House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Chair: Lauren Crawford PO: Jack Crawford

Transcription

1 House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Chair: Lauren Crawford PO: Jack Crawford

2 Table of Contents 3.Letter from Chair 4.Members of Committee 6.Committee Background 7. Decline of HUAC 11. Alger Hiss

3 Letter from the Chair Greeting delegates, Welcome to the long awaited LYMUN III, these last few months have been long, treacherous and stressful but we made it! So welcome and let me tell you about myself. My name is Lauren Crawford and I m currently a sophomore. I m a part of Model UN, Student Council, the Peaceful School Initiative, Greek Club, and debate. Moving forward, this is a crisis committee, but personal powers will not be in play. Each member of the committee is a member of the Unites States House of Representatives. As we all know, there are nearly 500, so I have cut it down to the top 50. To win in my committee there are two things i am looking for: a deeper analysis of the information given in the background guide, and a delegate who can work without not only people in their political party, but others. I have combined the 79th through 85th congress because I feel as if these years were the prime for the committee, it also evens up the numbers. Feel free to me with any questions at cra505539@student.lths.net. Best of luck, Lauren Crawford

4 Members of Committee: 1. Edward J. Hart 2. J. Parnell Thomas 3. Richard M. Nixon 4. John S. Wood 5. Morgan M. Moulder 6. Francis E. Walter 7. Francis Case 8. Donald L. Jackson 9. Martin Dies 10. Jerry Voorhis 11. Edwin E Willis Blue: Democrat Red: Republican *TOP SECRET -- FOR HUAC MEMBERS EYES ONLY* Some of the cabinet members were not part of either the 80th or 81th congress but have been put in the cabinet due to their efforts, it does not matter which session the senator you re representing was a part of.

5 Background Information The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, was designed as a special interests group to investigate the accusation of communist activities happening in the United States. HUAC was formed in the early stages of the Cold War in 1938 and consisted of delegates and a chairman. The chairman led the meetings and kept HUAC in an orderly state of conduct, while the delegates proposed idea s and voted on legislation. HUAC held the power to subpoena and wielded this power as a weapon of attack, calling citizens to testify in high- profile hearings before Congress. By building such an intimidating atmosphere, the information HUAC did manage to get out of its citizens was often times questionable, and occasionally even proven to be completely false. The false information was often about American institutions and well- known citizens, leading HUAC investigation to fall under the public eye. These controversial topics are often cited as a major factor in contributing to the Red Scare. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, HUAC s influence was on the downturn, and in 1969 it had been renamed the Committee on Internal Security. Although it ceased issuing subpoenas that year, its operations continued until As the Cold War was gaining momentum in the late 1940 s and early 1950 s, a mass hysteria over the threat posed by communist governments swept through the United States. This period became known as the Red Scare, due to the red coloring of the soviet flag. During the Red

6 Scare, federal employees were interrogated by HUAC in order to prove their loyalty to the United States, democracy, and capitalism. Hollywood was also closely looked at due to the alleged spread of communistic ideals throughout television, movies, and mass media at large. The Red Scare also swept through everyday American culture, building a climate of fear and repression in the American household. Terror gripped American citizens, sending everyone to the edge of panic. This panic of communism did not begin to diminish until the late 1950 s.

7 Topic A: The Trial of Alger Hiss In 1938, the House Un-American Activities was created in order to dismantle communistic ideas in the United States. One of the most notable activists was Senator John Mccarthy. He continuously campaigned, and often accused innocent people of false involvement with communist Russia. Arguably, the biggest trial of the committee was a government official who was inculpated for being associated with the Soviet spy program. Alger Hiss, formerly a Department of State member, was issued to a trial before the HUAC. He was convicted on two accounts of Perjury in November of 1950.Anticommunism has taken especially virulent forms in the United States because of distinctive features of its political tradition. As citizens of a relatively young and diverse republic, Americans historically have been fearful of enemies within and have drawn on their predilection for voluntary associations to patrol for subversives. This popular predisposition, in turn, has been easier for powerful interests to exploit in the American context because of the absence of a parliamentary system and of a strong civil service bureaucracy.

8 Personal Life Alger Hiss attended the top law school, Harvard Law, in Hiss was an exceptional student and was a recognized for his academic achievements. Two years later in 1933, he worked for law firms in Boston and on Wall Street, served in several areas, including the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, the Nye Committee, the Justice Department, and, starting in 1936, the State Department. In the summer of 1944, he was a staff member at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference, which created the blueprint for the organization that became the United Nations. In 1945, he was an adviser to Franklin Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference as well as to Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill. Later that year, Hiss served as acting the temporary secretary general at the San Francisco assembly that created the United Nations. Backtracking to 1934, this was the year Alger Hiss made his first move to the communist party. He joined an elite underground cell, focused on the ideal of communism, with friend Whittaker Chambers. Alger Hiss used a false name, Carl, to pay his debts to the communist party. It's evident that Hiss had other intentions than just being part of the party because he made sure he covered up his tracks. Chambers and Hiss start to form a close friendship, Alger even lends out his apartment for the summer, it's rumored that during his time away from home he was recruiting members for his Marxist study group. The two got so close, that Hiss loaned his Ford car out to Chambers, he would soon learn that this was the most regrettable choice he could have made.

