June 9, 1954: The Army-McCarthy Hearings Climax With a Lawyer’s Pointed Question

June 9, 1954: The Army-McCarthy Hearings Climax With a Lawyer’s Pointed Question

June 9, 1954: The Army-McCarthy Hearings Climax With a Lawyer’s Pointed Question

"These hearings can in no sense be interpreted as weakening the hold of McCarthyism, or anti-democracy, in the United States."

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

The moment in which Army counsel Joseph Welch harangued Joseph McCarthy for casting aspersions on Welch’s young associate, Frederick G. Fisher, has long been considered the turning point for McCarthy’s crusade against alleged Communist infiltration of the United States government. It was that, but as this Nation piece, “Summing Up the Hearings,” by H.H. Wilson, points out, Welch was otherwise deferential to McCarthy, going so far as to express approval and support for his campaign, until the matter became personal. Moments in history like this one are always more complicated than in hindsight they tend to appear.

Without minimizing the positive gains which have been made in crystallizing opposition to the ineffable Wisconsin Senator, these hearings can in no sense be interpreted as weakening the hold of McCarthyism, or anti-democracy, in the United States. In fact this phenomenon, characterized by irrationality, anti-intellectualism, contempt for law, and denial of the integrity of the human personality, has been revealed as the prevailing doctrine even among those nominally opposed to the Senator. Throughout the hearings it was apparent that all participants, including the counsel for both sides, had accepted McCarthy’s premises and permitted him to define the meaning of communism, treason, subversion, and corruption. In this regard nothing more clearly reveals the pervasiveness of McCarthyism than the statement to Senator McCarthy by army counsel Joseph N. Welch: “You do good work. I admire the work you do when it succeeds.” Not a voice was raised to protest the repeated attacks on individuals or organizations until counsel Welch countered McCarthy’s gratuitous attack on his young law associate. It is a measure of our degradation that a man could become a national hero by condemning such “cruelty” while remaining silent about the maligning of loyal citizens who continue as members of the same legitimate professional group. Never has it been more apparent that one should diagnose the sickness of a sick society, not by taking the pulse of the political delinquents who attract the headlines, but by examining the condition of its “healthy” members.

June 9,1954

To mark The Nation’s 150th anniversary, every morning this year The Almanac will highlight something that happened that day in history and how The Nation covered it. Get The Almanac every day (or every week) by signing up to the e-mail newsletter.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x