Cold War Spies: Alger Hiss (1903-96)

Figure 1.--.

One of the most prominent Communist espionage investigations was that of Alger Hiss. For years the American Left insisted that Hiss was innocent, a victim of McCartyism. We now know that he was indeed a Soviet spy. A montain of evidence exists, including the Venona Papers. Alger was born in Baltimore (1904). His father committed suiside when Alger was only 2-years old (1906). Hess attended John Hopkins University and Harvard Law School (1926-29). He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. He then worked in the Departments of Agriculture under liberal ikon Henry Wallace.. Further appointments took him to the Justice and State Department during the New Deal. Hiss as a State Department official aided President Roosevelt at the World war II Yalta Conference (1945). He worked briefly as secretary-general of the the United Nations. He began working as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (1949). During Congressional investigation of Soviet espionage, Hiss' name came up. Whittaker Chambers was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (August 1948). He claimed during his testimony that Hiss was a member of his Soviet spy cell. The charge was referred to a Federal grand jury. Hiss denied Chambers's charge. Hiss was charged with perjury which was easier to prove than a treason or espionage charge. The first trial ended in a hung jury (1949). Federal procecutiors tried him a second time and obtained a conviction. He was sentencedf to 5 years inprisonment. He was released (1954). After release he was active in left-wing circles and worked to clear his name. He became a poster boy for Government abuse of civil liberties. He unsuccessfully sued the U.S. government under the Freedom of Information Act, attempting to gain access to FBI and State Department files (1970s). This might be interprted as an innocent man trying to clear his name or a committed Soviet agent trying to gain the release of information about FBI sources which would be useful to the Soviets. The United States after World war II succeeded in decoding large numbers of secret Soviet cables. This work became known as the Venona Papers. One of the cables refers to an American with the code name Ales. [Venona decrypt, March 30, 1945.] The cable idebntified Ales as a Soviet agent working in the State Department, who accompanied President Roosevelt to the 1945 Yalta Conference and then flew to Moscow. This description only fit Hiss. While it is clear that Hiss was a Soviet spy, it is unclear just what useful informtion he delivered to Moscow.

Childhood

Alger was born in Baltimore (1904). His father committed suiside when Alger was only 2-years old (1906).

Education

Hess attended John Hopkins University and Harvard Law School (1926-29). He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Career

Hiss then worked in the Departments of Agriculture under liberal ikon Henry Wallace.. Further appointments took him to the Justice and State Department during the New Deal. Hiss as a State Department official aided President Roosevelt at the World War II Yalta Conference (1945). He worked briefly as secretary-general of the the United Nations. He began working as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (1949).

Congressional Investigatins

During Congressional investigation of Soviet espionage, Hiss' name came up. Whittaker Chambers was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (August 1948). He claimed during his testimony that Hiss was a member of his Soviet spy cell. The charge was referred to a Federal grand jury. Hiss denied Chambers's charge. Hiss was charged with perjury which was easier to prove than a treason or espionage charge.

Trials

The first trial ended in a hung jury (1949). Federal procecutiors tried him a second time and obtained a conviction. He was sentencedf to 5 years inprisonment. He was released (1954). After release he was active in left-wing circles and worked to clear his name. He became a poster boy for Government abuse of civil liberties. He unsuccessfully sued the U.S. government under the Freedom of Information Act, attempting to gain access to FBI and State Department files (1970s). This might be interprted as an innocent man trying to clear his name or a committed Soviet agent trying to gain the release of information about FBI sources which would be useful to the Soviets. The Government at thetime did not the Sovuets toknow anout the Venona Papers.

Venona Papers

The United States after World War II succeeded in decoding large numbers of secret Soviet cables. This work became known as the Venona Papers. One of the cables refers to an American with the code name Ales. [Venona decrypt, March 30, 1945.] The cable idebntified Ales as a Soviet agent working in the State Department, who accompanied President Roosevelt to the 1945 Yalta Conference and then flew to Moscow. This description only fit Hiss. While it is clear that Hiss was a Soviet spy, it is unclear just what useful informtion he delivered to Moscow.

American Left Cause C�l�bre

One of the most prominent Communist espionage investigations was that of Alger Hiss. For years the American Left insisted that Hiss was innocent, a victim of McCartyism. Hiss lied in and out of jail. And as he continued to lie he attracted more and more Demicratic support as well as supoters in he journalistic and historical community. one wondes how they can be so wrong in Hiss and still trust their work. It was a vedritable cottage industry that sprung up to defend Hiss. And despite all the evidence, Hiss not only continued to have supporters, but his liberal supporters belieced that they acquied a kind of moral superority as a result of yheir steadfast support of Hiss. We now know that he was indeed a Soviet spy. A montain of evidence exists, including the Venona Papers.

Final Years

Hiss died (1996).

Created: 4:31 AM 7/15/2019
Last updated: 4:40 PM 5/12/2020