oratorical fireworks, McCarthy’s talk was of an intimate, homey nature, punctuated at times with humor. But on the serious side, he launched many barbs at the present setup of the State Department, at President Truman’s reluctance to press investigation of “traitors from within,” and other pertinent matters…. However, he added: “The morals of our people have not been destroyed. They still exist and this cloak of numbness and apathy needs only a spark to rekindle them.”
Referring directly to the State Department, he declared: “While I cannot take the time to name all of the men in the State Department who have been named as members of the Communist Party and members of a spy ring, I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who, nevertheless, are still working and shaping the policy in the State Department.”
The speaker dwelt at length on the Alger Hiss case and mentioned the names of several others who, during the not so many years, were found to entertain subversive ideas but were
still given positions of high trust in the government. “As you hear of this story of high treason,” he said, “I know that you are saying to yourself well, why doesn’t Congress do something about it?
“Actually, ladies and gentlemen, the reason for the graft, the corruption, the disloyalty, the treason in high government positions, the reason this continues is because of 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.”
At another time, he declared: “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.”
In an informal quiz with his audience, the Senator answered a number of questions dealing mostly with the plan of Secretary of Agriculture Brannan to destroy millions of tons of potatoes, eggs, butter, and fruits; he gave forthright views on the old age and social security problems and a number of other topics….
Mrs. A. E. Eberhard, president of the Women’s Group, presided. State Senator William Hannig led the group singing. The invocation was delivered by the Rev. Philip Goertz, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. W. Carroll Thorn, of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
(undated page, HWS journal)
Universal declaration of rights of the howlers:
Article 1. All human beings are endowed with the god-given right to make firewood from the fallen tree. Article 2. Any tree will do. If it is tall, it should be cut down. The quality of wood is no matter, the tree asked for it by growing tall. A decent public will cheer to see it toppled. Article 3. Rules of normal kindness do not extend to the celebrated person. Article 4. All persons may hope to become celebrated. Article 5. It is more important to speak than to think. The only danger is silence. Article 6. A howler must choose one course or the other: lie routinely, or do so only on important occasions, to be more convincing. (The Trotsky tenet.)
HEARINGS REGARDING COMMUNIST INFILTRATION OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
,
SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE
ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
PUBLIC HEARING, TUESDAY, MARCH
7, 1950
TRANSCRIPT: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES,
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
:
JOHN S. WOOD
,
Georgia, Chairman
;
FRANCIS E. WALTER
,
Pennsylvania
;
RICHARD M. NIXON
,
California;
BURR P. HARRISON
,
Virginia
;
FRANCIS CASE
,
South Dakota;
JOHN MCSWEENEY
,
Ohio;
HAROLD H. VELDE
,
Illinois;
MORGAN M.
MOULDER
,
Missouri;
BERNARD W. KEARNEY
,
New York
FRANK L. RAVENNER, COUNSEL
MELVIN C. MYERS, SENIOR INVESTIGATOR
The subcommittee of the Committee on Un-American Activities met in a public session, pursuant to notice, at 9:35 a.m. in room 226, Old House Office Building, Hon. John S. Wood (chairman) presiding. Committee members present: Representatives John S. Wood (chairman), Francis E. Walter, John McSweeney, Richard M. Nixon
(arriving as indicated) and Harold H. Velde. Staff members present: Frank L. Ravenner, counsel; Melvin C. Myers, chief investigator.
MR. WOOD
: The record will show this is the Committee on Un-American Activities sitting now in the city of Washington, District of Columbia. Those present in addition to Committee and Staff members are the recording secretary and visitors from the press corps in the back gallery of the room. Mr. Harrison Shepherd sits here before us accompanied by two persons. The committee will be in order.
Mr. Shepherd, will you hold up your right hand, please, and take the oath. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you shall give this committee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. WOOD
: Will you state your full name?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Harrison William Shepherd.
MR. WOOD
: When and where were you born?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Lychgate, Virginia, July 6, 1916.
MR. WOOD
: Have you any objection to the photographers making pictures?
MR. SHEPHERD
: I would be happier if they didn’t.
MR. WOOD
: Well, gentlemen, you’ve heard him. Follow your conscience as usual.
(Murmuring and laughter from the gallery and photographs flashed.)
MR. RAVENNER:
Honorable Chairman, before we begin questioning, may I ask to have Mr. Shepherd’s friends or counsel identified?
