Frank Klassen: 'Joseph Welch Versus U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy'

Source:Frank Klassen- U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy: R, Wisconsin: Chairman of the Army-McCarthy Committee (1953-54)

Source:The Daily Post

"The Army-McCarthy hearings. The beginning of the downfall of Joseph McCarthy."

From Frank Klassen

Joe McCarthy’s, whole strategy in these hearings was based around guilt by association. “If you know a Communist, or we're in the same room of a Communist, or part of the same group as a Communist, you are automatically a Communist. Which of course is a bad thing that must be called out.” As if you are an American traitor, or something. Rather than having hearings based on whether or not there are Communist spies in the United States Government.

In this video, you hear Chairman McCarthy, question the American allegiance of Joe Welch. Who just happened to be the Chief Counsel of the U.S. Army. Which just goes to the lack of depth and knowledge and perhaps honesty that Joe McCarthy and his staff had about the people they were investigating.

You don’t become Chief Counsel of the U.S. Army if you’re Un-American. I mean seriously, what is the main function of the U.S. Army, but to defend the United States. I mean, the stupidity, or just plain dishonesty and political games that Joe McCarthy would play to do what? Scare Americans about communism? Set up a presidential run for 1960? They had almost nothing on most of the people they were supposedly investigating in these hearings. As this hearing shows.

Guilt by Association, could’ve been and perhaps should’ve been the title of these hearings. “If you associate with a Communist, or perhaps just met one at one point, that much mean you’re a Communist as well.” Which was basically the thinking, (if you want to call it that) of Joe McCarthy and his staff at these hearings.

It’s almost as if Joe McCarthy and his staff didn’t know they were on national TV. Perhaps not even aware that TV had been invented yet and close if not universal yet. And that everything that they said and did during these hearings and supposedly reported, would be seen at some point by the entire country.

And that all of their paper-thin evidence would be seen and shown to the country as well. And made to look like it actually is. Which is paper-thin, with no there, there and not just Ed Murrow and his See it Now show over at CBS News. But the other news shows and radio and national papers as well. That they didn’t have what they needed, or even close to having what they needed to make Joe Welch and others look like Communists and anti-American.