«Setting up the battleground. If they take me, it won’t be because they want to; they’ll have to. It’ll be because I’ve challenged them.»
«Challenged them? What for? What about?»
«Because there’s a profound difference between us.»
«What does that mean?»
«It means we’re natural enemies.» Trevayne smiled.
«You’re crazy!»
«If I am, I’ll apologize. Let’s get this over with.» Trevayne looked up at the panel. He took the time to rest his eyes on each place, each member. «Mr. Chairman, my attorney and I have concluded our discussion.»
«Yes. Yes, of course… I believe the Senator from Vermont submitted an addition in the form of the Undersecretary’s … basic philosophy. The chair assumes that to mean fundamental political beliefs—not partisan—but of a more general application. None other are pertinent to this hearing.» Gillette looked over his glasses at Vermont’s Norton, so to be sure he understood his meaning.
«Perfectly acceptable, Mr. Chairman.»
«I was hoping it would be, Senator,» added California’s Armbruster with a chuckle. Armbruster and Norton were not only from different sides of the aisle, but as separated in partisan politics as their states were in geography.
Knapp spoke without petitioning the chair. «If I’m not mistaken, the Undersecretary countered our colleague’s addition with one of his own. I think he said he reserved the right to raise similar questions with the members of this panel. A right I seriously doubt should be granted.»
«I don’t believe I made such a request, Senator.» Trevayne spoke softly but with firmness into his microphone. «If it was so construed, I apologize. I have no right—or reason—to question your individual persuasions. I’m concerned only that this panel, as one deliberative body, assure me, as I must assure it, of a sense of commitment. A collective commitment.»
«Mr. Chairman?» The petitioner was the elderly Senator from West Virginia, a man named Talley. He was little known outside the club, but within it was well liked, as much for his easygoing temperament as for his intelligence.
«Senator Talley.»
«I’d like to ask Mr. Trevayne why he even raises the issue. We want the same thing; none of us would be here otherwise. Frankly, I thought this would be one of the shortest hearings on record. Speaking personally, I have great confidence in you, sir. Isn’t that confidence returned? If not personally, at least collectively—to use your term, sir?»
Trevayne looked over at the chairman, silently requesting permission to answer the question. Senator Gillette nodded.
«Of course, it is, Senator Talley. And immense respect. It’s precisely because of my confidence in you, my respect for you, that I wish to be able to refer to this transcript and have it specify that we’ve understood each other. The subcommittee for the Defense Commission will be impotent unless it has the responsible backing of such impartial and influential men as yourselves.» Trevayne paused and ingenuously looked from one side of the panel table to the other. «If you confirm me, gentlemen, and incidentally, I hope that you do, I’m going to need help.»
The West Virginian did not notice the discomfort of several colleagues. «Let me then rephrase my supplication, Mr. Undersecretary. I’m old enough, or naïve enough, or perhaps both, to believe that men of good will—albeit different opinions—can join together in a common cause. The confidence you seek in us I might hope would be documented by what we say to one another in this room. Should it not be to your satisfaction, you have every right to bring it up. Why not find out first?»
«I couldn’t hope for sounder advice, Senator Talley. I’m afraid my initial nervousness clouded my perspective. I’ll try not to raise the issue again.»
Gillette, peering once more over his glasses, looked at Trevayne, and when he spoke, it was clear that he was annoyed. «You may raise whatever issues you wish, sir. As will this panel.» He looked down at the legal pad in front of him, at his own notations. «Senator Norton. You brought up the aspect of Mr. Trevayne’s general philosophy. Would you amplify—briefly, if you please—so we may clear the question and get on. I presume you wish to be satisfied that our guest at least nominally endorses the fundamental laws of the land.»
«Mr. Undersecretary.» Norton’s heavy Vermont dialect seemed more pronounced than necessary as he eyed the candidate. Norton always knew when to use the Yankee approach. It had served him well in many such Senate hearings—especially when television cameras were on the premises. It made him seem so bound-to-the-earth American. «I shall be brief; for both our sakes… I’d like to ask you if you do subscribe to the political system under which this country lives?»
«Of course, I do.» Trevayne was surprised by the naïveté of the question. But not for long.
«Mr. Chairman …» Alan Knapp spoke as if on cue. «I, for one, am frankly disturbed by an aspect of the Undersecretary’s political history. Mr. Undersecretary, you’re what is known as an … independent, if I’m not mistaken.»
«That’s correct.»
«That’s interesting. Of course, I’m aware that in many sectors the term ‘political independent’ is revered. It has a nice, rugged sound to it.»
«That’s not my intention, Senator.»
«But there’s another aspect of such a posture,» continued Knapp without acknowledging Trevayne’s answer. «And I don’t find it particularly independent… Mr. Trevayne, it’s true, is it not, that your companies profited considerably from government contracts—especially during the maximum space expenditures?»
«True. I think we justified whatever profits we made.»
«I would hope so… I wonder, however, if your lack of partisanship wasn’t perhaps shaped by other than ideological motivations. By being neither on one side nor the other, you certainly removed yourself from any political conflict, didn’t you?»
«Again, not my intention.»
«I mean, it would be difficult for anyone to take issue with you on political grounds, since your opinions were … are … buried under the classification of ‘independent.’»
«Just one minute, Senator!» The chairman, visibly upset, spoke sharply.
«I’d like to comment, if I may—»
«You may, Mr. Trevayne, after my own observations. Senator Knapp, I thought I’d made it clear that this is a bipartisan hearing. I find your remarks irrelevant and, frankly, distasteful. Now, you may comment, Mr. Undersecretary.»
«I’d like to inform the Senator that anyone, at any time, may ascertain my political opinions by simply asking for them. I’m not shy. On the other hand, I wasn’t aware that government contracts were granted on the basis of political affiliations.»
«Exactly my point, Mr. Trevayne.» Knapp turned toward the center of the table. «Mr. Chairman, in my seven years in the Senate I have many times supported those whose politics differed from my own and, conversely, denied support to members of my own party. In such cases my approval or disapproval was based on the specific questions on the floor. As men of conscience, we all practice the same ethics. What bothers me about our candidate is that he elects to be called ‘non-partisan.’ That worries me. I fear such people in places of power. I wonder at their so-called independence. I wonder, if, instead, it’s merely a convenience to be a companion of the strongest wind?»
There was a momentary silence in the room. Gillette removed his glasses and turned toward Knapp.
«Hypocrisy is a most serious insinuation, Senator.»