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Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Donegan told the FBI that Assistant Attorney General Alexander M. Campbell, head of the Criminal Division at Truman Justice, “now wants to institute perjury charges against Chambers” for not revealing the documents before this. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's handwritten addendum comments, “I wonder why they don't move against Hiss also.”<ref>FBI memorandum: Ladd to Hoover, November 23, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 1)</ref>

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Donegan told the FBI that Assistant Attorney General Alexander M. Campbell, head of the Criminal Division at Truman Justice, “now wants to institute perjury charges against Chambers” for not revealing the documents before this. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's handwritten addendum comments, “I wonder why they don't move against Hiss also.”<ref>FBI memorandum: Ladd to Hoover, November 23, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 1)</ref>

On December 2, in response to a subpoena, Chambers led HUAC investigators to highly incriminating microfilm evidence, which he had secreted in a hollowed-out pumpkin on his Maryland farm (the so-called [[Pumpkin Papers]]). The same day, on an FBI memorandum detailing the investigation of Chambers for perjury ordered by Truman Justice, Hoover penned, "I can't understand why such effort is being made to indict Chambers to the exclusion of Hiss."<ref>FBI memorandum: Fletcher to Ladd, December 2, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 2)</ref> As late as December 6, the day the grand jury was convened, Truman Justice was still contemplating "bringing an indictment against Chambers for perjury."<ref>FBI memorandum: Fletcher to Ladd, December 6, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 2)</ref>

On December 2, in response to a subpoena, Chambers led HUAC investigators to highly incriminating microfilm evidence, which he had secreted in a hollowed-out pumpkin on his Maryland farm (the so-called [[Pumpkin Papers]]). The same day, on an FBI memorandum detailing the investigation of Chambers for perjury ordered by Truman Justice, Hoover penned, "I can't understand why such effort is being made to indict Chambers to the exclusion of Hiss."<ref>FBI memorandum: Fletcher to Ladd, December 2, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 2)</ref> As late as December 6, Truman Justice was still contemplating "bringing an indictment against Chambers for perjury."<ref>FBI memorandum: Fletcher to Ladd, December 6, 1948 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 2)</ref>

On December 15, Hiss testified before a grand jury. Hiss suggested a theory that someone (perhaps Chambers)<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 270</ref> had sneaked into the State Department and stolen the documents from his desk<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 178, 253, 257, 299, 397</ref> then, having somehow obtained access to Hiss' typewriter,<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 298, 300</ref> typed some of the documents on it<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 281, 298</ref> and microfilmed others, and then sneaked back into the State Department and replaced the originals,<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 254</ref> all in an elaborate plot to frame Hiss<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 299</ref> a decade later.<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 281</ref> Even Hiss admitted that his theory was "fantastic,"<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 299</ref> stating, "Until the day I die, I shall wonder how Whittaker Chambers got into my house to use my typewriter," a statement provoking outright laughter among jurors.<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 300</ref>

On December 15, Hiss testified before a grand jury. Hiss suggested a theory that someone (perhaps Chambers)<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 270</ref> had sneaked into the State Department and stolen the documents from his desk<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 178, 253, 257, 299, 397</ref> then, having somehow obtained access to Hiss' typewriter,<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 298, 300</ref> typed some of the documents on it<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', pp. 281, 298</ref> and microfilmed others, and then sneaked back into the State Department and replaced the originals,<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 254</ref> all in an elaborate plot to frame Hiss<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 299</ref> a decade later.<ref>Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 281</ref> Even Hiss admitted that his theory was "fantastic,"<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 299</ref> stating, "Until the day I die, I shall wonder how Whittaker Chambers got into my house to use my typewriter," a statement provoking outright laughter among jurors.<ref> Weinstein, ''Perjury'', p. 300</ref>

Hiss testified that he never gave any documents to Whittaker Chambers, and that he had no contact with Chambers after January 1, 1937. The grand jury indicted Hiss on two counts of perjury, charging that he lied under oath in both these statements. Because the statute of limitations had expired, the grand jury could not consider espionage charges.

Hiss testified that he never gave any documents to Whittaker Chambers, and that he had no contact with Chambers after January 1, 1937. The grand jury indicted Hiss on two counts of perjury, charging that he lied under oath in both these statements. Because the statute of limitations had expired, the grand jury could not consider espionage charges.

Since Chambers had gained the upper hand by voluntary waiving immunity from slander, the columnist [[Walter Lippman]] (whose secretary, [[Mary Price]], was a Soviet agent<ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/08_Jun_1943_m3.gif 868 KGB New York to Moscow, 8 June 1943]</ref><ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/29_Apr_1944_R3_m3_p3.gif 588 New York to Moscow, 29 April 1944, p. 3]</ref><ref>Herbert Romerstein and Eric Breindel, ''The Venona Secrets: Exposing Soviet Espionage and America's Traitors'' (Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 2001) ISBN 0895262258, p. 439</ref><ref>John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, ''Venona: Decoding Soviet Espionage in America'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999) ISBN 0300077718, p. 99</ref> suggested that Hiss turn the tables by waiving the statute of limitations on espionage. Hiss never took him up on that suggestion.<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 384</ref>

Since Chambers had gained the upper hand by voluntary waiving immunity from slander, the columnist [[Walter Lippman]] (whose secretary, [[Mary Price]], was a Soviet agent)<ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/08_Jun_1943_m3.gif 868 KGB New York to Moscow, 8 June 1943]</ref><ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/29_Apr_1944_R3_m3_p3.gif 588 New York to Moscow, 29 April 1944, p. 3]</ref><ref>Herbert Romerstein and Eric Breindel, ''The Venona Secrets: Exposing Soviet Espionage and America's Traitors'' (Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 2001) ISBN 0895262258, p. 439</ref><ref>John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, ''Venona: Decoding Soviet Espionage in America'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999) ISBN 0300077718, p. 99</ref> suggested that Hiss turn the tables by waiving the statute of limitations on espionage. Hiss never took him up on that suggestion.<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 384</ref>

==The Trials==

==The Trials==