lecture recording on 14 November 2024 at 09.38.32 AM

Testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee

• Background:

  • Witness called back to testify two weeks later.

  • Initially provided facts by Chambers, which prompted the second testimony.

• Identification of Chambers:

  • Committee shows two pictures of Chambers to the witness.

  • Witness denies familiarity with Chambers, claiming he does not know him.

  • Describes Chambers as an amateur oil columnist, dismissing further connections.

• Congressman Interaction:

  • Congressman John Richey engages in friendly banter, asking if the witness has ever seen a prothonotary warbler.

    • Witness affirms he has seen it and references a place, indicating familiarity with its habitat.

    • The conversation shifts whimsically, with the witness joking about his memory of the bird and contrasting it with Chambers.

Accusations and Connections

• Chambers' Knowledge and Accusations:

  • The committee prepares to confront the witness with various accusations stemming from Chambers’ extensive knowledge about him.

  • Claims are made that if the witness did not know Chambers, it would be inconceivable given the details Chambers possesses about his life.

• Witness's Response:

  • Nixon informs the witness that Chambers has been spying on him and conducting a study of his life.

  • Witness reflects on this by mentioning someone he met in the mid-1930s named George Lawson, a man he associates with bad teeth and a background as a freelance fighter.

    • He acknowledges having met with Lawson a couple of times, suggesting this might be a connection to Chambers.

Conclusion

• Bringing Chambers into the Room:

  • The testimony proceeds with the introduction of Chambers into the room, anticipating further developments in the testimony.