MR. SHEPHERD:
This is Mr. Arthur Gold, who is a lawyer, and Mrs. Violet Brown, who is my stenographer.
MR. WOOD
: Mr. Shepherd, the committee retains a recording secretary to make a very thorough transcript of these proceedings. Mrs. Ward, would you please identify yourself.
(So identified.)
MR. SHEPHERD
: Sir, Mrs. Brown and Mr. Gold are here in the capacity of friends.
MR. RAVENNER
: Fine, then. Mr. Shepherd, the purpose of this meeting is for the Committee to determine the truth or falsity of certain statements you have made, regarding membership or association with the Communist Party. Do you understand?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. RAVENNER
: All right. This will not take all day, gentlemen, we should be out of here in time for lunch. Mr. Shepherd, would you please tell us where you now reside, and your present occupation.
MR. SHEPHERD
: I live in Asheville, North Carolina, and am an author of books.
MR. RAVENNER
: How long have you lived there, and what employment have you held in that time?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Since 1940. I haven’t had very much work in Asheville, other than the writing. During the war I taught some Spanish lessons at a Teachers College.
MR. RAVENNER
: While teaching foreign languages at the College, did you ever succeed in recruiting students to a Communist way of thinking?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Goodness, I doubt it. I couldn’t recruit them to put their bubble gum in the wastepaper basket before standing up to do conjugations. Sometimes it fell out of their mouths on the third-person plurals.
(Laughter in the gallery.)
MR. RAVENNER
: Now will you answer the question? Did any of your students join up with the Communist Party?
MR. SHEPHERD
: I honestly don’t know what they did after the class.
MR. RAVENNER
: Were you also in the Armed Services during those years, as a young man obviously fit for service?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Unfortunately I was not found fit for service. I was called up instead for special work with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
MR. RAVENNER
: You were found unfit for service on what grounds, Mr. Shepherd?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Psychological grounds.
MR. RAVENNER
: You were determined unfit for reasons of mental and sexual deviance, is that correct?
MR. SHEPHERD
: I was found only sane enough for the Civilian Services, sir. My mental capacities were deemed adequate for handling the country’s most important national treasures. That was the determination of the Selective Service board.
(Mr. Nixon here entered the hearing and was seated near Mr. Velde. Brief discussion between Mr. Nixon and Mr. Velde.)
MR. RAVENNER
: Did you or did you not at that time believe membership in the Communist Party was inimical to the interests of the United States?
MR. SHEPHERD
: To be honest, sir, I didn’t think one way or another about it. I never met any Communist Party members in this country.
MR. RAVENNER
: Can you give me an answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Does a citizen have a right to be uncertain until further informed?
MR. RAVENNER
: Let me inform you. A member of the Communist Party is a person who seeks the overthrow of the government of the United States by force and violence in this country. Is that something you approve of?
MR. SHEPHERD
: I’ve never sought to overthrow the United States. Is that an answer?
MR. RAVENNER
: It is a form of answer. Now, I understand that you were born in the United States, but chose to spend most of your life in another country. Is that correct?
MR. SHEPHERD
: My mother was Mexican. We moved back there when I was twelve. She threatened to leave me by the tracks if I put up a fuss. So yes sir, I chose to go.
MR. RAVENNER
: And after many years, what made you want to live here again?
MR. SHEPHERD
: That’s a complicated question you ask. It would take me a good while to answer, and you said you wanted to get this over quickly.
MR. RAVENNER
: Well, then, let me ask an easier question. Did you associate with Communists while living in Mexico?
(A long hesitation from the witness, prior to answering.)
MR. SHEPHERD
: That is not an easier question. Again, it could take some explanation.
MR. RAVENNER
: Then let me make it easier still. We have papers here that show you were granted travel documents to come here in November 1939, as a travel companion and assistant to a man called to testify before this same committee. The Dies Committee, as it was called then. Our documents say a Harrison Shepherd, born 1916 in Lychgate, Virginia, was a member of the party that was granted a travel visa. Are you that person?
MR. SHEPHERD
: I am.
MR. RAVENNER
: Then we may assume these documents refer to you. That you were then living in the Mexican headquarters of the well-known Communist leader of Stalin’s Bolshevik revolution, Leonadovich Trotsky.
MR. SHEPHERD
: I beg your pardon?
MR. RAVENNER
: Answer the question.
