2
The desertion of the old establishments for the new resembled, at uneasy moments, revolution.
The Congressional Committee, though anti-Cavite, did not dare even to censure him ... partly from the fear of the vast crowd which waited in the Capitol plaza and partly from the larger, more cogent awareness that it was politically suicidal for any popularly elected Representative to outrage a minority of such strength.
The hearing fizzled out after Cave’s appearance and though there were a few denunciatory speeches on the floor of Congress, no official action was taken; shortly afterwards the ban on Cave’s television appearances was lifted but by then it was too late and millions of people had got permanently into the habit of attending weekly meetings at the various Centers to listen to Cave, to discuss with the Residents and their staffs the points of doctrine ... and doctrine it had become.
The second year in our yellow citadel was more active than the first. It was decided that Cave make no personal appearances anywhere. According to Paul, the mystery would be kept intact and the legend would grow under the most auspicious circumstances. He did not reveal his actual motive in Cave’s presence but I was aware, from private conversations we had, just the two of us, of the wisdom of his plan.
He explained himself to me late one afternoon in my office.
“Get him in front of a really hostile crowd and there’d be no telling what might happen.” Paul was restlessly marching about the room in his shirtsleeves ... a blunt cigar in his mouth gave him the appearance of a lower-echelon politician.
“There’s never been a hostile audience yet,” I reminded him. “Except for the Congressional hearings and I thought he handled himself quite well with them.”
“With your script in his head,” Paul chuckled and stopped his march to the filing cabinet by way of that huge television screen which dominated every office and home. “What I mean is, he’s never been in a debate. He’s never had a tough opponent, a heckler. The Congressmen were pretty mild and even though they weren’t friendly they stuck to easy issues. But what would happen if Bishop Winston got him up before an audience? Winston’s a lot smarter and he’s nearly as good in public.”
“I suppose Cave would hypnotize him, too.”