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10 - PEOPLE/(H-M)/Joseph McCarthy.md
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@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ born: 1908-11-14
died: 1957-05-02
location: "Grand Chute, Wisconsin"
created: 2025-08-05
updated: 2026-10-14
updated: 2026-10-26
relations:
- type: head_of
with: "[[Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations]]"
@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ relations:
role: "subcommittee chairman until stepping aside; Welch exchange of June 9, 1954"
start: 1954
end: 1954
fn: 35
fn: 37
- type: subject_of
with: "[[Select Committee to Study Censure Charges]]"
role: "subject of the committee's inquiry under S. Res. 301; censure recommended on two categories"
start: 1954
end: 1954
fn: 37
fn: 39
- type: subject_of
with: "[[Tydings Committee]]"
role: "subject of the subcommittee's inquiry into his Wheeling charges"
@ -84,29 +84,31 @@ Testimony in the closed sessions also reached the [[Federal Bureau of Investigat
In July 1953 McCarthy wrote to the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] about [[William P. Bundy]], then an agency employee. McCarthy's information was that Bundy had contributed $400 to the defense of [[Alger Hiss]] and had been a member of the [[United Public Workers of America]].[^28] On July 27, 1953 McCarthy, as chairman of the subcommittee, wrote to [[Allen Dulles]] that the contribution "raises the gravest question as to his holding a sensitive post in an intelligence agency," given the agency's work in detecting people such as Hiss.[^29]
The CIA reply, signed by [[Alba W. Doan]] as director, stated that Bundy had disclosed the $400 contribution on his March 1951 application for employment, and that the reasons he gave for it were not in accord, in certain respects, with those in McCarthy's letter. It recorded that Bundy had joined the union in the summer of 1940 while working at the [[Library of Congress]], attended one meeting and resigned after two months. It said the three allegations had been the subject of a complete field investigation, a personal interview and favorable determinations by the [[CIA Loyalty Board|CIA Loyalty Board]] and the [[Loyalty Review Board]] of the [[Civil Service Commission]]. Bundy had been attached to the agency's Office of Estimates since joining in 1951.[^28]
The CIA reply, signed by [[Alba W. Doan]] as director, stated that Bundy had disclosed the $400 contribution on his March 1951 application for employment, and that the reasons he gave for it were not in accord, in certain respects, with those in McCarthy's letter. It recorded that Bundy had joined the union in the summer of 1940 while working at the [[Library of Congress]], attended one meeting and resigned after two months. It said the three allegations had been the subject of a complete field investigation, a personal interview and favorable determinations by the [[CIA Loyalty Board|CIA Loyalty Board]] and the [[Loyalty Review Board]] of the [[Civil Service Commission]]. Bundy had been attached to the agency's Office of Estimates since joining in 1951. The reply deferred further comment on the reasons Bundy gave until the re-evaluation of his case under Executive Order 10450 was complete, and said that the record did not indicate that he had belonged to any other organization within the scope of McCarthy's third question.[^28]
[[Allen Drury]] reported on August 4, 1953 that in the exchange of letters Dulles had refused to tell McCarthy Bundy's explanation for the contribution.[^30] McCarthy's reply of August 3 argued that Bundy's contacts with and contributions to Hiss predated his CIA employment, and that Congress was entitled to information about improper conduct by the agency's top officers.[^31]
[[Allen Drury]] reported on August 4, 1953 that in the exchange of letters Dulles had refused to tell McCarthy Bundy's explanation for the contribution.[^30] Dulles replied on August 1, 1953; the reply, as quoted in the newspaper report of August 4, read: "After most careful consideration of your letter, I feel that the proper course to pursue is to follow the procedure described in the President's executive order," and Dulles declined to comment on certain phases of the matter pending the conclusion of those proceedings.[^30] McCarthy's reply of August 3 argued that Bundy's contacts with and contributions to Hiss predated his CIA employment, and that Congress was entitled to information about improper conduct by the agency's top officers.[^31] The letter called Dulles's insistence that Congress was not entitled to that information "extremely revealing," wrote that the head of the CIA would be "the last man in the world" to protect and hide the facts about an officer's "contributions to a convicted traitor," and said that the full matter would be submitted to his subcommittee and to the Senate when it returned.[^31]
The dispute widened to the printing of CIA material. On August 11, 1953 the CIA's [[Office of Legislative Counsel]] recorded that Cohn had telephoned about testimony that CIA classified material had been printed in the main [[Government Printing Office]] plant.[^32] On October 22, 1953 Dulles wrote to McCarthy that a check of the agency's reproduction facilities had found that "no classified CIA material is printed in the main GPO plant." He said the agency's legislative counsel, [[Walter Fforzheimer]], had informed the subcommittee's staff of these facts on August 12, and he asked that the letter be placed in the record.[^33]
