Alger Hiss, the true story download epub

The True Story of Alger Hiss

This 1976 book tells the full story with more thorough and convincing documents than ever before. JCS interviewed participants, sifted through the HUAC records, the Baltimore libel suit, the two trials, and the appeals. JCS studied the memoirs of Chambers and Nixon, and analyzed the contents of that famous pumpkin. Alger Hiss (AH) defended himself unwisely at his trials. JCS covered the trial for the NY Herald Tribune.

Chapter 2 tells how AH was recruited to Washington by Felix Frankfurter to work for the AAA. Chapter 3 tells of the Hiss family history in Baltimore from the beginnings. "Alger" was his father's middle name; his death left the family impoverished. AH went to Johns Hopkins and was the most popular man in his class. AH went to Harvard Law School and became a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. Chapter 7 explains the politics of tariffs: domestic manufacturers lost through lowered tariffs; large landowners, bankers, and merchants won through increased trade. AH wrote legal opinions to justify FDR's policies. Chapter 8 deals with the United Nations. The Yalta agreement used deliberately ambiguous language to avoid open disagreement. When AH joined the Carnegie Endowment the rumors of Communism popped up (job rivalry?). The State Dept. affirmed the "complete loyalty" to John Foster Dulles. But AH was an FDR Democrat and out of style in Cold War America and its striving for hegemony in the "American Century".

Chapter 10 tells of AH at HUAC and his denial of hearing the name "Whittaker Chambers". Nixon called this a fatal mistake. Chapter 11 says "unfair and totally unjust accusations" were the price to pay for public service. Nixon knew AH would be vulnerable in denying knowledge of "Whittaker Chambers"; how to prove a negative? WC's story of the donation of an old roadster belies his description of AH as "disciplined". WC saw a picture of AH with his hand cupped to his ear and claimed AH was "deaf in one ear"; also untrue. Page 189 gives the truth to correct WC's lies. AH did object to giving personal details to HUAC to prevent WC from using this information to portray friendship (p.197). The libel trial forced WC to provide new documents and a changed story (p.224)! WC recalled documents that were not produced until two weeks later (p.240). The failure to examine these questioned documents hurt AH's legal defense. Page 260 has the question about the date of manufacture of the microfilm. Analysis of grain size and film layer technology could provide a better evaluation than recurring serial numbers. "Could have been manufactured earlier" is ambiguous. WC's espionage was confirmed by Julian Wadleigh's confession. Page 268 correctly questions the existence of typewritten copies when photography has been the preferred method since the 1920s. There was a problem in the typewriter and chain of evidence (p.269). WC could not recall the date, time, place, or other particulars when he received documents from AH!

The analysis of the documents in Chapter 18 suggest they were deliberately created forgeries (p.345). Julian Wadleigh did pass documents to WC, and WC had a government job that allowed him passage into government buildings. Chapter 19 suggests the "immutable witness" of the typewriter was a fake, based on later evidence. Typewriters are machine-made, any two made at the same time are nearly alike. Differences arise later from use. There were similarities between the documents, but also places where letters didn't match at all (p.359). But it was too late to question this fake (p.360). Using moist typewriter ribbons made it impossible to determine the machine used (p.362). The serial number didn't match the date of purchase! The 16-page single-spaced report showed a skill level far in excess of Priscilla's ability, and Alger didn't type.

Chapter 20 says AH's defense claimed this typewriter was given away, but they had no documentary proof. AH's memory was faulty on events from ten years ago. Some recollections conflicted with earlier testimony. Chapter 21 says the new judge in the second trial allowed previously excluded evidence and testimony. JCS attempts to provide an explanation that fits the undisputed facts (pp.406-416). WC had a typewriter in 1938 for his translation work. Could WC have switched another typewriter for the Hiss machine? [No one has commented on WC's fears of assassination and his long interest in suicide.] Chapter 22 summarizes the aftermath. The Hiss case became a symbol for the repudiation of FDR's policy of friendly relations with the Soviet Union. [Fear of secret traitors goes back a long time, to the Trial of Socrates.] Forged documents caused the guilty verdict, naive people trusted the prosecution and "objective evidence". The knowledge gained from this trial makes forged documents less likely (although Howard Hunt was forging cables in the 1972 White House).

The True Story of Alger Hiss

This 1976 book by John Chabot Smith tells the full story with more thorough and convincing documents than ever before. JCS interviewed participants, sifted through the HUAC records, the Baltimore libel suit, the two trials, and the appeals. JCS studied the memoirs of Chambers and Nixon, and analyzed the contents of that famous pumpkin. Alger Hiss (AH) defended himself unwisely at his trials. JCS covered the trial for the NY Herald Tribune.

