fbpx
Wikipedia

Abraham Feller

January 03, 2023

Abraham Howard Feller (1904 – November 13, 1952) was the chief legal counsel under Trygve Lie of the United Nations and a friend of Alger Hiss who committed suicide during investigations into communist subversion at the UN by the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (SISS).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Feller (centre)

Background

 
Austin Hall at Harvard Law School, where Feller studied

Feller was born in 1904 in New York City.[2][4] He graduated from Columbia University in 1925, Phi Beta Kappa.[8][9] At Columbia, he was classmates with future Federal Reserve chairman Arthur F. Burns and critic Lionel Trilling.[8] In 1928, he graduated from Harvard Law School (a year ahead of Alger Hiss and Lee Pressman–and, like them, an editor of the Harvard Law Review[5]).[1]

Career

 
United Nations Headquarters in New York City, where Feller worked

In 1932 to 1933, Feller taught at Harvard Law School.[1]

In the 1930s New Deal and the 1940s, Feller had served the federal government in Washington, DC.[1][4] He was a member of Franklin Roosevelt's "Brain Trust."[5]

In the Fall of 1938, Feller was an American Labor Party candidate in New York City, as was Bella Dodd (and John F. O'Donnell for the Socialist Party of America).[10][11]

In 1946, Feller joined the United Nations during its formation in London as legal counsel and policy adviser.[4] He contributed to the drafting of the UN charter,[5] as did Charles Easton Rothwell.[12] At the time, he was working closely with Hiss.[6]

The June 7, 1950, Congressional Record states:

In addition to the three Assistant Secretaries-General, Lie appointed pro-Soviet Abraham Feller as General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department of the United Nations Secretariat. Feller's Russian sympathies are well known to his associates. He has been a member of the Committee of International Law of the Nation[al] Lawyers Guild, which was repudiated as Communist-controlled by such liberal attorneys as Frank P. Walsh, Morris Ernst, Ferdinand Pecora, and Robert Jackson. Feller was also a member of the Washington Committee for Democratic Action, which defended civil-service employees;oyees charged with subversive activities and was itself cited as subversive by Attorney General Francis Biddle.[13]

As general counsel and principal director of the Legal Department of the United Nations Secretariat,"[3] Feller headed a 52-person legal team.[7] He served as liaison between the UN and U.S. congressional committees investigating communist subversion in government.[1] A States Department report dated January 17, 1951, states:

Subject: McCarran Act1—Possible Conflict with Headquarters Agreement
In conversation with Abe Feller in New York recently he expressed the view that the regulations which have been issued under the McCarran Act make it fairly clear to him that there is likely to be some conflict between that Act and the way in which it is being interpreted and the Headquarters Agreement. He expressed the view that in the event of such conflict the UN secretariat would be forced to resort to the arbitration procedure under the Agreement. He stated he thought this would be very unfortunate and wondered whether any consideration was being given to a general amendment to the McCarran Act which would waive its provisions so far as it conflicted with international obligations or international agreements. I told him I did not know whether any amendments were under consideration but that I would bring his view to your attention.[3]

Feller's appointment as chief legal counsel had upset the communist press:

Pravda, in an article published Feb, 21, 1951, said that Mr. Feller decided all matters in the legal department and that Mr. Feller and Andrew W. Cordier, Mr. Lie's executive assistant, were "agents of the American State Department" and "American stooges" who "plan in the machinery of the Secretariat various behind-the-scene actions connected with the American aggression in Korea."[14]

Time magazine also reported that Feller was under no suspicion himself–and that the US hearings had "uncovered 17 among the 2,000 Americans on the UN staff who refused to say whether or not they have engaged in subversive activities."[4] However, according to Feller's grand-nephew, he had received a subpoena from Roy Cohn to appear before the SISS.[6] Weeks before his death, he had become acting Assistant Secretary General of the UN.[4]

Personal life and death

 
Alger Hiss (1950) was a friend of Feller's from Harvard

Feller was "reportedly" a "close friend" of Alger Hiss. At the time of Feller's suicide, Hiss was already convicted of perjury in 1950 based on communism-related charges.[1]

On November 13, 1952, at 47, Feller committed suicide by jumping out of the window of his 12th-floor apartment in New York City.[2][14][4][6][7]

