Donald Hiss (December 15, 1906 – May 18, 1989), also known as "Donie"[1][2] and "Donnie",[3] was the younger brother of Alger Hiss. Donald Hiss's name was mentioned during the 1948 hearings wherein his more famous and older brother, Alger, was accused of spying for the Soviet Union, and two years later convicted of perjury before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
On September 18, 1936, he was appointed an assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State and worked in the State Department throughout World War II. In 1945, he joined the law firm of Covington & Burling.[5]
Hiss Case
On August 3, 1948, Whittaker Chambers included the name of Donald Hiss along with his brother Alger and more than half a dozen other former Federal officials as members of the Ware Group and of the Communist Party when testifying under subpoena to HUAC.[6]
On August 7, 1948, Chambers stated to the committee, "I can give you the general impression. He was much less intelligent than Alger. Much less sensitive than his brother."[6][7]
On August 13, 1948, like his brother and Harry Dexter White, Hiss denied the allegation, stating:
I flatly deny every statement made by Mr. Chambers with respect to me. I am not, and never have been, a member of the Communist Party or of any formal or informal organizations affiliated with, or fronting in any manner whatsoever for, the Communist Party. In fact, the only organizations and clubs to which I have belonged are the local Y.M.C.A., the Miles River Yacht Club of Maryland, the old Washington Racquet Club, the Harvard Law School Association, the American Society of International Law, and college fraternities and athletic clubs.
I have no recollection of ever having met any person by the name of D. Whittaker Chambers, nor do I recognize his photograph which I have seen in the public press. I am not and never have been in sympathy with the principles of the Communist Party ... I have never known that man by the name of Chambers, Carl, or any other name... If I am lying, I should go to jail, and if Mr. Chambers is lying, he should go to jail."[6][7]
Unlike his brother Alger, Donald was never indicted.[5][13][14]
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Marbury Jr., William L. (1981). "The Hiss-Chambers Libel Suit". Maryland Historical Magazine. 70 ("Donie") (1): 74 (Georgetown), 76 (UN job). Retrieved 23 November 2016.
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Marbury, William L. (1981). "The Hiss-Chambers Libel Suit". Maryland Law Review. 41 (1). University of Maryland - Francis King Carey School of Law: 83. Retrieved 18 August 2017.