Army-McCarthy Hearings

The Army-McCarthy hearings (April 22 to June 17, 1954) were a congressional inquiry convened to investigate a convoluted set of charges made by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (Republican, Wisconsin), at the U.S. Army and vice versa.

Related Topics:
April 22 - June 17 - 1954 - Senator - Joseph R. McCarthy - Republican - Wisconsin - U.S. Army

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The conflict originated when a consultant on McCarthy's staff named G. David Schine had been drafted into the Army. Roy M. Cohn, the Committee's chief counsel, personally lobbied members of Army in order to gain preferential treatment for Private Schine. These failed attempts culminated with the Secretary of the Army, Robert T. Stevens, refusing to cancel an overseas assignment for Private Schine.

Related Topics:
G. David Schine - Army - Roy M. Cohn - Secretary of the Army

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At the time, McCarthy was chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Operations and its Subcommittee on Investigations. McCarthy had been investigating the presence of CPUSA members employed in government or with government contractors. (Historians have since speculated that Schine and Cohn had a sexual relationship and that Cohn sought preferential treatment for his lover.)

Related Topics:
Subcommittee on Investigations - CPUSA

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The dispute became public on March 11, 1954, when the Army published a detailed account protesting Cohn's interference in Private Schine's military career. McCarthy countered by claiming the Army was holding Schine "hostage" to deter his committee from exposing Communists within the military ranks.

Related Topics:
March 11 - 1954

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The Subcommittee on Investigations ordered the inquiry, allowing live television coverage. For the duration of the proceedings, the chair was temporarily relinquished to Karl E. Mundt (Republican, South Dakota). Acting as Special Counsel for the Army was Joseph Welch of the Boston law firm of Hale & Dorr.

Related Topics:
Karl E. Mundt - Joseph Welch - Boston

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Notably, this was the first nationally televised congressional inquiry, and was broadcast on the new ABC and DuMont networks.

Related Topics:
ABC - DuMont

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The hearings are most remembered for the exchange that occurred on the afternoon of June 9 1954. McCarthy asserted that a young lawyer of Welch's firm had been a member of the National Lawyers Guild, a group which the U.S. Attorney General at the time was seeking to designate as a Communist front organization.{{NamedRef|18Fed.Reg.2619|1}} This was a violation of a pre-hearing agreement not to raise the issue because the designation was being litigated. Welch responded with the immortal speech that ultimately ended McCarthy's career:

Related Topics:
June 9 - 1954 - National Lawyers Guild - U.S. Attorney General - Communist front

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:"Until this moment, Senator, I think I never gauged your cruelty or recklessness...."

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When McCarthy resumed his attack, Welch cut him short:

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:"Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator.... You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

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This exchange was witnessed by millions of television viewers, and within a short time McCarthy's massive popularity withered. A few months later, the Senate voted to censure him.

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A broken man, McCarthy died in 1957, at the age of 47.

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