An Exercise in Terror..A Romp through McCarthyism

Overview:

 In 1947, Joseph McCarthy was elected to the United States Senate.  He came from the important mid-western state, Wisconsin.

An unknown on the stage of national politics, Joe came, quietly, onto the scene.  

At first, the junior senator was at odds, trolling around looking for a cause.  He wanted to escape obscurity--which wasn't easy for the new kid on the block.  An important bill to be supported? Brown nosing with the other members of his party? Nope, not sexy enough.  It was not long before his sights locked on potentially combustible subject:  ferreting out so-called "Fifth Columnists,"  or other suspected subversives.  This had been the main mission of the so-called House Unamerican Activities Committee...since the late 1930s..  No, I am not kidding about the name  Joe was able to maneuver his way on to this body.

So.  Where oh where would one look for miniature Stalin wannabes? Well, anywhere: radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and schools.  Anyone had the potential to be a Soviet spy--willing to poison all aspects of American life..  It was a time of true paranoia, and ole Tail Gunner Joe (yes, that was a real nickname) thought he was just the guy to put the screws to these 'evil' people.  

Was this political opportunism, or was there a real threat? Well, I think it might surprise you, but it appears (from what we know now, given recent access to Soviet archives), that there was a palpable threat from the American party. There were even a few Russian spies.

No! Really!

And yes, there were some Communist/Socialist organizations in the U.S., which were partially subsidized by the Soviet Union (Russia).  From a 1929 speech by comrade Stalin (barf) he directly addressed to pinkos in the U.S.:

The struggle for the winning of the millions of the working masses to the side of communism must be intensified. The fight must be intensified for the forging of real revolutionary Party cadres and for the selection of real revolutionary leaders of the Party, of individuals capable of entering the fight and bringing the proletariat with them, individuals who will not run before the face of storm and will not fall into panic, but will sail into the face of the storm. But in order to carry out this task, it is necessary at once, without the loss of a single moment, for time does not wait, to set about cleaning the Communist Parties of Right and conciliatory elements, who objectively represent the agency of Social-Democracy within the ranks of the Communist Party. And we must set about this matter, not at the usual pace, but at an accelerated pace, for ... time does not wait, and we must not allow events to catch us unawares.

https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/cpusa/1935/07/organisers-manual/ch04.htm

Every new member of the American party had to swear their loyalty.  The oath of party, a la 1935 was as follows:

I now take my place in the ranks of the Communist Party, the Party of the working class. I take this solemn oath to give the best that is in me to the service of my class; I pledge myself to spare no effort in uniting the workers in militant straggle against fascism and war. I pledge myself, to work unsparingly in the unions, in the shops, among the unemployed, to lead the struggles for the daily needs of the masses. I solemnly pledge to take my place in the forefront of the struggle for Negro rights; against Jim-Crowism and lynching, against the chauvinist lies of the ruling class. I pledge myself to rally the masses to defend the Soviet Union, the land of victorious Socialism. I pledge myself to remain at all times a vigilant and firm defender of the Leninist line of the Party, the only line that insures the triumph of Soviet Power in the United States.

https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/cpusa/1935/07/organisers-manual/ch04.htm

Nope, not a thing wrong with that oath.  

This is an excerpt from a contemporary report on this organization by the CIA:

[The CPUSA will be] substantially directed, dominated, and controlled by the Soviet Union

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp78-00915r000600140037-0

Hmmmmm.  Interesting, eh?

BUT, was the threat of internal sabotage immediate? Were the red bastards really gonna rob Ft. Knox, or let rats loose in the oval office? There is little evidence to support this.  However, it would be incorrect to omit the actions of Soviet spies and westerners, who worked to advance Russian interests in the U.S., particularly in relation to the case of the Rosenbergs and Klaus Fuchs.  And, how do we know this? In the late 1990s, the "Verona" papers were released by Russia, to a fascinated world.  The documents, in part, document the actions and identities of American agents working inside the United States.