An FBI memorandum of July 10, 1953 recorded that Dulles told the Bureau's liaison agent he would not permit CIA employees to testify before the McCarthy committee, that the White House supported the position, and that he wanted to know where McCarthy obtained his information.[^32] [[Antony C. Sutton]] wrote that McCarthy "wanted to call William Bundy as a witness before the Committee and found the establishment strongly arrayed against this idea."[^33]
The dispute widened to the printing of CIA material. On August 11, 1953 the CIA's [[Office of Legislative Counsel]] recorded that Cohn had telephoned about testimony that CIA classified material had been printed in the main [[Government Printing Office]] plant.[^34] On October 22, 1953 Dulles wrote to McCarthy that a check of the agency's reproduction facilities had found that "no classified CIA material is printed in the main GPO plant." He said the agency's legislative counsel, [[Walter Fforzheimer]], had informed the subcommittee's staff of these facts on August 12, and he asked that the letter be placed in the record.[^35]
### The Marshall speech, 1951
On June 14, 1951 McCarthy addressed the Senate on the career of General [[George C. Marshall]], then Secretary of Defense and formerly Secretary of State. The printed speech has sections headed "The Gospel of Fear," "They Planned It That Way," "Infamy So Black" and "Review of Marshall's Activities." It states: "How can we account for our present situation unless we believe that men high in this Government are concerting to deliver us to disaster? This must be the product of a great conspiracy, a conspiracy on a scale so immense as to dwarf any previous such venture in the history of man." It names [[Dean Acheson]] as one of those who "must be high on the roster" of the conspiracy.[^34]
On June 14, 1951 McCarthy addressed the Senate on the career of General [[George C. Marshall]], then Secretary of Defense and formerly Secretary of State. The printed speech has sections headed "The Gospel of Fear," "They Planned It That Way," "Infamy So Black" and "Review of Marshall's Activities." It states: "How can we account for our present situation unless we believe that men high in this Government are concerting to deliver us to disaster? This must be the product of a great conspiracy, a conspiracy on a scale so immense as to dwarf any previous such venture in the history of man." It names [[Dean Acheson]] as one of those who "must be high on the roster" of the conspiracy.[^36]
### The Army-McCarthy hearings, 1954
The Army alleged that McCarthy had sought special treatment for one of his former staff members. The subcommittee's investigation of the Army became the [[Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges|Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges]] involving [[Robert T. Stevens]], [[John G. Adams]], [[H. Struve Hensel]], McCarthy, Cohn and Carr. The [[Army-McCarthy hearings]] ran from March 16 to June 17, 1954 and were broadcast on national television. McCarthy temporarily stepped down as chairman and as a member, [[Karl Mundt]] presided as acting chairman, and [[Henry Dworshak]] was seated in McCarthy's place. The Senate report on the hearings was dated August 31, 1954.[^35]
The Army alleged that McCarthy had sought special treatment for one of his former staff members. The subcommittee's investigation of the Army became the [[Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges|Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges]] involving [[Robert T. Stevens]], [[John G. Adams]], [[H. Struve Hensel]], McCarthy, Cohn and Carr. The [[Army-McCarthy hearings]] ran from March 16 to June 17, 1954 and were broadcast on national television. McCarthy temporarily stepped down as chairman and as a member, [[Karl Mundt]] presided as acting chairman, and [[Henry Dworshak]] was seated in McCarthy's place. The Senate report on the hearings was dated August 31, 1954.[^37]
On June 9, 1954 (Part 59 of the hearings) Army special counsel [[Joseph Welch]] told McCarthy, after McCarthy raised the [[National Lawyers Guild]] membership of a young lawyer from Welch's firm: "Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" The remark was addressed to McCarthy. Immediately before it Welch had told Cohn "I meant to do you no personal injury, and if I did, I beg your pardon," and McCarthy answered that Welch had been "baiting Mr. Cohn here for hours."[^36]
On June 9, 1954 (Part 59 of the hearings) Army special counsel [[Joseph Welch]] told McCarthy, after McCarthy raised the [[National Lawyers Guild]] membership of a young lawyer from Welch's firm: "Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" The remark was addressed to McCarthy. Immediately before it Welch had told Cohn "I meant to do you no personal injury, and if I did, I beg your pardon," and McCarthy answered that Welch had been "baiting Mr. Cohn here for hours."[^38]
### Censure, 1954
The Senate created the [[Select Committee to Study Censure Charges]] under [[Senate Resolution 301|S. Res. 301]], chaired by [[Arthur V. Watkins]] of [[Utah]], with [[Edwin C. Johnson]] as vice chairman and members including [[John C. Stennis]], [[Frank Carlson]], [[Francis Case]] and [[Sam J. Ervin Jr.]].[^37] The committee's report divided the charges into five categories. It recommended censure on the category of contempt of the Senate or a senatorial committee and on the category concerning the treatment of [[Ralph W. Zwicker]], a brigadier general of the Army. It recommended against censure on the other three categories.[^37]
