Psychoanalysis and Fantasy

PSYCHOANALYSIS

I. The Undisputed Events In Whittaker Chambers, after leaving the Communist underground, told Assistant Secretary of State Adolph A. Berle of Communist cells engaged in the State Department and elsewhere. Nothing was done. Ten years later Chambers testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities to the existence of these cells. The persons named refused to testify, resorting to the Fifth Amendment, except for Donald and Alger Hiss, who denied Chambers’ charges. Alger was a prominent official; when Chambers repeated his accusation publicly he (but not Donald) sued for libel. Chambers presented documentary evidence. Hiss, called before a Grand Jury, denied the charges again; he was indicted, found guilty of perjury and served his sentence. (He could not be prosecuted for spying since the statute of limitations had run out.) Chambers’ accusations against Hiss and others were later confirmed further, and a number of government officials were discharged and some were jailed.

EH

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Ernest van den Haag

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PSYCHOANALYSIS

I. The Undisputed Events In Whittaker Chambers, after leaving the Communist underground, told Assistant Secretary of State Adolph A. Berle of Communist cells engaged in the State Department and elsewhere. Nothing was done. Ten years later Chambers testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities to the existence of these cells. The persons named refused to testify, resorting to the Fifth Amendment, except for Donald and Alger Hiss, who denied Chambers’ charges. Alger was a prominent official; when Chambers repeated his accusation publicly he (but not Donald) sued for libel. Chambers presented documentary evidence. Hiss, called before a Grand Jury, denied the charges again; he was indicted, found guilty of perjury and served his sentence. (He could not be prosecuted for spying since the statute of limitations had run out.) Chambers’ accusations against Hiss and others were later confirmed further, and a number of government officials were discharged and some were jailed.