Yes, Mr. Rosenberg was working to advance Soviet interests.  Both he and Fuchs transmitted the plans for the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  There is, however, little or no evidence to suggest that his wife, Ethel, was complicit in this mission.  I do not support these actions,  Who, in their right minds, would give Stalin an atomic bomb? Athena's helmet and shield, what an idealistic and naïve idiot.   

Stalin with the atomic bomb.  Now there's a terrifying thought.

Although the Party's membership numbered in excess of 80,000 in the 1930s, it dwindled to under 10 thousand by the late 1940s, and 1950s.

So yes, I think there was a threat.  But, was it as great as McCarthy always claimed? Honestly, the evidence suggests that it was not.  But, should the CIA and the White House have been worried? Yes.  But, the government went to ridiculous (destructive) lengths to hunt for potential communists.  I don't think so-- however, merely the possibility of one spy exercised the popular fear...

Oh Ronnie, you ole Red-hating bastard.  Films like this little gem certainly didn't calm the American people.

Uh huh.

Fear of the red menace also influenced longer productions released during this decade:

 

Obviously this title was secured in reality.  NOT.

In the late 1930s, the House Unamerican Activities Committee (real name), or HUAC, worked to root out the weeds in American society.  This group would invade the privacy of thousands of Americans over the next two decades.  

Members on the committee believed that anyone had the potential to be a Communist--a member of the so-called "fifth column."  However, they judged that gay men and women were particularly susceptible to blackmail by hostile countries.  A so-called "fifth column" of commies, Americans, who would work internally towards the destruction of the United States, the "enemy" of freedom anywhere.

Ummm.  'Kay.

Truman did his best to contribute to this atmosphere of fear, by passing legislation:  the McCarren Act.  The act required certain organizations, or individuals suspected of being Communist, to register with the proper authorities (uh, Washington DC) and submit information about membership, finances, manifestos, and social activities.  Additionally, for government employees, each person had to answer a loyalty questionnaire, and submit to an FBI investigation, if necessary.  It was a sign of  contemporary prejudice, that the first group to be targeted were LGBTQ individuals, many of whom were in the closet.  Individuals who were found to be even somewhat suspicious, were usually terminated.  For example, a man could get fired, if his EX wife once went to a Commie meeting.  Yeah, it happened.

So, I bet you're curious--what sort of organizations were potential hotbeds of red scumbags?

Here are some examples of potentially "dangerous" subversives:

The Washington Book Shop Organization--come on...you just know that this had to be a KGB front operation.  Vomit.

Committee for the Negro in the Arts

Committee for Peace and Brotherhood Festival in Philadelphia

Committee for the Protection of the Bill of Rights--now, these had to be a bunch of completely Unamerican assholes.

Japanese Association of America. 

The Ku Klux Klan.  Uh huh.  Oh yeah, they were definitely pinkos.

The Girl Scouts of America--oooooh.  Dangerous guys there, an organization to definitely train future generations of Stalin worshippers.  

The Worker's Party (OK.  Maybe that one.)

Suspicions of such organizations were given credence by the Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations (for more information on various aspects on the Red Scare i,.e. the Mccarthy "witch hunts" see:  https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4954940  additionally, you could try this book:  https://www.amazon.com/Tricky-Dick-Pink-Lady-Douglas-Sexual/dp/0679416218/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MJOZX7L34VIC&keywords=1950+red+scare&qid=1679600383&sprefix=1950+red+scare%2Caps%2C299&sr=8-1 or this one:  https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Hunt-Hollywood-McCarthyisms-Tinseltown/dp/1906779090/ref=sr_1_8?crid=94Y5LBRXB5PY&keywords=1950+mccarthyism&qid=1679600578&sprefix=1950+mccarthyism%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-8).

Individuals were also targeted:  most notoriously, in Hollywood.  One of the first groups of entertainment writers and directors called in to testify before congress, became known as the "Hollywood Ten." 

