: Truth And Consequences

.Ford ended up in the hands of a Celli-. PERJURY: The Hiss-Chambers munist functionary. Case. By Allen Weinstein. Clearly somebody was lying. Knopf. 674 pp. $15 I must begin this review of Allen Weinstein's superb and detailed book by saying that I went to the second By MERLE MILLER Hiss perjury trial in November 1949 (at first, eight members of the jury had believed him guilty and four had not) T 73, ALGER HISS, while not quite convinced as most good liberals were A the star of the college lecture cir- then and some still are that Alger was cuit, is reeiving standing ovations and innocent. Had I not myself seen Cham- impressek fees (to be used, he says, in bers lurking around the halls of Time his continuing light for vindication) during my brief tenure there? He was after telling students who were not a fat, untidy man, and 1. knew from born at the time that he was the victim friends on the staff that he changed a of a black period of American history, lot of copy from foreign correspon- of Richard M. Nixon (and after Water- dents on the grounds that it wasn't gate who wants to doubt that?) and as- anti-Communist enough. sorted other scoundrels, including a Alger—well, he wasn't really, but man named (although he used several be looked' and acted as if he were a true other names at one time or another) patrician, clean, with what appeared , who was then a to be a perfect set of teeth, and it was senior editor at Time magazine and impossible to imagine him lurking. who said that he and Alger had been By January 1950—I didn't miss a day Communists and spies together. of the trial—I agreed with the jury; At first Alger said that he had never Alger had lied. I wrote the whole thing laid eyes on the man; then he admitted up for The New Republic saying just that, yes, he had had a brief encounter that, although adding that It was likely with him although he had 'called him- that Alger was one of those young self George Crosley and had pretended idealists who in the 1930s agreed with to be a journalist; they had never been that great muckraking journalist Lin- close, and "Crosley" turned out to be a coln Steffens that the deadbeat with bad teeth. What might represented "the future, and it be called the dental scene in this book, works." at the Commodore Hotel in New York, I did not then address myself to the is alone worth the price of admission. question of why so high-minded Yes, Alger guessed that the "George young a man should a decade later lie, a Crosleys" had from time to time stayed lie that later helped Senator Joe Mc- in the Hiss apartment, and yes, he and Carthy's most preposterous charges his wife Priscilla had sublet an apart- seem possible. To many Americans, if ment to the "Crosleys" in 1935, al- an impeccable young man who had though previously he had denied see- been secretary to Justice Oliver Wen- ing "Crosley" after 1934. And, yes, out dell Holmes and an impressive public of the goodness of Alger's heart, they servant in several responsible govern- had at the time of the subletting ment jobs—the last in the State De- thrown in an old Ford_ And no one partment—and who was then presi- could have been more surprised than dent of the Carnegie Endowment, If he Alger when it was discovered that the had been a Communist spy, then maybe Ole Joe was right in saying that MERLE MILLER, the author of Plain there were still 210 or 180 or however Speaking: many it was Communists in the De- An Oral Biography of partment. Harry S Truman, is working on an And God and Joe alone oral biography of Lyndon Baines John- knew where else. son. --(Continued 07E pageES)

sisted that Alger had been a double double a been had Alger that sisted

Chambers was alleged to have se- have to alleged was Chambers ing out, Chambers, a man who admit- who man a Chambers, out, ing

discounted all of Chambers' testimony testimony Chambers' of all discounted

Chambers had ...... had Chambers agent and had done what he had done done had he what done had and agent

else, and this was a hypothesis Alger Alger hypothesis a was this and else,

duced, and that explained why. Or Or why. explained that and duced, himself tried out then and still is try- is still and then out tried himself

made a pass at him; Alger had rejected rejected had Alger him; at pass a made

had storied a little. He was either pro- either was He little. a storied had lieved every word that Hiss said and and said Hiss that word every lieved

would want Alger to spy on the Soviet Soviet the on spy to Alger want would

(Continued from page EU-- EU-- page from (Continued

ted to homosexual experience, had had experience, homosexual to ted his stepson Timothy Hobson, whom whom Hobson, Timothy stepson his

