Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-07
Book by Hiss Insists
He Was Made Scopeqoot
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

'CACS J0Ay VCAOASt hC OAdAAACc
on q false witness. faxed evil
dence and an unfair trial.
His fight for vindication makes
up a 424-page volume, I'm The
Court of Public Opinion" pub
lished by Alfred A. Knopf. Inc.
It provides another controversial
chapter in the most sensational
congressional investigation and
legal case Of an era.
The book differs greatly in
content, form and general pur-
pose from Witness" the 799-
page autobiography in 1852 by
his main adversary and one
time Communist agent, Whit
taker Chambers. They are far
apart also on issues Of fact and
In ascribing motives. Considered
solely as a 1857 news story, this
latest move in the Hiss Cham
bers struggle still poses the same
big question: Who told the
truth?
Left Prison in 1854
The former State Department
official. now 50, wrote since re-
lease from prison in November.
1854. and despite illness and diff
ficulty in obtaining some oficial
data. He discloses comparatively
little fresh information. He
Celebrates mainly on counter
charges. explanations and inter-
pretationS. Most Of them were
offered or at least outlined in
post-trial evidence or cited in
unsuccessful court petitions.
The. presentation and sum-
nation more nearly resemble q
legal brief and Q point by point
rebuttal. The work nevertheless
stimulates interest by bringing
back startling memories Of high
drama at the Capitol and in
Federal courts. While certain to
arouse dispute, it may en-
courage new readers or older
spectators to dig deeper into the
fascinating case.
It minces no words In calling
Whitaker Chambers q liar for
insisting he knew Alger Hiss as
a Communist in Washington
from about 1884 to 1888 and re-
ceived confidential Government
documents from him during that
period. The Hiss book denies
Communist ties. 1t claims loyalty
and propriety in public and per-
sonal life. Over and over again
1t castigates what it calls the
Chambers connections, fantasies.
fabrications. conflicts In testi-
mony, embellishments. shifting
versions, and "the trick of COM
bining the real and imaginary"
Attacks Committee
1t attcks the aims and ac-
tons Of Vice President Nixon,
Senator Mundt and others cur
rently in or out Of Congress who
served on the House Committee
on Un.American Activities in
1913.
The Hiss book accuses the
committee Of sharp practice.
publicity seeking. prejudice, and
of having had q political stake
in Q high-handed. relentless
campaign to incriminate and in
dict him. 1t looks upon that
committee as the originator Of
the guilt by association theory"
1t complains that the committee
followed "callous and ruthless
procedures" and q protect
Chambers-at-all-costs policy not
merely to save its star witness
from criminal prosecution but
more especially to save its own
face.
The book questions the judicial
objectivity of the late Federal
Judge Henry w. Goddard ut the
second Hiss trial which in Janu-
airy, 1850, in New York City led
to the finding Of guilty on per-
jury charges. 1t commends for
mer Federal Judge Samuel H.
Kaufman who presided at the
FIRST trial when the Jury was un-
able to agree after splitting
eight-to-four for conviction.
The courtroom conduct Of the
prosecutor, Thomas r. Murphy.
now q Federal Judge, comes in
for denunciation. The FBI Is dis
cussed in unflattering fashion.
The book. for example. repeats
what was asserted In motions for
q new trial-that the FBI blocked
or hindered defense efforts to
talk to people and search for
records.
Makes Typewriter an Issue
A main contention. pointed up
more emphatically and broadly
than was possible before the
United States Court of Appeals
and the Supreme Court. is that
the court conviction was caused
largely by forgery by type
writer"
Experts testified that some
State Department documents in
the Chambers assortment were
typed on an ancient Woodstock
machine identified as having
been owned by the Hiss family
In Georgetown. The book de-
clares that recent studies demon
strated that another typewriter
was used, perhaps one con-
structed for the very purpose OF
supporting the Chambers
charges. The defense duplicated
the Woodstock machine which
had been entered at the trial
and feels that this strongly sup
ports the claim Of forgery and
fakery.
No Data on Leaks"
As to the person or persons
who slipped Government secret
papers to the then Communist
courier. Chambers. the book con-
cedes 1t has no positive iden-
tiflcation except that Alger His,
was not involved.
It notes that Henry Julian
Wadleigh, q former State De-
partment employe, confessed he
VastrIoinad documents NJ that