Hiss, Alger (ălˈjər) [key], 1904–96, American public official,
b. Baltimore. After serving (1929–30) as secretary to Justice
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Hiss practiced law in Boston and New York
City. He then was attached to the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration (1933–35) and to the Dept. of Justice (1935–36).
He entered the Dept. of State in 1936 and rose rapidly to become
an adviser at various international conferences and a
coordinator of American foreign policy. In 1947, he resigned his
government post to become president of the Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace. In Aug., 1948, Whittaker Chambers, a
magazine editor and former Communist party courier, accused Hiss
of having helped transmit confidential government documents to
the Russians. Hiss denied these charges; since, under the
statute of limitations, he could not be tried for espionage, he
was indicted (Dec., 1948) on two counts of perjury. When he was
first brought to trial in 1949, the jury was unable to reach a
decision. At a second trial