despite substantial evidence that sup- that evidence substantial despite that's the kind of noble guy he was—or was—or he guy noble of kind the that's under the secret and personal orders orders personal and secret the under of Franklin D. Roosevelt himself, al- himself, Roosevelt D. Franklin of

tecting his wife Priscilla—because Priscilla—because wife his tecting

though one wondered why Roosevelt Roosevelt why wondered one though

him, and angry at being spurned, spurned, being at angry and him,

Union since, many of these same same these of many since, Union ported it it ported

preferred to become ex-friends—be- become to preferred

stood each other. All the trouble had had trouble the All other. each stood

suits. suits.

case has seldom been discussed ration- discussed been seldom has case and Uncle Joe Stalin, a man well well man a Stalin, Joe Uncle and

ally. In those days some lifetime mem- lifetime some days those In ally.

awful double-breasted J. C. Penney Penney C. J. double-breasted awful Union wrote angry letters to news- to letters angry wrote Union

if Franklin were still alive. He He alive. still were Franklin if war cold people said, there would have been no no been have would there said, people

known for his benevolence, under- benevolence, his for known

bers of the American Civil Liberties Liberties Civil American the of bers

been started by that dreadful little little dreadful that by started been

" Most of my friends—a few of whom whom of few friends—a my of Most " man from Missouri who wore those those wore who Missouri from man papers saying that Chambers' an- an- Chambers' that saying papers

Alger Alger

One large, quite vehement group in- group vehement quite large, One

Anyway, they said, suppose Alger Alger suppose said, they Anyway,

Then and now the Hiss-Chambers Hiss-Chambers the now and Then

Hiss: Truth and Consequences Consequences and Truth Hiss:

same old lies, and a great many people people many great a and lies, old same

son Tony, the result of which is Tony's Tony's is which of result the Tony, son

Lewisburg prison, where he spent 44 44 spent he where prison, Lewisburg

saw socially in those days have admit- have days those in socially saw quently, quite a few times since No- since times few a quite quently,

vember of 1954 when he got out of of out got he when 1954 of vember

who have listened to them and to him him to and them to listened have who

cult figure; maybe he should found a a found should he maybe figure; cult

ents' sex life. Tony also says that "Al" "Al" that says also Tony life. sex ents' that many people he worked with and and with worked he people many that

religion; perhaps he has. has. he perhaps religion; for 30 years continue to believe. He's a a He's believe. to continue years 30 for would as soon not knoW about his par- his about knoW not soon as would ted that they were Party members. members. Party were they that ted

is a dandy father, which is no doubt doubt no is which father, dandy a is cloyingly cute book called Laughing Laughing called book cute cloyingly true if one overlooks lying to his son. son. his to lying overlooks one if true

Last, which tells a good deal one one deal good a tells which Last,

out reading it, have already de- already have it, reading out

days he not only was not a Communist Communist a not was only not he days

evidence has proved for 30 years now now years 30 for proved has evidence any—at know even didn't he himself, Allen Weinstein's book and continue continue and book Weinstein's Allen

least not well—although indisputable indisputable well—although not least though a great many will. Some, with- Some, will. many great a though

to believe in Alger's innocence, al- innocence, Alger's in believe to but still jaunty, continues to tell the the tell to continues jaunty, still but

of passion. passion. of

nounced it. Alger, somewhat shabby shabby somewhat Alger, it. nounced

moved by it. Almost nobody read Al- read nobody Almost it. by moved called In the Court of Public Opinion. Opinion. Public of Court the In called

read it and and it read

would read it. it. read would

It said nothing that had not been said said been not had that nothing said It before and said it with a singular lack lack singular a with it said and before

ger's little book, published in 1957, 1957, in published book, little ger's was, it should not be reviewed or ad- or reviewed be not should it was,

vertised. And anyway, nobody nobody anyway, And vertised.

