Cedric Belfrage, Fever Charts

from: The American Inquisition

by Cedric Belfrage

Fever Chart, 1951

(from pg. 153)

FEVER CHART | FEVER CHART 1948-49 | FEVER CHART 1952 | FEVER CHART 1956-57

Scene: House of Representatives.

SPEAKER: Is there objection to the present consideration of this bill (to prevent entry into US of certain giant snails ) ?

MR. RICH: Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I would like to know whether the gentleman supporting this bill would not include, beside snails, Communists and radicals. If he did, then I think he would probably get a good bill. . . I wonder if the gentleman from North Carolina would not include Communists and radicals.

MR. COOLEY: I would not have any objection to that myself.


Scene: House of Representatives. A bill has been introduced to admit a half-Japanese child into America

RANKIN (Mississippi): I intend to block this bill. The country is being flooded with un-American elements.

A CONGRESSMAN: But isn't the alien involved a three-year-old boy?

RANKIN: They all get some kind of excuse for bringing these people in here.


(from pg. 154)

Hanover, New Hampshire: College paper, The Dartmouth, appraises new graduating class.

"We're more interested in Security (nee Getting-Rich) than public service or someone else's minimum subsistence. We've stopped listening to the Other Side, ceased reading and thinking about it. Every man has his own Iron Curtain. We would much rather be safe and sure and successful than be called names or be accused of ideological heresy. We have neon teeth and a firm handshake, but no political guts or conviction. Both faculty and administration, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, have been 'walking reluctantly backward into the future."'


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