David Schine: McCarthyism Role & Roy Cohn Connection in Fellow Travelers Explored

Article Overview

David Schine, a key figure in the Red and Lavender Scares of the 1950s, was involved in investigating Langston Hughes for his supposed communist leanings.

Schine became famous for writing a pamphlet opposing communism and formed a friendship with Roy Cohn, which led to his participation in McCarthy's campaign against communism. Accusations claim that Cohn leveraged his political influence to provide Schine with certain advantages in the Army and exempt him from military service, which was later insinuated during the Army-McCarthy hearings.

David Schine, played by Matt Visser, is an often overlooked yet essential character in the Showtime series Fellow Travelers. He works closely with Roy Cohn in the investigation of Langston Hughes, a renowned poet, in the second episode. Hughes was under scrutiny for his poetry and writings, which were perceived to have communist or anticapitalist leanings. Schine, along with Cohn and Senator Joseph McCarthy, played significant roles in the Red and Lavender Scares of the early 1950s, aiming to eradicate "subversive" and "deviant" individuals from the U.S. Federal Government.

In this episode, Fellow Travelers also introduces a courageous gay news reporter named Marcus Gaines, portrayed by Jelani Alladin. Marcus questions why a capable young man like Schine was not drafted into the military during the Korean War. In response, Cohn, as the leader of the U.S. State Department's Subcommittee on Investigations, strips Marcus of his press access, effectively isolating him from his professional sphere. Suspecting that Cohn and Schine are concealing something, Marcus seeks help from Hawk Fuller, played by Matt Bomer, to uncover the questionable nature of Schine's 4F military classification.

David Schine Was Central To 1954's Army-McCarthy Hearings In Real Life

In Fellow Travelers episode 2, Schine became famous for writing a comical anti-communist pamphlet called "Definition of Communism," which he amusingly gave to Langston Hughes in the Showtime series. This pamphlet, though short and full of factual errors, garnered Schine attention and admiration. It was through this notoriety that Schine caught the eye of Cohn, and the two Ivy League graduates formed a friendship. Schine was then recruited by Cohn to work for Senator Joseph McCarthy and assumed the position of an unpaid assistant. Together, they embarked on an anti-communist campaign in Europe and the United States.

In real life, Schine played a crucial role in the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings. These hearings held Cohn and McCarthy accountable for exerting unprofessional influence on the United States Army. The entire hearing centered around the allegation that Cohn had improperly coerced and even blackmailed the Army into granting special privileges to Schine, so he could avoid his mandatory military duty. McCarthy defended Cohn and Schine, arguing that the Army had fabricated the allegation as revenge for political disagreements. Eventually, Cohn took responsibility for his actions, leaving McCarthy unaffected, and leaving Schine to seek work outside of politics.

How & Why Roy Cohn Got David Schine Special Privileges In The Army

In the second episode of Fellow Travelers, Schine and Cohn's collaboration against communism reaches its peak just as Schine is drafted into the U.S. Army. During a press conference, Marcus confronts Schine directly, questioning why he is not fighting overseas like other men his age who were also drafted. Cohn quickly dismisses Marcus as an unserious reporter, despite the validity of Marcus' claims. Later, Hawk informs Marcus that Schine is classified as 4F, which means he is unfit to serve in the military due to physical or psychological reasons.

In the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings, allegations are made against Cohn suggesting that he used his political influence to pressure the Army into declaring Schine unfit for service, allowing him to avoid the draft entirely. The hearings reveal that the Army's accusations against Cohn are partially true, as he had provided special privileges to Schine, including access to McCarthy's personal resources. Furthermore, it is discovered that Cohn, who was later revealed to be homosexual, and Schine may have had intimate and romantic involvement, given that they once lived together and shared expenses.

How Fellow Travelers Changes David Schine's True Story

The extent to which Fellow Travelers will delve into the affair between Cohn and Schine remains uncertain. However, it is evident that the show aims to stay true to the historical accounts of their relationship. While Schine's role in the series is currently overshadowed by Hawk, Tim, and Marcus, this could change as more is revealed about his and Cohn's actual connection. The exact nature of the closeness between Cohn, Schine, and Senator Joseph McCarthy is historically undocumented or undisclosed, offering Fellow Travelers the opportunity to explore various narrative possibilities regarding the true extent of their associations.

Editor's P/S

David Schine, a significant figure in the Red and Lavender Scares of the 1950s, played a pivotal role in investigating Langston Hughes for alleged communist leanings. Schine gained notoriety by writing an anti-communist pamphlet and formed a close friendship with Roy Cohn, leading to his involvement in McCarthy's campaign against communism. Accusations arose that Cohn used his political influence to provide Schine with special privileges in the Army and exempt him from military service, which became a焦点uring the Army-McCarthy hearings.

In the Showtime series Fellow Travelers, Schine's character is portrayed as an often overlooked yet essential figure. He works closely with Cohn in the investigation of Langston Hughes, and their actions contribute to the Red and Lavender Scares' atmosphere of fear and persecution. The series also introduces Marcus Gaines, a courageous gay news reporter who questions why Schine, a capable young man, was not drafted into the military during the Korean War. This raises suspicions about Cohn and Schine's motives and leads to a deeper exploration of the questionable nature of Schine's military classification.