 Here are some of these James Bondian, overtly "murderous KGB agents":

Edward Clark Carter:  an executive of the most dangerous Communist group in America:  the YMCA.  

Yeah, the YMCA.

Dashiel Hammet a writer of crime fiction, who created the character of Sam Spade (actually, I can kinda see this one--ole Dash was known for his leftist leanings, but you'd be hard pressed to find a more patriotic guy.).

• Charlie Chaplin. 
•  
• Langston Hughes
• 
  
• Orson Welles
• 
  
• Lena Horne. (Come on.  Lena Horne the singer? Jeeeeesus). 

Billie Holiday (this was chiefly because she defiantly continued to sing "Strange Fruit," a song decrying the crime of lynching).

Leonard Bernstein (???? Really? Well, maybe [not] he was busy composing Marxist anthems, after he wrote such 'dangerous' musicals as "West Side Story.' OMG)

Dorothy Parker (a writer of mysteries, whose chief 'crime' seems to be that she was a member of an anti-Nazi league.  OOOOOh.  Dangerous Bolsheviks there.)

Burgess Meredith

Arthur Miller (Christ.  You gotta be kidding me.  Yeah, he was sure no advocate of freedom of speech.  Remember that this is the guy who wrote "The Crucible.")

Judy Holiday (winner of a Best Actress Oscar, and star of the comedy "Born Yesterday," a film that showcased a woman's education in the ideals of American government.  Huh.  Yeeeeah...real Pinko propaganda there.  But like so many others, this 'affiliation' virtually destroyed her film career.)

Lucille Ball  (oh come on...really? Yeah, I can see just how 'dangerous' this famous redhead was.  Gag.)

The black list is still in existence.  I know, I know.  Today, it includes actors, writers, and directors who either suffer from substance abuse or are accused of sexual misconduct, i.e. harassment.

So, let's Return to Ole Tail-gunner Joe:

As a kid, he was an indifferent student, although undoubtedly intelligent.  In his late teens, he was a chicken farmer.  No.  Really.  Perhaps he have stayed there.  

Hey, you remember Superchicken, right?

In due course, our boy went to law school, where he did -- alright.  His mind was just not meant to be stuffed into a highly structured curriculum.     

So, Joe became a lawyer.  While his practice was small, he made tiny in-roads into the local legal community.  But, private practice was not going to be enough.  He wanted to enter politics.  So, this is how he eventually was elected as a judge.  Joe was running against a long term incumbent, who had grown comfortable in his position.  I don't think his opponent ever expected that Joe would campaign aggressively for this office...but he did.  Reputedly, Joe went from farmhouse to tavern, shaking hands and introducing himself to as many voters as he could.  He told them why they should vote for him, and what he would do in the job.  In other words, 'I'll be a tough but fair guy' .  Yeah, he won.  He was infamous, while on the bench, for moving cases on his docket through the process with lighting speed.  With the advent of WW2, Joe gave up the bench, in order to serve in the South Pacific.  He was given a desk job with a security agency, where proved valuable.  This was not a popular move among the voters in his district, but Joe had higher political ambitions, which would be greatly aided with military service.

 After the war, McCarthy eventually became the junior senator for the state.  When he arrived in D.C., he found himself in a position of obscurity.  As a newbie in Congress, McCarthy had to find an issue to champion.  He settled on fighting suspected communists. In 1950 (in Wheeling, West Virginia), while giving an address to a group of women Republicans, Joe (after a very weird speech), reputedly waved a piece of paper in his hand (probably his car repair bill), saying that it was a list of 205 commie bastards currently infecting the US State Dept.  The crowd went wild  It wasn't long before McCarthy found himself on the front page of "Pravda".  I'm kidding. Seriously, after a report in the local paper, the story caught fire, making Joe a household name overnight.   What many were dying to know (including J Edgar Hoover--Mr. FBI) was who were the pinkos working for the government? How many were there? In various interviews and speeches, Mccarthy rammed his anti-communists moronic rhetoric down the throats of the public, and continued to shout out numbers of Reds.  The problem was, that ole Tail Gunner kept stating different numbers of suspected Communists.  Not once was he consistent in his figures.  Not that it mattered--people were hysterical on the idea of the Red Menace, and appeared not to notice.