9 Accusations Against Alger Hiss In 1938 Whittaker Chamber made the choice to withdraw from the Communist Party. Chambers made a testimony that he continuously tried to persuade him to leave the party, but Hiss had no interest in doing so. When the FBI starts to investigate Chambers, he lies on multiple occasions and says that he has had no link to espionage activity, but admits to formally being a communist. Chamber gave Hiss contact away, this resulted in Alger Hiss being the prime suspect in the investigation. The FBI proceeds to tap into his phone calls to further their investigation. Alger Hiss created an ongoing lie about how he was in no way connected to the communist party. By creating a chain of lies, Alger Hiss ultimately set himself up to be outed to the FBI. Things really started to take a turn for the worse when Alger Hiss denied even knowing Chambers, later it would be proved that there were official documents from when Chambers was loaned the apartment. The Case presented to HUAC Chambers testifies before the House Committee on Un-American Activities that Hiss was a member of an underground Communist Party group. He fails to mention that we also were a member as well. A few days later, Hiss appears before HUAC at his own request to deny the charge. He says he would like to speak with the accuser, Hiss still acts like he has never before met Chambers. The committee wants to drop the case, but committee member Nixon and committee investigator Robert E. Stripling think that's it necessary to re-interview Chambers and get a better understanding of the situation Nixon believes that, despite His denials, they can show

10 that Hiss knew Chambers. It is believed that this was Nixon's breakaway case, later down the line when he becomes president Nixon offended refers to the trial. Nixon starts to dig deeper and visits Chamber on his farm 3 different times. Each time Chambers gave more information about the secret life of Alger Hiss and even showed Nixon a bird book Alger had given Chambers. Following the release of this information, Alger Hiss is subpoenaed to HUAC, although there was no information to legally prove they knew each other, Hiss asks over and over again if he could meet with Chamber face to face. Alger Hiss believed that Whittaker Chambers was a false name used by someone in the communist party to set him up. He then formulates explanations on how his former communist friend George Crosley was to blame. Hiss and Chambers finally meet each other face to face when Hiss is called by a committee member and asked to appear at a Hotel in New York. Waiting for him there are several committee members and Chambers. Hiss identifies Chambers as Crosley, Chambers denotes having any affiliation with the name. Alger hiss makes a strategic move and Hiss challenges Chambers to repeat his charges in public, saying that if he does he will be sued for liability. Following this an event, a big moment for not only the trial but the world takes place. The first ever televised congressional trial is recorded, Hiss and Chambers both testify. Nixon proclaims that Alger Hiss committed perjury, although he admits there is no evidence that Hiss had been a member of the Communist Party., therefore he couldn't be convicted. Chambers is suing for liability and is asked for find any hard evidence to back his case up, he says that Hiss

11 supplied him with documents and says he read State Department documents at Hiss s home. He makes reference to specific documents that he claims to have seen 12 years before, but this still wasn't hard evidence. There was no physical proof that Alger Hiss gave these confidential files away. Although he had no evidence at the time, Chambers claims that he has an envelope given to him by Alger hiss that proves Hiss had given away confidential information? In the envelope, there were-were 65 pages of typewritten copies of State Department documents, four scraps of paper in Hiss s handwriting, two strips of developed film, three rolls of undeveloped film, eight pages of handwritten notes, Chambers hand the evidence to his lawyer, but keeps the film for himself. Chambers most likely feared that there was something tying him back to his communist roots, and wouldn't want that to come out after he had denied being part of the underground party. It is evident that Chambers was using Nixon to stay out of trouble. When Chambers lets Nixon known about the film, Nixon tells him to hide it in the hollowed out pumpkin in his yard. Weeks later HUAC serves a subpoena on Chambers, demanding that he turn over the remaining material to the committee. Chambers takes committee staffers out to his yard and gives them the film. Against the orders of the judge in the libel suit, Chambers also gives HUAC investigators photos of the typed and handwritten documents he had previously submitted to the court. By cooperating so well with Nixon, Chambers was able to skip out on jail time for perjury, because in the hearing Nixon defended his case. New information that could have saved Hiss, was is Henry Julian Wadleigh, an employee in the Trade Agreement Sections of the State Department. It is suspected that he gave these documents to Chambers, but he uses the fifth amendment and does not testify. This was a major roadblock in defending Alger Hiss. The first trial ends and the grand jury indicts Hiss on two counts of perjury, alleging that he lied when he said he didn t see Chambers after January 1, 1937, and when he said he never turned over any documents to

12 Chambers. A second trial opens, but Alger Hiss is soon convicted and was sent to serve 5 years in prison. Questions to Consider How did Chambers play a role in the conviction of Alger Hiss? Should he have been convicted of perjury as well? As HUAC, how do you think Alger Hiss should have been convicted? Was he given a fair trial? How did the missing pieces of evidence affect the trial? Would there have been a different outcome if Chambers did not lie? Should have the underground communist committee been investigated more by the police?

