The Law of the Land

On the Ethics of Alger Hiss write not on the so-called question of Alger Hiss’ guilt—there is no such question; there is only the fact of his guilt. In that context, I should like to direct attention to two matters of legal interest that are raised in his narrative.

In the Court of Public Opinion accuses many people of misconduct of one kind or another, needless to say. Two of these accusations are peculiarly objectionable to a lawyer. I refer to what is in substance a charge of incompetence against Mr. Edward C. McLean, Hiss’ chief legal adviser from the time of his indictment to the end of the second trial, a charge implicit though never directly expressed; and the charge of unfairness against Judge Henry W. Goddard, who presided at the second trial.

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C. Dickerman Williams

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On the Ethics of Alger Hiss write not on the so-called question of Alger Hiss’ guilt—there is no such question; there is only the fact of his guilt. In that context, I should like to direct attention to two matters of legal interest that are raised in his narrative.

In the Court of Public Opinion accuses many people of misconduct of one kind or another, needless to say. Two of these accusations are peculiarly objectionable to a lawyer. I refer to what is in substance a charge of incompetence against Mr. Edward C. McLean, Hiss’ chief legal adviser from the time of his indictment to the end of the second trial, a charge implicit though never directly expressed; and the charge of unfairness against Judge Henry W. Goddard, who presided at the second trial.