Loyalty Oaths

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, when President Harry S. Truman instituted a loyalty program in March of 1947, he did so because the U.S. was facing an insidious assault from Communist forces trying to infiltrate. It then examines several instances of oath-taking pursued by the U.S. Federal Government and by other institutions in the middle of the last century and outlines how each one did nothing to thwart unfriendly Communist activity. Next, the paper argues that, instead of wasting time and energy on a fatuous loyalty oath, public and private employers should have focused wholly upon improving security and clearance measures, should have educated the public on the dangers Communism presented to the American way of life, and should have reminded American citizens of what they needed to do to keep the country safe at the height of the Cold War.

From the Paper:

"Understandably, loyalty oaths were frequently demanded of those who, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, were prospective recipients of the largesse of the American government or its various appendages. For instance, May of 1949 saw the Atomic Energy Commission pass a rule that all future holders of Commission fellowships were to provide an Oath of Loyalty and to fill out a non-Communist affidavit if they wished to receive the much-coveted prizes (Waggoner, 1; for another example of the ubiquitous Loyalty Oath in action, please see "Edison, CIO Agree on Loyalty Oath," 20). Although such a measure might seem like a good idea at first glance, the simple truth is that someone trying to secure one of the nation's most prestigious fellowships (this was certainly the case in 1949) is already tempted to tell Commission Board members whatever it is they want to hear - and they will undoubtedly sign most any document if doing so will gain them a competitive advantage over someone else."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Edison, CIO Agree on Loyalty Oath," New York Times 8 Mar. 1949: 20.
• Fine, Benjamin. "Educators insist on ouster of reds," New York Times 30 May 1949: 14.
• Gould, Jack. "CBS Demanding Loyalty Oaths from its 2,500 Regular Employees," New York Times 21 Dec. 1950: 1-17.
• "Loyalty Oaths," New York Times 14 Jun. 1949: 30.
• "Text of Truman's Order to Test Loyalty of US Employees," New York Times 22 Mar. 1947: 49.

More papers on Loyalty Oaths:

• Persuasive Essay # 134559 : "Why Loyalty Oaths Don't Work"
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• Analytical Essay # 136291 : "Immigration Reform in Early 21st Century Canada"

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