13 Topic B: Decline of House Un-American Activities The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, was designed as a special interests group to investigate the accusation of communist activities happening in the United States. HUAC was formed in the early stages of the Cold War in 1938 and consisted of delegates and a chairman. The chairman led the meetings and kept HUAC in an orderly state of conduct, while the delegates proposed idea s and voted on legislation. HUAC held the power to subpoena and wielded this power as a weapon of attack, calling citizens to testify in high- profile hearings before Congress. By building such an intimidating atmosphere, the information HUAC did manage to get out of its citizens was often times questionable, and occasionally even proven to be completely false. The false information was often about American institutions and well- known citizens, leading HUAC investigation to fall under the public eye. These controversial topics are often cited as a major factor in contributing to the Red Scare. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, HUAC s influence was on the downturn, and in 1969 it had been renamed the Committee on Internal Security. Although it ceased issuing subpoenas that year, its operations continued until As the Cold War was gaining momentum in the late 1940 s and early 1950 s, a mass hysteria over the threat posed by communist governments swept through the United States. This period became known as the Red Scare, due to the red coloring of the soviet flag. During the Red

14 Scare, federal employees were interrogated by HUAC in order to prove their loyalty to the United States, democracy, and capitalism. Hollywood was also closely looked at due to the alleged spread of communistic ideals throughout television, movies, and mass media at large. The Red Scare also swept through everyday American culture, building a climate of fear and repression in the American household. Terror gripped American citizens, sending everyone to the edge of panic. This panic did not begin to ease until the late 1950 s. HUAC Accusations The House Un-American Activities Committee was known for it over the compulsive need to stop the spread of communism in not only Soviet Russia but the United States. HUAC used strategies of blacklisting and subpoenas to bring people to a court trial. The way most people were subpoenaed to court is if you tried to accuse HUAC of any wrongdoing. During the hearing, suspects were integrated for hours on end about their allegations of being a communist. They were asked about their political beliefs and were asked, more like obligated, to list the names of anyone in their personal life that was associated with the communist regime. Soon enough, friends were turning on friends to protect themselves, no matter where you turned, someone was accusing you of being a communist. This led to an uproar in society and caused people to act out. If an individual refused to agree to HUAC's terms then they were blacklisted and sent to prison.

15 Blacklisting, a strategy used by HUAC, made it nearly impossible for people to function with their name on the list. People who were blacklisted were put on a list that was sent out to newspapers. Employees often lost their jobs and found it hard to get new ones in the same industry. One of HUAC's most infamous moments was when they verbally attacked the film industry. This event was known as Hollywood Ten, a group of writers and directors who were called to testify in October The all-male group of screenwriters, producers and directors (Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Larson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott and Dalton Trumbo) refused to cooperate with the interrogators and used their HUAC appearances to bash the committee's efforts to stop communism. All were sentenced to prison, and blacklisted from Hollywood. Joseph McCarthy: Former Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, notoriously known for his accusations of communist American Soldiers, was a leading factor for the overall decline of HUAC. When people found out he was trying to accuse the United States veterans, almost instantaneous HUAC was known as a mere joke. McCarthy was a true symbol of the Red Scare for many Americans, as he spent nearly five years attempting to expose communists and other left-wing loyalty risks in the U.S. government. In the hyper-suspicious atmosphere of the Cold War, insinuations of disloyalty were enough to convince many Americans that their government was packed with traitors and spies, and McCarthy was not exactly a calming face in this. McCarthy s accusations were so intimidating that few people dared to speak out against him. It was not until he attacked the Army in 1954 that his actions earned him the censure of the U.S. Senate. Blacklisting:

16 The House Un-American Activities Committee was known for it over a compulsive need to stop the spread of communism in not only Soviet Russia but the United States. HUAC used strategies of blacklisting and subpoenas to bring people to a court trial. The way most people were subpoenaed to court is if you tried to accuse HUAC of any wrongdoing. During the hearing, suspects were integrated for hours on end about their allegations of being a communist. They were asked about their political beliefs and were asked, more like obligated, to list the names of anyone in their personal life that was associated with the communist regime. Soon enough, friends were turning on friends to protect themselves, no matter where you turned, someone was accusing you of being a communist. This led to an uproar in society and caused people to act out. If an individual refused to agree to HUAC's terms then they were blacklisted and sent to prison.

17 Questions to Consider: Who was to blame for the Decline of HUAC? Was blacklisting the correct way to punish movie star? What should HUAC do to improve its rating?

18 Bibliography "American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Sept History.com Staff. "HUAC." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. 06 Sept "House Committee on Un-American Activities." Dictionary of American History. 2003, "House Un-American Activities Committee." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed , "Un-American Activities Committee, House." World Encyclopedia. 2005, and Elizabeth Knowles. "House Committee on Un-American Activities." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan Web. 06 Sept "House Un-American Activities Committee." House Un-American Activities Committee. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept "McCarthy Charges Communists Are in the CIA." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 06 Sept