Secretary General Trygve Lie blamed "indiscriminate smears" from the McCarran committee.[7] Lie said that Feller could not take the strain of investigations by a U.S. grand jury and the SISS.[2] "But what depressed Feller most were the problems and pressures that had been laid on the U.N. in recent months by a Federal grand jury and the McCarran Senate subcommittee, in their investigation of subversive Americans on the U.N. Secretariat."[4] His wife said he had suffered a "nervous breakdown brought on by overwork."[7]

According to a source unidentified by the New York Times, two recent events had depressed Feller: the defeat of Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson Jr. and the resignation of Secretary General Lie.[14]

The Fellers had one daughter.[4] Writer Peter Birkenhead is his great-nephew.[5]

Aftermath

 
Trygve Lie (1938)

Lie characterized Feller's death as an "irreparable loss to the United Nations and to me personally."[14]

Feller's wife said of him, "He was an idealist, and his whole life was devoted to the United Nations."[4]

Ralph Bunche, the director of the "Department of Trusteeship" for the United Nations, "denounced Americans who bring pressure upon the United Nations as unable to understand that such an international body cannot serve the exclusive national interests of any member state". Dr. Bunche was alluding to the Senate Internal Security subcommittee."[14]

According to the New York Times, members of the UN Secretariat believe that:

the subcommittee has not confined itself to a search for employees guilty of espionage or of subversive activities, or for members of the Communist party, but actually is on the trail of all with a Left Wing or New Deal background.[14]

The Secretariat also complained of leaks to newspapers from the U.S. grand jury. Overall, the Secretariat had noticed that US government was ready to go after any Americans at the UN "who were ever in the slightest degree associated with Alger Hiss.[14]

Legacy

 
Feller co-wrote the Charter of the United Nations (drafted 14 August 1941, signed 26 June 1945)

Allen Garfield portrayed him in the 1992 HBO movie Citizen Cohn[16]

Works

Articles

  • "Addendum to the Regulations Problem" with Erwin N. Griswold (1941)[17]

Books

  • Handbuch der entscheidungen des Ständigen schiedshofs with Ernst Schmitz (1931)
  • Collection of the diplomatic and consular laws and regulations of various countries as editor with Manley O. Hudson (1933)
  • Mexican claims commissions, 1923-1934 (1935)
  • Reparation for injuries suffered in the service of the United Nations: oral statements with Ivan S. Kerno (1949)
  • The United Nations and the World Community (1952)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Ex-Law Teacher, Aide to UN's Lie, Commits Suicide". The Crimson. Harvard University. 14 November 1952. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Abraham Feller, High U.N. Official, Commits Suicide in New York". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 14 November 1952. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Memorandum by the Director of the Office of International Administration and Conferences (Hall) to the Legal Adviser (Fisher)". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951. U.S. Department of State. 17 January 1951. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "United Nations: Death of an Idealist". Time. 24 November 1952. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Birkenhead, Peter (25 June 2015). . The Week. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e Birkenhead, Peter (26 June 2005). . Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e "U.N. Has a Bad Week". Life. 24 November 1952. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Columbia Daily Spectator 6 April 1925 — Columbia Spectator". spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  9. ^ "Appointment of Abraham Feller". United Nations. from the original on 2021-06-29.
  10. ^ "Ten Party Designees Quit Primary Races". New York Times. 19 August 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Political Slates Are Shifted Here". New York Times. 24 August 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Charles Easton Rothwell, 84, Dies; Educator Helped Draft U.N. Charter". Los Angeles Times. 3 May 1987. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  13. ^ Congressional Record. The New York Times. 7 June 1950. p. 8248. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Secretary General Says Aide Sought Justice for Those Accused of Subversion". New York Times. 14 November 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  15. ^ "UN Honors Feller with Reading Room". New York Times. 15 August 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  16. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103973/[user-generated source]
  17. ^ Feller, Abraham H.; Griswold, Erwin N. (1941). "Addendum to the Regulations Problem". Faculty Scholarship Series. Harvard Law Review. Retrieved 10 October 2018.

