Ethel Rosenberg by Anne Sebba

Author:Anne Sebba
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

Julius’s speech, while undoubtedly rehearsed, sounded as if it came from the heart. There was more in this vein as Bloch asked Julius specifically whether he approved of the “Communistic” system over the “capitalistic” system. Julius replied that he believed each country should choose its own system: “If the English want a king it is their business. If the Russians want Communism it is their business. If the Americans want our form of government it is our business.”10 He was expressing precisely the sort of ideas that Life magazine had made famous in its March 29, 1943, edition, devoted to explaining the USSR in a positive light when it suited the government to ensure that ordinary Americans were made aware why this once barbaric country was an ally.

Julius was speaking sensibly when Judge Kaufman abruptly intervened. He had heard enough. The judge asked Julius if he had ever belonged to any group that discussed the system in Russia.11 “Well, your honor,” Julius responded flatly, “I feel at this time that I refuse to answer a question that might tend to incriminate me.” With one ill-considered answer, Julius had spoiled the impression that Bloch had been carefully trying to create of a somewhat naive but patriotic young American who had nothing to hide.

Bloch resumed, taking Julius back to the fateful night in January 1945 when Julius had allegedly cut up the Jell-O box and assigned his and Ethel’s left-wing neighbor Ann Sidorovich as his choice of courier to receive whatever David stole from Los Alamos. Fed by Bloch, Julius denied everything that the court had just heard from David and Ruth about this purported episode; according to Julius, it simply never happened. When Bloch asked if Julius had access to the large sums of money alleged by David and Ruth, Julius said that he had bought Ethel a fur coat for $80 about eight or nine years ago when he had received a check for some work he had been doing for the government. “We remodeled it a couple of times and she still has it,” he added.12 Otherwise Julius said Ethel bought her own clothes and had spent a maximum of about $300 over the last ten years. Looking at Ethel’s drab clothes, the jury would have had no difficulty in believing that statement.

Julius also denied ever having met Elizabeth Bentley or Jacob Golos. He denied ever discussing the nature of David’s work at Los Alamos or even knowing at the time that an atomic weapon was being built there. For several more hours, Bloch put leading questions to Julius about every significant episode in the prosecution case. Each time, Julius emphatically denied the alleged facts that had been presented to the court. None of Ruth and David’s allegations were true, said Julius, offering an alternative scenario of how David had approached him for help with money. According to Julius, when he had told Ethel about meeting David, she had replied: “What’s the matter? Is Ruthie nagging Dave again for

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