Where, oh where did Joe get his information? Was there even an actual list? Honestly, no one knows where the numbers came from--perhaps his ass?  There are several sources that suggest his "list" was provided by Hoover's FBI.  

So, were there actually red scumbags infiltrating the State Dept.?  In fact that were, but none that Joe was ever able to ferret out.  And yes, Russian records released within the last twenty years indicate that there were others working in various positions.

Joltin' Joe was aided, in part, by the government.  One of the actions taken by Truman, was to regulate the personal lives of its' employees, by threatening termination.  Should said person be suspected of being a Communist, or associating with same, he or she was subject to an immediate FBI probe.  At the very least, the person often faced immediate termination.  It got so bad, that if a person associated with a person who belonged to the Communist Party, they could face serious charges--however, if the victim was willing to 'name names' , the committee went easier on them.  Their snitching was seen as evidence of their patriotism.  

Infamous events occurring in the late 1940s involved HUAC (and Dick Nixon), The "Hollywood Ten", and a state department official, Alger Hiss.  Hiss was accused by a former acquaintance, Whitticker Chambers, whom he had known casually, during the late thirties.  In a grueling series of hearings, Chambers was questioned by the committee, facing people like Nixon.  Like McCarthy, Dick seized on red-baiting as a career making ticket.  He wasn't wrong.  Although Hiss wasn't indicted on charges of subversion, Nixon was able to prove two separate instances of perjury.  Guys, you don't want to lie to congress.  Hiss was briefly jailed, and when released, couldn't even get hired as a dog catcher.   

What about the "Hollywood Ten"? Who in Hades were these guys?  Producers, directors, playwrights, script writers, and others.  I'm gonna add these poor bastards to those already stated.  These are the names of the infamous "Ten":

Alvah Bessie, 

Herbert Biberman, 

Lester Cole, 

Edward Dmytryk, 

Ring Lardner, Jr., John 

Howard Lawson, 

Albert Maltz, 

Samuel Ornitz, 

Adrian Scott, 

and Dalton Trumbo

Members of this group were both denounced and defended by members of the entertainment community.  For example, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Baccall, were among those who defended the civil rights of the Ten.  Others would follow.

Some of the shits who 'testified' against suspected Communists (by naming names), were: Robert Taylor, Elia Kazan, Gary Cooper and (of course) Ronald Regan.  Surprised by that last one, aren't ya? lol. Odd, because there is a story that he joined the Communist Party briefly in the late thirties (this was one place where a lot of connections in Hollywood were made).  Such individuals were motivated to snitch, because if they didn't cooperate, their careers were virtually over.  By the 1970s, such individuals were ostracized by other, more liberal people in Hollywood. 

The industry remains bitter towards those who contributed to the black list.  Case in point:  when Elia Kazan was honored with a lifetime achievement award recently, there were members of the audience who refused to either stand with the others, or clap.

McCarthy followed Nixon's example, eventually landing a place in HUAC.  From here, he used subpoena power to summon dozens of people from different professions (I could never discern any real patterns), to testify before the committee.  If they invoked the fifth, or refused to name names, the committee (and the public) regarded them as guilty.  Some faced possible prison terms, for "contempt of congress."

Sigh.

Our prom queen (Joe) became super popular.  During the three to four years (early 50s), when he was at the pinnacle of his power, McCarthy subpoenaed or had the FBI investigate, dozens of innocent men and women.  In the wake of his inquiries, despair, suicide, or unemployment followed.  Imagine, if you worked for years to gain prestige in your profession, only to be taken down by this little turd.  Lives ruined, for what?

