Corliss Lamont Faces Indictment Today for Contempt of Senate

Corliss Lamont '24 pleaded the First Amendment in face of his indictment yesterday in New York charging him with contempt of the Senate before the subcommittee led by Senator Joseph F. McCarthy.

The author-lecturer, who has denied frequent accusations of his being a Communist, expressed "faith that our courts will ultimately uphold my position." Also indicated with Lamont were Attorney Abraham Unger and Albert Shadowits of Nutley, N.J.

Lamont based his defense on the First Amendment, which he said, allowed Senator McCarthy no right to question him. He also contended that the McCarthy subcommittee exceeded its bounds of jurisdiction.

On September 23, 1953, Lamont appeared before the McCarthy subcommittee, where he refused to answer some 23 questions. The Senate voted contempt citations against Lamont. Unger, and Shadowits last August 19, on which the grand jury proceeded to indict them.

Lamont is a professor of philosophy at Columbia University and the son of the late financier, Thomas W. Lamont '92, University Overseer, who in 1947 gave $1.5 million to the College for the construction of an undergraduate library. If found guilty, Lamond could receive a maximum penalty of $1 million fine and a year in prison.