“We shall be labeled anyway,” Beatrice broke in, “Even if we spend money and time explaining how anti-Communist we are like the ADA. We shall be called Reds because it’s absolutely inevitable that we shall have to defend Communists for some time to come. The question of the rights of Communists is the frontier of Civil Liberties today, after all. Ten years ago, as some of you perhaps do not know,” she said turning round to face the younger members of the committee, “we defended the rights of fascist organizations, Gerald K. Smith’s for one.”

“But,” one of the young men answered, “just because we shall be defending Communists, Miss Carr, mustn’t we ourselves be impeccable?”

“Hasn’t the national affiliate a right to know that we are?” another broke in.

Above their voices Damon’s could be heard. “This is not a personal matter, Edward. I have a right to say what I think, and I object to your tone.”

Everyone was now talking at once except Grace, surprisingly enough. She was trying to measure the damage already done. Here it was again, she thought. Instead of getting down to business, we are fighting among ourselves about things which should be absolutely taken for granted. She sat up as straight as a ramrod, her cheeks flushed, and finally shouted, “Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, we have a motion before us.”

By now some people had forgotten the motion and Edward repeated it for their benefit. It was put to a vote and voted down, with only Beatrice, Edward and herself in the affirmative. Grace could feel the tension in Edward as painfully as if he were twisting her arm and not sitting, as he was, with his head in his hands. She knew very well how he felt and that for him this was a crucial matter. She had heard him say often enough that if you begin to compromise on matters of principle, you are lost. To the others, it might seem a small matter—after all, there were no members of the Party on the committee and why not say as much? But to Edward—and she felt sure he was right in essence—the first compromise led inevitably to others; if you give in on small matters, you haven’t a leg to stand on when the big things come along. That was the position. How Damon could fail to admit it, she could not understand.

While she was turning all this over anxiously in her mind, Damon was making a motion about the kind of letter they might write, giving the necessary assurance, on the chairman’s word, with no further inquiries among themselves. Once while he talked he turned to Edward, as if to plead with him, but Edward did not raise his head. His hands were clasped tightly between his knees. Let’s get it over with, Grace thought. Damon’s motion was voted.