annoyed. “You may raise whatever issues you wish, sir. As will this panel.” He looked down at the legal pad in front of him, at his own notations. “Senator Norton. You brought up the aspect of Mr. Trevayne’s general philosophy. Wouldyou amplify—briefly, if you please—so we may clear the question and get on. I presume you wish to be satisfied that our guest at least nominally endorses the fundamental laws of the land.”
“Mr. Undersecretary.” Norton’s heavy Vermont dialect seemed more pronounced than necessary as he eyed the candidate. Norton always knew when to use the Yankee approach. It had served him well in many such Senate hearings—especially when television cameras were on the premises. It made him seem so bound-to-the-earth American. “I shall be brief; for both our sakes.… I’d like to ask you if you
do
subscribe to the political system under which this country lives?”
“Of course, I do.” Trevayne was surprised by the naïveté of the question. But not for long.
“Mr. Chairman …” Alan Knapp spoke as if on cue. “I, for one, am frankly disturbed by an aspect of the Undersecretary’s political history. Mr. Undersecretary, you’re what is known as an … independent, if I’m not mistaken.”
“That’s correct.”
“That’s interesting. Of course, I’m aware that in many sectors the term ‘political independent’ is revered. It has a nice, rugged sound to it.”
“That’s not my intention, Senator.”
“But there’s another aspect of such a posture,” continued Knapp without acknowledging Trevayne’s answer. “And I don’t find it particularly independent.… Mr. Trevayne, it’s true, is it not, that your companies profited considerably from government contracts—especially during the maximum space expenditures?”
“True. I think we justified whatever profits we made.”
“I would hope so.… I wonder, however, if your lack of partisanship wasn’t perhaps shaped by other than ideological motivations. By being neither on one side nor the other, you certainly removed yourself from any political conflict, didn’t you?”
“Again, not my intention.”
“I mean, it would be difficult for anyone to take issue with you on political grounds, since your opinionswere … are … buried under the classification of ‘independent.’ ”
“Just one minute, Senator!” The chairman, visibly upset, spoke sharply.
“I’d like to comment, if I may—”
“You
may
, Mr. Trevayne, after my own observations. Senator Knapp, I thought I’d made it clear that this is a bipartisan hearing. I find your remarks irrelevant and, frankly, distasteful. Now, you may comment, Mr. Undersecretary.”
“I’d like to inform the Senator that anyone, at any time, may ascertain my political opinions by simply asking for them. I’m not shy. On the other hand, I wasn’t aware that government contracts were granted on the basis of political affiliations.”
“Exactly my point, Mr. Trevayne.” Knapp turned toward the center of the table. “Mr. Chairman, in my seven years in the Senate I have many times supported those whose politics differed from my own and, conversely, denied support to members of my own party. In such cases my approval or disapproval was based on the specific questions on the floor. As men of conscience, we all practice the same ethics. What bothers me about our candidate is that he elects to be called ‘non-partisan.’ That worries me. I fear such people in places of power. I wonder at their so-called
independence
. I wonder, if, instead, it’s merely a convenience to be a companion of the strongest wind?”
There was a momentary silence in the room. Gillette removed his glasses and turned toward Knapp.
“Hypocrisy is a most serious insinuation, Senator.”
“Forgive me, Mr. Chairman. You asked us to search our consciences.… As was pointed out by Justice Brandeis, honesty by itself is not enough. The appearance of integrity must be
“Mr. Undersecretary.” Norton’s heavy Vermont dialect seemed more pronounced than necessary as he eyed the candidate. Norton always knew when to use the Yankee approach. It had served him well in many such Senate hearings—especially when television cameras were on the premises. It made him seem so bound-to-the-earth American. “I shall be brief; for both our sakes.… I’d like to ask you if you
do
subscribe to the political system under which this country lives?”
“Of course, I do.” Trevayne was surprised by the naïveté of the question. But not for long.
“Mr. Chairman …” Alan Knapp spoke as if on cue. “I, for one, am frankly disturbed by an aspect of the Undersecretary’s political history. Mr. Undersecretary, you’re what is known as an … independent, if I’m not mistaken.”
“That’s correct.”
“That’s interesting. Of course, I’m aware that in many sectors the term ‘political independent’ is revered. It has a nice, rugged sound to it.”
“That’s not my intention, Senator.”
“But there’s another aspect of such a posture,” continued Knapp without acknowledging Trevayne’s answer. “And I don’t find it particularly independent.… Mr. Trevayne, it’s true, is it not, that your companies profited considerably from government contracts—especially during the maximum space expenditures?”
“True. I think we justified whatever profits we made.”
“I would hope so.… I wonder, however, if your lack of partisanship wasn’t perhaps shaped by other than ideological motivations. By being neither on one side nor the other, you certainly removed yourself from any political conflict, didn’t you?”
“Again, not my intention.”
“I mean, it would be difficult for anyone to take issue with you on political grounds, since your opinionswere … are … buried under the classification of ‘independent.’ ”
“Just one minute, Senator!” The chairman, visibly upset, spoke sharply.
“I’d like to comment, if I may—”
“You
may
, Mr. Trevayne, after my own observations. Senator Knapp, I thought I’d made it clear that this is a bipartisan hearing. I find your remarks irrelevant and, frankly, distasteful. Now, you may comment, Mr. Undersecretary.”
“I’d like to inform the Senator that anyone, at any time, may ascertain my political opinions by simply asking for them. I’m not shy. On the other hand, I wasn’t aware that government contracts were granted on the basis of political affiliations.”
“Exactly my point, Mr. Trevayne.” Knapp turned toward the center of the table. “Mr. Chairman, in my seven years in the Senate I have many times supported those whose politics differed from my own and, conversely, denied support to members of my own party. In such cases my approval or disapproval was based on the specific questions on the floor. As men of conscience, we all practice the same ethics. What bothers me about our candidate is that he elects to be called ‘non-partisan.’ That worries me. I fear such people in places of power. I wonder at their so-called
independence
. I wonder, if, instead, it’s merely a convenience to be a companion of the strongest wind?”
There was a momentary silence in the room. Gillette removed his glasses and turned toward Knapp.
“Hypocrisy is a most serious insinuation, Senator.”
“Forgive me, Mr. Chairman. You asked us to search our consciences.… As was pointed out by Justice Brandeis, honesty by itself is not enough. The appearance of integrity must be
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