External links

  • Getty Images body of Feller
  • Getty Images body of Feller (2)

January 03, 2023
abraham, feller, abraham, howard, feller, 1904, november, 1952, chief, legal, counsel, under, trygve, united, nations, friend, alger, hiss, committed, suicide, during, investigations, into, communist, subversion, senate, internal, security, subcommittee, siss,. Abraham Howard Feller 1904 November 13 1952 was the chief legal counsel under Trygve Lie of the United Nations and a friend of Alger Hiss who committed suicide during investigations into communist subversion at the UN by the U S Senate Internal Security Subcommittee SISS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Feller centre Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 Aftermath 5 Legacy 6 Works 6 1 Articles 6 2 Books 7 References 8 External linksBackground Edit Austin Hall at Harvard Law School where Feller studied Feller was born in 1904 in New York City 2 4 He graduated from Columbia University in 1925 Phi Beta Kappa 8 9 At Columbia he was classmates with future Federal Reserve chairman Arthur F Burns and critic Lionel Trilling 8 In 1928 he graduated from Harvard Law School a year ahead of Alger Hiss and Lee Pressman and like them an editor of the Harvard Law Review 5 1 Career Edit United Nations Headquarters in New York City where Feller worked In 1932 to 1933 Feller taught at Harvard Law School 1 In the 1930s New Deal and the 1940s Feller had served the federal government in Washington DC 1 4 He was a member of Franklin Roosevelt s Brain Trust 5 In the Fall of 1938 Feller was an American Labor Party candidate in New York City as was Bella Dodd and John F O Donnell for the Socialist Party of America 10 11 In 1946 Feller joined the United Nations during its formation in London as legal counsel and policy adviser 4 He contributed to the drafting of the UN charter 5 as did Charles Easton Rothwell 12 At the time he was working closely with Hiss 6 The June 7 1950 Congressional Record states In addition to the three Assistant Secretaries General Lie appointed pro Soviet Abraham Feller as General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department of the United Nations Secretariat Feller s Russian sympathies are well known to his associates He has been a member of the Committee of International Law of the Nation al Lawyers Guild which was repudiated as Communist controlled by such liberal attorneys as Frank P Walsh Morris Ernst Ferdinand Pecora and Robert Jackson Feller was also a member of the Washington Committee for Democratic Action which defended civil service employees oyees charged with subversive activities and was itself cited as subversive by Attorney General Francis Biddle 13 As general counsel and principal director of the Legal Department of the United Nations Secretariat 3 Feller headed a 52 person legal team 7 He served as liaison between the UN and U S congressional committees investigating communist subversion in government 1 A States Department report dated January 17 1951 states Subject McCarran Act1 Possible Conflict with Headquarters AgreementIn conversation with Abe Feller in New York recently he expressed the view that the regulations which have been issued under the McCarran Act make it fairly clear to him that there is likely to be some conflict between that Act and the way in which it is being interpreted and the Headquarters Agreement He expressed the view that in the event of such conflict the UN secretariat would be forced to resort to the arbitration procedure under the Agreement He stated he thought this would be very unfortunate and wondered whether any consideration was being given to a general amendment to the McCarran Act which would waive its provisions so far as it conflicted with international obligations or international agreements I told him I did not know whether any amendments were under consideration but that I would bring his view to your attention 3 Feller s appointment as chief legal counsel had upset the communist press Pravda in an article published Feb 21 1951 said that Mr Feller decided all matters in the legal department and that Mr Feller and Andrew W Cordier Mr Lie s executive assistant were agents of the American State Department and American stooges who plan in the machinery of the Secretariat various behind the scene actions connected with the American aggression in Korea 14 Time magazine also reported that Feller was under no suspicion himself and that the US hearings had uncovered 17 among the 2 000 Americans on the UN staff who refused to say whether or not they have engaged in subversive activities 4 However according to Feller s grand nephew he had received a subpoena from Roy Cohn to appear before the SISS 6 Weeks before his death he had become acting Assistant Secretary General of the UN 4 Personal life and death Edit Alger Hiss 1950 was a friend of Feller s from Harvard Feller was reportedly a close friend of Alger Hiss At the time of Feller s suicide Hiss was already convicted of perjury in 1950 based on communism related charges 1 On November 13 1952 at 47 Feller committed suicide by jumping out of the window of his 12th floor apartment in New