I would venture this conclusion, Dear Reader, absolutely friggin' nothing.

Hysteria grew so prominent, that there was virtually no one to stand up to this pontificating moron.  Why jeopardize their careers for these suspects? Certainly not president Eisenhower.

One person who refused to kowtow to McCarthy, was the political cartoonist, Herblock.  Beginning in the early fifties, the political satirist mercilessly lampooned Joe at every opportunity.  Here are some examples:

Still others, influential in the media would react to the congressional threat, but they came a little late to the party.  Oh well, it doesn't really matter, does it? What counts, is that they resisted at all.  The most well known of this group, was journalist Edward R Murrow (my heeeeeerrrrro!).  The television journalist hosted a popular TV program for CBS called "See It Now."  Murrow's coverage on Mcarthy began, with the controversial case of Milo Radulovich.  This was a guy, who was a member of the Air Force Reserve.  He was investigated by a committee within that branch of the military.  At his hearing, Radulovich demanded to be know the specific charges against him--all the officials did, was to hold up a sealed envelope, refusing to let him see it.  The panel found little or nothing that questioned his loyalty.  Needless to say, though, he was removed from the service.

No, I'm not kidding.

I guess the officers in charge of the inquiry probably thought that due process was too much trouble.

Murrow's report detailed Milo's case, interviewing him, friends, and family.  The story caused an uproar among many viewers, and their dissatisfaction was duly communicated to members of congress.  While Radulovich's status was not exactly reversed, but he was honorably discharged. So, Murrow's reportage did have significant effect.

After this story, Murrow and his cohorts turned their attention to McCarthy.  He was one of the first mainstream media guys to do so,  In a brutal segment on his show, Murrow lambasted McCarthy, by showing clips of speeches and press conferences.  His analysis dramatically illustrated Joe's inability to remain consistent in his figures, and also clearly showed obvious contradictions in his public rhetoric.  In a phrase Joe hoisted himself by his own petard,.

Murrow's segments continued to focus on other cases, with the effect of highlighting dangerous, clearly guilty people, like Annie Moss:

Yeah, clearly she was a KGB spy.  Cough.  Gag.

Annie lost her pentagon job as a result of her hearing on the Hill.  Her case showed the American public, the face of everyday people whose lives were being systematically dismantled by Joe, and his chief shithead [flunkey], Roy Cohn (barf).

In spite of these reports, the hearings continued.  However, members of congress were getting mighty tired of the terror culture on the Hill, and eagerly waited for Joe to stub his toe, and make just one mistake (crap, where does one start?).  He finally travelled too far over the cliff, when he targeted individuals within the U.S. army.

Ummmm...

Yeah.  Well, maybe Joe entered an alternate reality, or something.

With virtually no proof, he targeted people whose guilt was never established.  Here is a famous moment from the hearings:

Attorney Welch, special assistant to the army, lashes out at McCarthy.

Similar outbursts continued, until other members of congress (and our courageous president) and the media felt safe enough to begin public attacks on McCarthy.  Gosh, what brave gladiators.  

McCarthy really did sink his own ship.  Once the hysteria died down, he was vulnerable.  By the late fifties, McCarthy had been removed from the committee, and later censured by the Senate.  His effectiveness was over, and he eventually died of complications. due to advanced alcoholism.

Honestly, public disgrace never happened to a nicer fella.  Cough.

In the ensuing decades, Joe's "legacy" was murky.  However, in the neo fascist (ooops, I meant Conservative) culture of DC, the media and politicians have begun to try redeeming Joe.

Ummm, how exactly does one do that? And, I mean truly reputable critics, like Anne Coulter.

So, what is the moral of this Aesop's fable? I don't know--probably that anyone may be persecuted, at anytime.  Even today.  Hello, Patriot Act, anyone?

I think that it's our job to be careful.  To be vigilant.  But, even then, events slip between the cracks, as people are understandably absorbed by their own lives.

Until next time...