The Senate created the [[Select Committee to Study Censure Charges]] under [[Senate Resolution 301|S. Res. 301]], chaired by [[Arthur V. Watkins]] of [[Utah]], with [[Edwin C. Johnson]] as vice chairman and members including [[John C. Stennis]], [[Frank Carlson]], [[Francis Case]] and [[Sam J. Ervin Jr.]].[^39] The committee's report divided the charges into five categories. It recommended censure on the category of contempt of the Senate or a senatorial committee and on the category concerning the treatment of [[Ralph W. Zwicker]], a brigadier general of the Army. It recommended against censure on the other three categories.[^39]
The contempt category arose from McCarthy's dealings with the subcommittee on privileges and elections of the [[Senate Committee on Rules and Administration]], which had acted on a resolution introduced in 1951 by [[William Benton]] and on the 1950 Maryland senatorial election. The Senate had voted 60 to 0 in [[Senate Resolution 300]] to affirm that subcommittee's jurisdiction and the integrity of its members.[^38] On the category concerning classified information, the committee found that McCarthy had offered, in the course of his defense before the subcommittee, to make public a document bearing the markings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Personal and Confidential via Liaison," concerning possible espionage at a defense installation. It found that the 2¼-page document had been taken in part from a 15-page interdepartmental memorandum from the FBI to the Army dated January 15, 1951, marked confidential, and that McCarthy knew in May 1953, when he acquired it, that it had been extracted in part from a document containing security information.[^39] The committee wrote that McCarthy "committed grave error" in offering to make public a classified document, but that "[t]hese mitigating circumstances are such that we do not recommend censure on the specifications included in category III."[^40]
The contempt category arose from McCarthy's dealings with the subcommittee on privileges and elections of the [[Senate Committee on Rules and Administration]], which had acted on a resolution introduced in 1951 by [[William Benton]] and on the 1950 Maryland senatorial election. The Senate had voted 60 to 0 in [[Senate Resolution 300]] to affirm that subcommittee's jurisdiction and the integrity of its members.[^40] On the category concerning classified information, the committee found that McCarthy had offered, in the course of his defense before the subcommittee, to make public a document bearing the markings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Personal and Confidential via Liaison," concerning possible espionage at a defense installation. It found that the 2¼-page document had been taken in part from a 15-page interdepartmental memorandum from the FBI to the Army dated January 15, 1951, marked confidential, and that McCarthy knew in May 1953, when he acquired it, that it had been extracted in part from a document containing security information.[^41] The committee wrote that McCarthy "committed grave error" in offering to make public a classified document, but that "[t]hese mitigating circumstances are such that we do not recommend censure on the specifications included in category III."[^42]
On the Zwicker category the committee concluded that "the conduct of Senator McCarthy toward General Zwicker was reprehensible, and that for this conduct he should be censured by the Senate."[^41] The Senate condemned McCarthy by a vote of 67 to 22 on December 2, 1954, for abuse and noncooperation with the subcommittee on privileges and elections.[^42]
On the Zwicker category the committee concluded that "the conduct of Senator McCarthy toward General Zwicker was reprehensible, and that for this conduct he should be censured by the Senate."[^43] The Senate condemned McCarthy by a vote of 67 to 22 on December 2, 1954, for abuse and noncooperation with the subcommittee on privileges and elections.[^44]
### Footnotes
@ -141,14 +143,16 @@ On the Zwicker category the committee concluded that "the conduct of Senator McC
[^29]: Letter from Joseph R. McCarthy, Chairman, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to Allen W. Dulles, July 27, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP80M01009A000100080022-7. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp80m01009a000100080022-7
[^30]: Allen Drury, "McCarthy Warns CIA Head Fight on Bundy Isn't Over," newspaper article, August 4, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370024-4. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp74-00297r000401370024-4
[^31]: Letter from Joseph R. McCarthy to Allen W. Dulles, August 3, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP80M01009A000100080020-9. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp80m01009a000100080020-9
[^32]: CIA Office of Legislative Counsel, journal entry for Tuesday, August 11, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP91-00682R000200090091-4. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00682r000200090091-4
[^33]: Letter from Allen W. Dulles to Joseph R. McCarthy, October 22, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP86B00269R000100130103-2. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp86b00269r000100130103-2
[^34]: Congressional Record, vol. 97, pt. 5, June 14, 1951, Senate proceedings, remarks of Senator McCarthy on General Marshall, passage "Infamy So Black" at p. 6602. https://archive.org/details/sim_congressional-record-proceedings-and-debates_may-28-june-27-1951_97
