Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-03
Met orthy-Stevens Affair

Mc(0rthy-9 fevenS Affuir
hope Gen. zwicker is placing the
blame for his flasco right at the foot
of the trouble-the Pentagon, the
executive department and his own top
brass.
Instead OF trying to shadow-box with
the Old Master Gen. Zwicker might
have been placed in a more favorable
light II he had said, Look, Senator,
I'll tell you my name, my rank and my
serial number I'd like to tell you my
personal opinions. but in my position
as a representative of the Army.
subordinate to the Secretary of the
Army, I'm not permitted to discuss
these matters" What was he trying
to do. be martyr?
Why didn't he bang on Stevens door
before his committee appearance and
say. Look. boss, somebody's got to go
before that Mccarthy, and this kettle
of fish we've got brewing doesn't smell
so good. so what are you going to do?"
Instead he placed himself q In an
untenable position.
All Mccarthy wanted was the facts,
just the facts
Tracy o. Brown.
Simply defined, McCarthyism is the
cynical veto power Of expediency. His
torically, the veto power in any parlia-
mentary body is purposed to protect
and preserve minority rights, dignity
and surviva, Through the ages veto
power in perliamentS has been the de-
tense of the weak against tyranny and
terrorism. But McCarthyism is per-
version of veto power. It contemptu-
ously humiliates and degrades human
dignity by presumption of guilt by
association. The non Sequiturs of mall
ice and gossip become due process Of
law. It abrogates all hope of redeem
ing thoughtless errors Of the past by
ex post facto sanctions and edictS Of
repriSal.
In the United Nations we gave the
atheist SlavemaSterS of the Kremlin
similar veto power over moral right
and truth. We swallowed the incredible
fiction that in good faith they were
determined to save succeeding genera
tons from the scourge of war. But
McCarthyism presumes a fiction even
more incredible and cynical: 1t is the
fiction that the present immunity of
McCarthyisnl from responsible disci-
pline and rebuke is conscientious per-
Torrance of every public officials SOL
emn oath to preserve and defend our
Constitution.
Thomas E. Mattingly. MD.
Mccarthy is abusive. he browbeats,
he intimidates. he asks leading ques-
tions. he is. brusque, he is rude. he is
careless with the facts-ad infinitum.
Communists are abusive. Communists
browbeat. Communists intimidate. Com
munists ask leading questions, Commu-
niSts are brusque, Communists are rude,
Communists are careless with the facts
also ad inf1nitum.
It is said that many people have
much to fear from the character as
saSsination tactics Of the Senator.
have nothing to fear from Mccarthy
or any other Senator or Congressman.
I helped to put him in his job. am
not afraid of being treated roughly by
him because I am an American.
have much to fear from the Com
munists or any other of the lists"
have no desire that they even get a
chance to have job in the United
States. I am afraid of the treatment
would receive from them because I
am an American.
Thomas F. MacDevitt.
The issue in the Stevens Mccarthy
battle seems to be little more than a
demand for an explanation as to why
an officer who refused to take an oath
OF allegiance to the United States was
promoted and given an honorable dis
charge. I. for one, would like to know
the answer to that question, and I am
sure that Senator Mccarthy is right
IN demanding an answer. Too long
have we had Pearl Harbors explained
away merely because Of Army red tape.
If the officers in charge of our Army
don't know the answers then it is time
to replace them. For years we have
heard there is right way. wrong way
and the Army way. The Army way is
too confusing ror war against Russia,
and let's face it.
Richard M. Tigner. Jr.
Glib Crockett's cartoons on the Sem
ator from Wisconsin certainly give
credence to the notion many have that
the lip service the American press gives
to defending the "undefended" is moth
ing more.
The way the American press has
handled the Mccarthy drive against
Communist infiltration into the Amer
lean way Of life is scandalous. # the
CommieS ever succeed in taking over
this country-and not just the Govern
ment-the people can blame, to great
extent. the gullible American press.
Tom Coll
Please allow me to use your column
to congratulate a man, Mai. Gen.
Russell P. Hartle, who resigned from
the Hagerstown draft board in protest
to the Stevens surrender"
In 1910, when the clouds of war
lowered overhead. I was proud to en-
list in the Army, as were many others
who felt our country was being M
periled. I was proud to be part of
that great institution for almost seven
years. But now it would take more