York City 2 14 4 6 7 Secretary General Trygve Lie blamed indiscriminate smears from the McCarran committee 7 Lie said that Feller could not take the strain of investigations by a U S grand jury and the SISS 2 But what depressed Feller most were the problems and pressures that had been laid on the U N in recent months by a Federal grand jury and the McCarran Senate subcommittee in their investigation of subversive Americans on the U N Secretariat 4 His wife said he had suffered a nervous breakdown brought on by overwork 7 According to a source unidentified by the New York Times two recent events had depressed Feller the defeat of Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson Jr and the resignation of Secretary General Lie 14 The Fellers had one daughter 4 Writer Peter Birkenhead is his great nephew 5 Aftermath Edit Trygve Lie 1938 Lie characterized Feller s death as an irreparable loss to the United Nations and to me personally 14 Feller s wife said of him He was an idealist and his whole life was devoted to the United Nations 4 Ralph Bunche the director of the Department of Trusteeship for the United Nations denounced Americans who bring pressure upon the United Nations as unable to understand that such an international body cannot serve the exclusive national interests of any member state Dr Bunche was alluding to the Senate Internal Security subcommittee 14 According to the New York Times members of the UN Secretariat believe that the subcommittee has not confined itself to a search for employees guilty of espionage or of subversive activities or for members of the Communist party but actually is on the trail of all with a Left Wing or New Deal background 14 The Secretariat also complained of leaks to newspapers from the U S grand jury Overall the Secretariat had noticed that US government was ready to go after any Americans at the UN who were ever in the slightest degree associated with Alger Hiss 14 Legacy Edit Feller co wrote the Charter of the United Nations drafted 14 August 1941 signed 26 June 1945 United Nations Charter co author 5 Abraham Feller Memorial Reading Room at UN HQ NYC 5 6 15 Allen Garfield portrayed him in the 1992 HBO movie Citizen Cohn 16 Works EditArticles Edit Addendum to the Regulations Problem with Erwin N Griswold 1941 17 Books Edit Handbuch der entscheidungen des Standigen schiedshofs with Ernst Schmitz 1931 Collection of the diplomatic and consular laws and regulations of various countries as editor with Manley O Hudson 1933 Mexican claims commissions 1923 1934 1935 Reparation for injuries suffered in the service of the United Nations oral statements with Ivan S Kerno 1949 The United Nations and the World Community 1952 References Edit a b c d e f Ex Law Teacher Aide to UN s Lie Commits Suicide The Crimson Harvard University 14 November 1952 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c d Abraham Feller High U N Official Commits Suicide in New York Jewish Telegraphic Agency 14 November 1952 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c Memorandum by the Director of the Office of International Administration and Conferences Hall to the Legal Adviser Fisher Foreign Relations of the United States 1951 U S Department of State 17 January 1951 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c d e f g h i j United Nations Death of an Idealist Time 24 November 1952 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c d e f g Birkenhead Peter 25 June 2015 The Man Who Jumped Out the Window The Week Archived from the original on 13 August 2015 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c d e Birkenhead Peter 26 June 2005 What the Bullies Did to Uncle Abe Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on October 29 2017 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b c d e U N Has a Bad Week Life 24 November 1952 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b Columbia Daily Spectator 6 April 1925 Columbia Spectator spectatorarchive library columbia edu Retrieved 2021 06 29 Appointment of Abraham Feller United Nations Archived from the original on 2021 06 29 Ten Party Designees Quit Primary Races New York Times 19 August 1938 p 5 Retrieved 24 November 2019 Political Slates Are Shifted Here New York Times 24 August 1938 p 12 Retrieved 24 November 2019 Charles Easton Rothwell 84 Dies Educator Helped Draft U N Charter Los Angeles Times 3 May 1987 Retrieved 26 December 2022 Congressional Record The New York Times 7 June 1950 p 8248 Retrieved 24 November 2019 a b c d e f g Secretary General Says Aide Sought Justice for Those Accused of Subversion New York Times 14 November 1952 p 1 Retrieved 10 October 2018 UN Honors Feller with Reading Room New York Times 15 August 1953 p 5 Retrieved 16 October 2018 https www imdb com title tt0103973 user generated source Feller Abraham H Griswold Erwin N 1941 Addendum to the Regulations Problem Faculty Scholarship Series Harvard Law Review Retrieved 10 October 2018 External links EditGetty Images body of Feller Getty Images body of Feller 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abraham Feller amp oldid 1129740158, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.