[^35]: U.S. Senate, "McCarthy and Army-McCarthy Hearings," describing the Army allegation, the Special Senate Investigation, the hearing dates of March 16 to June 17, 1954, the broadcast, Mundt as acting chairman, Dworshak's seating and the August 31, 1954 report. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/mccarthy-and-army-mccarthy-hearings.htm
[^36]: Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges Involving Secretary of the Army Robert T. Stevens, John G. Adams, H. Struve Hensel and Senator Joe McCarthy, Roy M. Cohn, and Francis P. Carr, Hearings before the Special Subcommittee on Investigations, 83d Cong., 2d sess., Part 59 (June 9, 1954), pp. 2428 to 2429. https://archive.org/details/specialsenateinv59unit
[^37]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, Report on Resolution to Censure, S. Rept. 83-2508, 83d Cong., 2d sess. (1954), roster and recommendations pursuant to S. Res. 301. Copy in CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP91-00965R000500040014-7. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^38]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category I, Part A and Part B (findings on Senate Resolution 187, introduced by Senator Benton on August 6, 1951, and Senate Resolution 300, adopted 60 to 0). https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^39]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, Report on Resolution to Censure, Category III, Parts B and C (document with FBI markings; 15-page FBI memorandum of January 15, 1951), pp. 42 to 44. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^40]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category III and its conclusions, pp. 44 to 45 ("grave error" on p. 44, "[t]hese mitigating circumstances" on p. 45). https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^41]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category V, Conclusions, p. 61, concerning Brigadier General Ralph W. Zwicker. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^42]: U.S. Senate, "Senate Censure Table," entry for Joseph R. McCarthy (R-WI), December 2, 1954, condemned 67 to 22, with the stated charge of abuse and noncooperation with the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/censure.htm
[^32]: Federal Bureau of Investigation memorandum, "Information Concerning Allen W. Dulles," July 10, 1953, FBI file 62-HQ-80750, "FBI Files on CIA Liaison," section 31, https://archive.org/details/FBI-CIA-Liaison
[^33]: Antony C. Sutton, *America's Secret Establishment* (Trine Day, 2002 edition), section "William P. Bundy," https://archive.org/details/americas_secret_establishment-skull_and_bones
[^34]: CIA Office of Legislative Counsel, journal entry for Tuesday, August 11, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP91-00682R000200090091-4. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00682r000200090091-4
[^35]: Letter from Allen W. Dulles to Joseph R. McCarthy, October 22, 1953, CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP86B00269R000100130103-2. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp86b00269r000100130103-2
[^36]: Congressional Record, vol. 97, pt. 5, June 14, 1951, Senate proceedings, remarks of Senator McCarthy on General Marshall, passage "Infamy So Black" at p. 6602. https://archive.org/details/sim_congressional-record-proceedings-and-debates_may-28-june-27-1951_97
[^37]: U.S. Senate, "McCarthy and Army-McCarthy Hearings," describing the Army allegation, the Special Senate Investigation, the hearing dates of March 16 to June 17, 1954, the broadcast, Mundt as acting chairman, Dworshak's seating and the August 31, 1954 report. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/mccarthy-and-army-mccarthy-hearings.htm
[^38]: Special Senate Investigation on Charges and Countercharges Involving Secretary of the Army Robert T. Stevens, John G. Adams, H. Struve Hensel and Senator Joe McCarthy, Roy M. Cohn, and Francis P. Carr, Hearings before the Special Subcommittee on Investigations, 83d Cong., 2d sess., Part 59 (June 9, 1954), pp. 2428 to 2429. https://archive.org/details/specialsenateinv59unit
[^39]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, Report on Resolution to Censure, S. Rept. 83-2508, 83d Cong., 2d sess. (1954), roster and recommendations pursuant to S. Res. 301. Copy in CIA Reading Room, CIA-RDP91-00965R000500040014-7. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^40]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category I, Part A and Part B (findings on Senate Resolution 187, introduced by Senator Benton on August 6, 1951, and Senate Resolution 300, adopted 60 to 0). https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^41]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, Report on Resolution to Censure, Category III, Parts B and C (document with FBI markings; 15-page FBI memorandum of January 15, 1951), pp. 42 to 44. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^42]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category III and its conclusions, pp. 44 to 45 ("grave error" on p. 44, "[t]hese mitigating circumstances" on p. 45). https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^43]: Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, S. Rept. 83-2508, Category V, Conclusions, p. 61, concerning Brigadier General Ralph W. Zwicker. https://archive.org/details/cia-readingroom-document-cia-rdp91-00965r000500040014-7
[^44]: U.S. Senate, "Senate Censure Table," entry for Joseph R. McCarthy (R-WI), December 2, 1954, condemned 67 to 22, with the stated charge of abuse and noncooperation with the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/censure.htm