Advise and Consent Page #5

Year:
1962
517 Views


where the fate of my country | is concerned.

Why are you afraid to tell us what terms | you'd make with the communists?

- I just explained to Senator Knox... | - You're evading.

We want to know what you intend | to give away to the communists.

- I don't intend to give anything away. | - Why won't you tell us what your terms are?

Are you ashamed to disclose these terms?

I have nothing to be ashamed of, | and you know it.

He is not responding, Mr. Chairman.

This man is hiding something.

Senator Knox, reclaim the floor. | This is getting us nowhere.

I resent the chair's arbitrary attempt | to silence cross-examination...

that'll show this man's true intent.

It is common knowledge that no one, | nowhere, and at no time...

has been able to silence the distinguished | senator from South Carolina.

Well, sir, I might say the chairman's | doing a pretty good job of it right now.

If you feel the witness is hiding something, | would you care to make a formal charge?

Well, now, that'll just upset everybody.

I'll just turn the floor back | to Senator Knox.

No more right now, Mr. Chairman.

- Senator Velez? | - Mr. Leffingwell...

what associations did you have when | teaching at the University of Chicago?

The usual campus associations. | Other teachers, students.

I have here a telegram | from someone named Gelman...

who claims to have known you | at the university.

Do you recognize the name?

I don't think so, but that was quite | a few years ago, senator.

Well, he says you associated | with left-wingers and communists.

Is there anything to that, Mr. Leffingwell?

I'd like to know what | Mr. Gelman means by...

"left-wingers" or "communists." Those | terms are used carelessly by some people.

Will Mr. Gelman be called to testify?

I'm unable to find Mr. Gelman.

Senator, I don't know what to say, | except the telegram is from some crank.

- Senator from Hawaii. | - Just a hypothetical question.

If the communists demand | we yield certain strategic positions...

- what would you recommend? | - We reject any such demand.

Even if it meant war?

That's an unlikely hypothesis if we retain | our present power of retaliation.

Say it did happen.

Would you recommend a preventive attack?

Hit the enemy before they hit us?

No, I wouldn't recommend a preventive | attack. I would first try to bargain...

try to agree to some of their demands | if they'd agree to some of ours.

With the senator's permission, I'd like | to make a little speech to the witness.

Mr. Witness, I'd rather go out of this world | standing on my two hind legs...

fighting like a man for things I believe | in, than to yield and concede and crawl...

till there was nothing left | of our freedoms and way of life...

but a handful of lost dreams | and a fistful of dry dust.

Mr. Chairman, it's mighty comforting | to know that all the folks out there...

aren't being took in | by this appeasement talk.

Mr. Chairman, a little while ago, | Senator Knox asked me to define...

what I meant by "outworn principles."

Senator Cooley has obliged | with a perfect illustration.

He speaks of standing on his hind legs, | fighting like a man...

as if war were still some rousing charge | up San Juan Hill...

with flags flying and bugles sounding.

It's this kind of 19th-century notion | I was talking about.

This "don't tread on me," | "walk softly and carry a big stick"...

"damn the torpedoes," | "full speed ahead" state of mind.

Senator Cooley's state of mind.

It seems to me that the senator from | South Carolina was speaking out of pride.

Do you think we should discontinue pride | in our freedoms and our way of life?

I believe it's dangerous to negotiate | survival with pride determining our attitude.

I wonder if there isn't good sense | in what Senator Cooley said.

I wonder if we can't become too equivocal.

I wonder if we can't reason away, | in the name of survival...

everything worth surviving for.

That's a hard line to walk, but we have | no choice but to try and walk it.

I'm sorry to say we can't always know | where we're going.

As long as we know where we're not going.

Any questions, Senator Hendershot?

You're what they call an egghead, | aren't you, Mr. Witness?

I'm not only an egghead, senator, | I'm a premeditated egghead.

I set out to become an egghead, | and at this moment...

I'm in full flower of eggheadedness.

I hope to shed pollen wherever I go.

If there are no objections, we can leave | them laughing while we have lunch.

We'll take it up again at 1:30, | Mr. Leffingwell.

Do you think the committee's | trying to smear you?

They're asking what they feel | they should.

Some questions have been smear questions.

Right now my main emphasis | is getting lunch.

If he won't answer that question, I will.

The committee is being used | to smear Mr. Leffingwell.

- What about that, Mr. Leffingwell? | - The senator is entitled to his opinion.

Will you excuse me, please?

You don't like how this hearing | is being conducted, do you?

The chairman should stop | these irresponsible questions.

He doesn't want to. | They're out to crucify Mr. Leffingwell.

Senator, Senator Van Ackerman is accusing | the committee of using smear tactics.

Would you comment on this?

If the senator has any complaints to make, | he should write a letter to his congressman.

- Will you give Seab Cooley a free hand? | - Oh, come on.

Do you believe war can be avoided, | Mr. Leffingwell?

I believe it must be avoided. But I don't | think we can avoid it by rattling sabers.

That's all, Mr. Chairman.

Now, Mr. Leffingwell, it becomes necessary | to turn you over to the tender mercies...

- of the senator from South Carolina. | - I'm girded for the occasion, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. | I have no questions, Mr. Chairman.

Then I don't see any reason | why we can't adjourn the hearing.

If there are no objections.

Would the nominee mind staying with us | for just a smidgen longer?

I said I have no questions, Mr. Chairman. | But I have a witness I would like to call.

Call your witness, senator.

Herbert Gelman.

Will the photographers | withdraw to the sidelines, please?

- Are you Herbert Gelman? | - That's my name.

Raise your right hand, please.

Do you swear the testimony | you are about to give this committee...

will be the truth, the whole truth | and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

- Yes, sir, I swear. | - Take a seat, please.

Where do you live, Mr. Gelman?

At 2221 Grove Rlace Northeast, | here in Washington.

- Your occupation? | - I'm a clerk in the Treasury Department.

Did you send this telegram | to Senator Velez?

And, Mr. Gelman, would you mind | speaking just a little bit louder, please?

Yes. Yes.

Why didn't you include your address | so he could contact you?

- That was Senator Cooley's idea. | - What did Senator Cooley have to do with it?

He suggested that I send | a telegram to Senator Velez.

- Is this true, Senator Cooley? | - It is, Mr. Chairman.

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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