Memorandum to Donald Dawson

Filed by MR. DAWSON 419-K THE WHITE HOUSE NOV 13 1952 WASHINGTON May 8, 1950 MEMORANDUM FOR MR. DAWSON: Subject: Continuing the Counter-Offensive against McCarthy. This last week a group of Senators raised certain questions which challenged the veracity and motives of Senator McCarthy. It was made quite evident in the course of the discussion on the floor of the Senate that McCarthy had made a speech at Wheeling, West Virginia on February ninth in which he stated that hehad a list of 205 Communists who were known to the Secretary of State but who were nevertheless still employed by the State Department. It was also brought out that McCarthy had deceived the Senate by lying as to what he had actually said at Wheeling in this connection. Indeed, McCarthy finally declined to answer questions as to what he said at Wheeling and stated that the Senate should not play such a silly numbers game. Since that time, McCarthy has not referred to this discussion, rather he has followed his usual tactics of getting into something new, possibly in order to take the heat off himself. However, it seems extremely advisable to press this point and to make it unmistakably clear to the American people: (a) that McCarthy lied to the Senate with reference to his Wheeling speech (b) committed a fraud on the American people by telling them that loyal State Department employees had furnished him information about 81 Communists in the State Department when actually all he did was dig up some old cases previously considered by four Congressional committees. It is suggested that this attack on McCarthy's truthfulness be conducted to the fullest extent in order that the Senate and the people of the United States be made to understand not only that McCarthy has lied but also that he perpetrated a colossal hoax. It is interesting to note that neither McCarthy nor any of his supporters has even tried to answer the charges of lying made by Senators Lucas, Kilgore and Neely. This being the case, this seems like an ex- tremely desirable time to renew the attack on McCarthy with all possible vigor. attached are the comments of S. Herman RECEIVED (State Dept.) on continuing the attack on McCarthy. MAY 8 1950 DONALD S. DAWSON