Changes

== Conviction ==

== Conviction ==

The first trial ended June 8, 1949 in a hung jury,<ref>[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/chron/49chron2.htm The Truman Administration During 1949: A Chronology], Harry S. Truman Library, National Archives and Records Admnistration</ref> with eight for conviction and four against. The second trial began on November 17, 1949. In January, 1950, the jury returned a unanimous verdict: Guilty on both counts.<ref>''United States v. Hiss'', 88 F. Supp. 559 (S.D.N.Y. 1950); William R. Conklin, "[http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/09/reviews/chambers-guilty.html?_r=2 Hiss Guilty On Both Perjury Counts; Betrayal of U.S. Secrets Is Affirmed; Sentence Wednesday; Limit 10 Years]," ''The New York Times'', January 22, 1950; [http://www.trumanlibrary.org/chron/49chron2.htm The Truman Administration During 1949: A Chronology], Harry S. Truman Library, National Archives and Records Administration</ref> In his pre-sentencing statement, Hiss said, "I am confident that in the future the full facts showing how Whittaker Chambers was able to carry out forgery by typewriter will be developed."<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,822033,00.html Trial by Typewriter]," ''Time'', February 4, 1952</ref> (Concerning the four handwritten documents Hiss had admitted were in his own handwriting, he was silent.)

The first trial ended June 8, 1949 in a hung jury,<ref>[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/chron/49chron2.htm The Truman Administration During 1949: A Chronology], Harry S. Truman Library, National Archives and Records Admnistration</ref> with eight for conviction and four against. The second trial began on November 17, 1949. In January, 1950, the jury returned a unanimous verdict: Guilty on both counts.<ref>''United States v. Hiss'', 88 F. Supp. 559 (S.D.N.Y. 1950); William R. Conklin, "[http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/09/reviews/chambers-guilty.html?_r=2 Hiss Guilty On Both Perjury Counts; Betrayal of U.S. Secrets Is Affirmed; Sentence Wednesday; Limit 10 Years]," ''The New York Times'', January 22, 1950; [http://www.trumanlibrary.org/chron/49chron2.htm The Truman Administration During 1949: A Chronology], Harry S. Truman Library, National Archives and Records Administration</ref> In his pre-sentencing statement, Hiss said, "I am confident that in the future the full facts showing how Whittaker Chambers was able to carry out [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,822033,00.html forgery by typewriter] will be developed." (Concerning the four handwritten documents Hiss had admitted were in his own handwriting, he was silent.)

Hiss was sentenced to two concurrent five-year terms in [http://www.orwelltoday.com/hisscuffs2.jpg federal prison]. Secretary of State Dean Acheson provoked outrage by commenting, "Whatever the outcome of any appeal which Mr. Hiss or his lawyer may take, I do not intend to turn my back on Alger Hiss." Eleanor Roosevelt added to the furor with her comment, "It seems rather horrible to condemn someone on the word of someone else who admits to guilt." ''Time'' magazine commented that she "obviously had not been paying much attention," being "unaware of, or determined to ignore, the [[corroborating evidence]] introduced by the Government."<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,811795,00.html 'I Do Not Intend to Turn My Back']," ''Time'', February 6, 1950</ref>

Hiss was sentenced to two concurrent five-year terms in [http://www.orwelltoday.com/hisscuffs2.jpg federal prison]. Secretary of State Dean Acheson provoked outrage by commenting, "Whatever the outcome of any appeal which Mr. Hiss or his lawyer may take, I do not intend to turn my back on Alger Hiss." Eleanor Roosevelt added to the furor with her comment, "It seems rather horrible to condemn someone on the word of someone else who admits to guilt." ''Time'' magazine commented that she "obviously had not been paying much attention," being "unaware of, or [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,811795,00.html determined to ignore], the [[corroborating evidence]] introduced by the Government."

By that June, the U.S. Army was persuaded that [http://www.gpo.gov/congress/commissions/secrecy/pdf/12hist1.pdf Ales was Hiss]. General of the Army Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed President Truman that Venona had "positively identified" Hiss and [[Harry Dexter White]] as Soviet agents.<ref>Jerrold and Leona Schecter, ''Sacred Secrets: How Soviet Intelligence Operations Changed American History'' (Washington, DC: Brassey's Inc., 2002) ISBN 1574885227, p. 149</ref> According to Bradley, Truman said, "That G&mdash;D&mdash; stuff. Every time it bumps into us it gets bigger and bigger. It's likely to take us down."<ref>William Rusher, "[http://www.claremont.org/publications/crb/id.1375/article_detail.asp A Closer Look Under The Bed]," ''Claremont Review of Books'', Fall 2004</ref>

By that June, the U.S. Army was persuaded that [http://www.gpo.gov/congress/commissions/secrecy/pdf/12hist1.pdf Ales was Hiss]. General of the Army Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed President Truman that Venona had "positively identified" Hiss and [[Harry Dexter White]] as Soviet agents.<ref>Jerrold and Leona Schecter, ''Sacred Secrets: How Soviet Intelligence Operations Changed American History'' (Washington, DC: Brassey's Inc., 2002) ISBN 1574885227, p. 149</ref> According to Bradley, Truman said, "That G&mdash;D&mdash; stuff. Every time it bumps into us it gets bigger and bigger. It's likely to take us down."<ref>William Rusher, "[http://www.claremont.org/publications/crb/id.1375/article_detail.asp A Closer Look Under The Bed]," ''Claremont Review of Books'', Fall 2004</ref>