Advise and Consent Page #7

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First, Mr. Chairman, let me say | that I do know Herbert Gelman.

Looks like we might've smoked us out | a possum, Mr. Chairman.

Afraid there'll be no possum stew | in the old Cooley pot tonight, senator.

I realized I knew Herbert Gelman | only after I'd heard his testimony.

- May I question Mr. Gelman? | - By all means.

Mr. Gelman.

Before being detached | from the Rower Commission...

- you'd been ill a long while, correct? | - I was in a tuberculosis sanitarium.

- Tuberculosis sanitarium? | - You know that, Mr. Leffingwell.

You fired me when I tried | to come back to work.

Can you tell us the name | of this tuberculosis sanitarium?

- The name? | - Yes, the name. It had a name, didn't it?

The name. I can't think of the name.

It was in the country, in Maryland.

Mr. Newborne, do you know Herbert Gelman?

Oh, yes. I was his immediate superior | in the Federal Rower Agency.

Tell the committee the true cause | of Mr. Gelman's illness.

It wasn't tuberculosis. Herbert... | Mr. Gelman had a mental breakdown.

And the sanitarium was the Elm Grove | Rest Home right outside of Baltimore.

What happened when he came back to work?

He seemed, well, kind of shaky. | He couldn't seem to get a hold of the job.

I went to Mr. Leffingwell, and I told him | that I wanted to let Gelman go.

Mr. Leffingwell said he'd try | and find him another job.

A few days later, on Mr. Leffingwell's | instructions, I discharged Gelman...

and recommended that he apply | to the Department of the Treasury.

He made an application, | and he went to work over there.

This, Mr. Chairman, is the sum total | of my knowledge of Herbert Gelman...

except I telephoned | the University of Chicago...

to find out if he'd ever been | a student of mine.

The registrar said Gelman | had been at the university...

but there was no record | of his attending my classes.

This will be confirmed by telegram | from the registrar to the committee.

What do you have to say | to this, Mr. Gelman?

I thought...

I thought it was my duty as a citizen | to come here, expose Mr. Leffingwell.

You will receive another telegram. This one | from the city planning office of Chicago.

Seems this address, | 2714 Carpenter Street...

where this communist cell practiced its | mumbo jumbo, according to Mr. Gelman...

This address has been a fire station | for more than 50 years.

Did you have a mental breakdown, | Mr. Gelman?

Do you still insist you were fired by Mr. | Leffingwell because you knew too much?

I didn't know that he got me the job | in the Treasury Department.

Could you have been mistaken about being | in his classes in the university?

I don't know.

And what about 2714 Carpenter Street?

Well, it might not be the right number.

I may not remember for sure.

Rerhaps you don't remember | other things for sure.

Well, if I did, would anybody believe me?

I think we can let this witness go.

Thank you, Mr. Gelman.

I said you could go, Mr. Gelman.

This committee owes you an apology, | Mr. Leffingwell.

Perhaps Senator Cooley | would like to join us in that?

I'm not joining anybody in anything.

Senator Cooley wants a transcript of this | hearing at the earliest possible moment.

The committee owes me no apology, Mr. | Chairman, nor do they owe me approval.

Win, lose, or draw I shall continue to serve | my country when and wherever I can.

- Good afternoon. | - Yes, sir?

Why, I'd surely be obliged if I could see | the employment record...

of Mr. Herbert Gelman.

I'm sorry, sir, but employment records | are privileged information.

You might say that I am privileged. | I'm Senator Cooley.

You're a mighty pretty gal, | yes, ma'am. Mighty pretty.

I'm not entirely sure in which section | of this building Mr. Gelman works.

Mr. Leffingwell.

Well, Leff.

- Congratulations. | - I appreciate your arranging...

to see me so quickly. | I know how busy you are.

Glad you called. | I wanted to see you. Sit down.

Bobby thinks the committee | will go four-to-one in your favor.

He has enough votes sewed up | to get you through on the floor.

So it looks like you're in. | How'd you like a drink, Mr. Secretary?

Mr. Rresident, I'm not in, | and I'm not going to be in.

- Yes, sir. | - What are you talking about?

- Yes, sir. | - Nothing! Sorry.

Mr. Rresident, I want you | to withdraw my nomination.

I lied at the hearing.

I knew Herbert Gelman. | I knew him in Chicago.

I knew him at those meetings.

They were communist meetings, | Mr. Rresident.

I was never a party member, | but I was young, looking for a cause.

Didn't take long to discover | that wasn't it, and I dropped out.

Please believe that, | Mr. President. It's true.

But I am guilty of one bad error.

I gave Herbert Gelman a job | to keep him from talking.

When I saw Gelman in the courtroom, I knew | Cooley had me set up for the witch-hunters.

I wish I could tell you I'm sorry I lied.

I'm only sorry I had to lie.

Anybody else know you lied?

One person. Hardiman Fletcher.

- Fletcher of the Treasury Department? | - Yes.

Will he talk?

No. Fletcher was the third man | in Chicago.

He was James Morton.

- Hello, senator. | - Well, Mr. Fletcher...

I surely do appreciate you keeping | this little rendezvous.

Who are we hiding from, senator, and why?

I thought us meeting by this fine old | monument might have a salutary effect...

on our conversation. It was George | Washington who couldn't tell a lie...

wasn't it, Mr. Fletcher?

I sometimes forget my schoolboy history. | Shall we take a little walk?

A thought came to me, Mr. Fletcher. | Not like a bolt from the blue.

More insinuating, | like a soft breeze off the river.

I thought, "Why did Robert A. Leffingwell | have Herbert Gelman..."

apply to the Treasury Department | for a job?

"Why didn't he send him | through civil service for a job?"

- Are you asking me a question? | - Not yet, Mr. Fletcher.

I gallivanted over to | the Treasury Department this afternoon...

and I sort of looked up | Herbert Gelman's record.

And I discovered that you approved | Herbert's application.

Personally approved it.

- Senator, get to the point. | - The point is, I was gonna give you a break.

Looks like you see fit to turn down | my Southern generosity.

- Senator Cooley, I'm a loyal citizen. I... | - I didn't say you weren't.

But I might have to start an investigation | to prove you're loyal, Mr. Fletcher.

Mr. James Morton.

What is this...

- break you were gonna give me? | - Simple.

Make a telephone call to Brigham Anderson, | offer him a small confession...

not mentioning I had anything to do with | it, just made out of your own conscience.

What happens then?

Natural course will be followed | to protect the president and our party.

Your confidence won't be betrayed, | Mr. Fletcher.

And you'll have done a noble duty, sir. | Yes, sir, noble.

- Senator Knox? | - Oh, thank you.

Senators, looks like | we won't be voting today.

It's from Brig. He's postponed it.

For what reason?

He doesn't say.

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