Chapter 2 tells how AH was recruited to Washington by Felix Frankfurter to work for the AAA. Chapter 3 tells of the Hiss family history in Baltimore from the beginnings. "Alger" was his father's middle name; his death left the family impoverished. AH went to Johns Hopkins and was the most popular man in his class. AH went to Harvard Law School and became a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. Chapter 7 explains the politics of tariffs: domestic manufacturers lost through lowered tariffs; large landowners, bankers, and merchants won through increased trade. AH wrote legal opinions to justify FDR's policies. Chapter 8 deals with the United Nations. The Yalta agreement used deliberately ambiguous language to avoid open disagreement. When AH joined the Carnegie Endowment the rumors of Communism popped up (job rivalry?). The State Dept. affirmed the "complete loyalty" to John Foster Dulles. But AH was an FDR Democrat and out of style in Cold War America and its striving for hegemony in the "American Century".

Chapter 10 tells of AH at HUAC and his denial of hearing the name "Whittaker Chambers". Nixon called this a fatal mistake. Chapter 11 says "unfair and totally unjust accusations" were the price to pay for public service. Nixon knew AH would be vulnerable in denying knowledge of "Whittaker Chambers"; how to prove a negative? WC's story of the donation of an old roadster belies his description of AH as "disciplined". WC saw a picture of AH with his hand cupped to his ear and claimed AH was "deaf in one ear"; also untrue. Page 189 gives the truth to correct WC's lies. AH did object to giving personal details to HUAC to prevent WC from using this information to portray friendship (p.197). The libel trial forced WC to provide new documents and a changed story (p.224)! WC recalled documents that were not produced until two weeks later (p.240). The failure to examine these questioned documents hurt AH's legal defense. Page 260 has the question about the date of manufacture of the microfilm. Analysis of grain size and film layer technology could provide a better evaluation than recurring serial numbers. "Could have been manufactured earlier" is ambiguous. WC's espionage was confirmed by Julian Wadleigh's confession. Page 268 correctly questions the existence of typewritten copies when photography has been the preferred method since the 1920s. There was a problem in the typewriter and chain of evidence (p.269). WC could not recall the date, time, place, or other particulars when he received documents from AH!

The analysis of the documents in Chapter 18 suggest they were deliberately created forgeries (p.345). Julian Wadleigh did pass documents to WC, and WC had a government job that allowed him passage into government buildings. Chapter 19 suggests the "immutable witness" of the typewriter was a fake, based on later evidence. Typewriters are machine-made, any two made at the same time are nearly alike. Differences arise later from use. There were similarities between the documents, but also places where letters didn't match at all (p.359). But it was too late to question this fake (p.360). Using moist typewriter ribbons made it impossible to determine the machine used (p.362). The serial number didn't match the date of purchase! The 16-page single-spaced report showed a skill level far in excess of Priscilla's ability, and Alger didn't type.

Chapter 20 says AH's defense claimed this typewriter was given away, but they had no documentary proof. AH's memory was faulty on events from ten years ago. Some recollections conflicted with earlier testimony. Chapter 21 says the new judge in the second trial allowed previously excluded evidence and testimony. JCS attempts to provide an explanation that fits the undisputed facts (pp.406-416). WC had a typewriter in 1938 for his translation work. Could WC have switched another typewriter for the Hiss machine? [No one has commented on WC's fears of assassination and his long interest in suicide.] Chapter 22 summarizes the aftermath. The Hiss case became a symbol for the repudiation of FDR's policy of friendly relations with the Soviet Union. [Fear of secret traitors goes back a long time, to the Trial of Socrates.] Forged documents caused the guilty verdict, naive people trusted the prosecution and "objective evidence". The knowledge gained from this trial makes forged documents less likely (although Howard Hunt was forging cables in the 1972 White House).

This is as good an introduction to the pro-Hiss side of the case as I can find. It encompasses the research of Elinor Ferry and George Kirstein, and Hiss's other supporters; as well as that of Fred Cook and other researchers of the late 50s and 1960s, and Hiss's own bloodless brief from 1956,
'In the Court of Public Opinion.'

Smith was a newspaper reporter, and gathered his research from the usual reporting angles, therefore decided Hiss's guilt was an accusation Not Proven. However, the subtitle 'The True Story' is a bit of a stretch. Hiss never came clean about his involvement with the Soviet apparatus.

Again and again the accusations are laid at the feet of Whittaker Chambers, who (we are repeatedly told) was a troubled and perverted soul. But the investigation into Hiss did not begin with Chambers. Chambers was merely the best witness.