guished memoir, Witness, should not not should Witness, memoir, guished

be published. If by some mischance it it mischance some by If published. be

I have seen Alger, though not fre- not though Alger, seen have I

Tony addtthat in "Al's" Washington Washington "Al's" in addtthat Tony

He even lied to his loving and loyal loyal and loving his to lied even He

I do not see how anybody can read read can anybody how see not do I

Of course, a great many people did did people many great a course, Of

were were

convinced and even even and convinced

nice nice

was 88 when Alger started working for for working started Alger when 88 was

"respected and vindicated" by the the by vindicated" and "respected

time he is 80, in 1982; after all, Holmes Holmes all, after 1982; in 80, is he time

my life I shall prove them wrong." wrong." them prove shall I life my gly—he often does—and said, "A great great "A said, does—and often gly—he

many people do, but before the end of of end the before but do, people many

edict Arnold," Alger smiled disarmin- smiled Alger Arnold," edict

ered Hiss "the worst traitor since Ben- since traitor worst "the Hiss ered

friend said that he had once consid- once had he that said friend

the only regret of his life was the fail- the was life his of regret only the

a sofa in my living room saying that that saying room living my in sofa a

months. One long afternoon he sat on on sat he afternoon long One months.

ure of his marriage. When a drunken drunken a When marriage. his of ure

Now he says that he expects to be be to expects he that says he Now

formed it brilliantly. brilliantly. it formed

gation was to history, and he has per- per- has he and history, to was gation

to soften things up for Alger; his obli- his Alger; for up things soften to

country. country.

Shakespeare, and Dante, have said, said, have Dante, and Shakespeare,

heinous crime than betraying one's one's betraying than crime heinous

betraying one's friends is a far more more far a is friends one's betraying

and his friends, and as a great many many great a as and friends, his and

writers, including E. M. Forster, Forster, M. E. including writers,

which is the best way. Hasn't poor poor Hasn't way. best the is which

man, again without having read it, it, read having without again man,

though he has always seemed to me to to me to seemed always has he though has betrayed his country, his family, family, his country, his betrayed has

Alger suffered enough? Perhaps, al- Perhaps, enough? suffered Alger

Weinstein's book is cruel and inhu- and cruel is book Weinstein's Tony says, laughing last, laughing at at laughing last, laughing says, Tony his lengthy success as an impostor. He He impostor. an as success lengthy his

enjoy the role of martyr. He may be, as as be, may He martyr. of role the enjoy going to announce his findings to the the to findings his announce to going

where the man lived. He said he was was he said He lived. man the where press in a week or so. so. or week a in press

had built the phony Woodstock and and Woodstock phony the built had

rant, Alger told me that that me told Alger rant,

documents—the details of which I I which of details documents—the his favorite Greenwich Village restau- Village Greenwich favorite his

used to forge copies of government government of copies forge to used leave to Weinstein. Three years ago at at ago years Three Weinstein. to leave

"faked" Woodstock typewriter— Woodstock "faked"

which Alger's supporters thought was was thought supporters Alger's which

our actual situation was reversed, as as reversed, was situation actual our

though though

himself believes be was innocent and and innocent was be believes himself

There was a half-hour during which which during half-hour a was There

believes the nonsense about the the about nonsense the believes view." view." Haydn wrote, "Mask succeeded mask, mask, succeeded "Mask wrote, Haydn

role role, personality personality. personality. personality role, role and editor, who while he was at Ran- at was he while who editor, and

dom House described what was to to was what described House dom

have been a job interview with Alger. Alger. with interview job a been have

with the late Hiram Haydn, the writer writer the Haydn, Hiram late the with

Allen Weinstein's obligation was MA MA was obligation Weinstein's Allen

There are those who say that Allen Allen that say who those are There

It is quite possible that Alger now now Alger that possible quite is It

Alger Is not a simple man. I go along along go I man. simple a not Is Alger

he he

had granted granted had

he he

me me

knew who who knew

an inter- an ❑ ❑