MR. SHEPHERD
: I only want to clarify. Do you mean Lev Davidovich Trotsky, who led a worldwide movement to oppose Stalin? He was called by your Committee as a friendly witness, sir.
MR. RAVENNER
: Just answer the question. Did you work for this Trotsky?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. RAVENNER
: In what capacity?
MR. SHEPHERD
: As his cook, his secretary-typist, and sometimes cleaner of rabbit cages. But usually the Commissar preferred handling the manure himself.
MR. WOOD
: Here, I’ll have order!
MR. RAVENNER
: You say you were his secretary. Do you mean to say you helped prepare documents whose purpose was to arouse a Communist insurrection?
(The witness did not answer.)
MR. VELDE
: Mr. Shepherd, you may take the Fifth Amendment if you wish.
MR. SHEPHERD
: I don’t know how to answer, when you say ‘helped prepare documents.’ I was a typist. Sometimes I could hardly understand the words in those documents. I don’t have any expertise in politics.
MR. NIXON
: Is the welder of a bomb casing innocent of the destruction it causes, just because he doesn’t understand physics?
MR. SHEPHERD
: It’s a very good question. Our munitions plants make arms we sell to almost every country. Are we now on both sides of all the wars?
MR. RAVENNER
: Mr. Shepherd, you are instructed to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to all further questions. One more outburst will land you in contempt of Congress. Did you help prepare Communist documents for this Trotsky, a leader of the Bolshevik revolution?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. RAVENNER
: And are you still in contact with Comrade Trotsky?
(Very long pause.)
MR. SHEPHERD
: No.
MR. RAVENNER
: Did you come to the United States directly from his employ?
(Pause.)
MR. RAVENNER
: Yes or no?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Sorry. Could you clarify the question?
MR. RAVENNER
: Yes or no. Your last place of residence, prior to entering the United States in September, 1940, was the Trotskyite World Revolutionary Headquarters on Morelos Street, Coyoacán, outside of Mexico City.
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. RAVENNER
: Is it true that in that same place, several extreme acts of espionage and violence were committed, all directly linked with the Secret Police of Joseph Stalin?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes. Committed against us.
MR. RAVENNER
: You say you have no head for politics, so try to focus your powers, if you will, on one simple question. From that headquarters, did you come here on a program of overthrowing the United States government, however poorly you may have understood it? I want to hear one word, sir. Yes, or no.
MR. SHEPHERD
: No.
MR. RAVENNER
:: For what purpose, then, did you come to the United States?
MR. SHEPHERD
: (Pause.) Yes or no?
MR. RAVENNER
: You may elaborate in this instance.
MR. SHEPHERD
: I came to deliver paintings to museums in New York City.
MR. NIXON
: Well, that’s some delivery job if he’s still here after ten years. Even Sears Roebuck doesn’t generally take that long.
(Laughter in the gallery.)
MR. RAVENNER
: Tell me, what was the nature of these paintings?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Oil-based paint applied to canvas.
(Laughter in the gallery.)
MR. WOOD
: Mr. Shepherd, we are not fools. We can see you’re attempting to mock this hearing. This is the last time I will warn you to answer the question as directly as you can. What sort of paintings did you smuggle into the United States?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Surrealist. All transported with legal customs documents. The papers are still on file at the museums, I expect.
MR. RAVENNER
: And were these paintings by the Mexican painter Diego Rivera, who is well known as a dangerous Communist agitator?
MR. SHEPHERD
: No.
MR. RAVENNER
: No?
MR. WOOD
: Remember, Mr. Shepherd, that you have sworn an oath.
MR. SHEPHERD
: Not Mr. Rivera’s paintings, no.
(Congressmen Wood and Verne spent some moments conferring with Mr. Ravenner and looking through documents.)
MR. RAVENNER
: Were these paintings from the household of Diego Rivera, or his possessions? Answer the question fully.
MR. SHEPHERD
: They were painted by his wife, the artist Frida Kahlo.
MR. RAVENNER
: Then you admit, you knowingly associated with the Communist militants, Mr. and Mrs. Diego Rivera?
MR. SHEPHERD
: Yes.
MR. RAVENNER
:: For what purpose?
MR. SHEPHERD
: In the instance you mention, to oversee the transport of her paintings to galleries in New York.
MR. RAVENNER
: They hired you to carry crates across the border into the United States. Where you have now re
mained nearly ten years. My documents say there were eight crates altogether, some of them too large for a man to lift by himself.