The Wilmington morning star., 1946-11-13
As PeglerS Sees 1t
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

By WEsTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, by King Features Syndicate, Inc.)
NEW YORK, Nov. re. P. Dutton and
Company, book publishers, Of New York, are
about to present a new work by John Roy
Carlson, who admits in his preface that this
is called THE Plotters." The price is $3.50
and it is-a continuation Of an earlier book
by Carlson, published in 1913, called "Under
Cover of which 700, 900 copies were sold,
also at 3d. so, a gross sale Of s., 450, 900.
Under Cover was a subject Of bitter con-
~troversy during the war years. 1t was crlti-
cized as a Smear by members OF the Dies
Committee and by John T. Flynn, a relentless
and professionally impeccable rebel against
the political, moral and Intellectual terrorism
waged by the Department of Justice and by
private agencies which he has called 1.-THE
thought police" George Sokolsky, the most
scholarly of the daily commentators, regard
ed "Under Cover" as an outrage. However,
the book thrived on notoriety and on a Sunday
night nationwide campaign of radio pro-
motion. 1t was particularly popular in the
great military, naval and marine corps
camps, whose young transient personnel were
not equipped by either experience or knowl-
edge Of the ways Of organized propaganda to
resist this appeal to their credulity..
On Sept. Is of this year, in the United
States District Court, in Chicago, Judge John
P. Barnes ruled on a motion by George Wash
ington Robnett, who had brought suit against
E. P. Dutton and Co. to vindicate his name
Of aspersions included in "Under Cover and
COR damages. A jury had found for Mr.. Rob-
nett but had thought that a moral victory
was sufficient to make him whole, and thus
awarded damages in only the nominal amount
Of one dollar. Mr.. Robne.t thought Dutton
should be compelled to pay a substantial
amount and so moved for a new trial ION
the ground Of inadequate damages"
Judge Barnes denied the motion. Then, by
extraordinarily vehement an d c~ontemptuous
comment on the ethics and character of both
+putton and Derounian, or Carlson, he award
ed the petitioner extra moral compensation.
Il think I may properly state that had this
case been tried by the court without a jury,
the court would have assessed damages in
a very substantial sum-" Judge Barnes said.
His remarks were extemporaneous, a fact
which will explain the inexact and discon-
nected rhetoric revealed in a transcript certi-
lied by Roy E. Fuller, the official reporter,
in part as follows:
1.-The charges in the book-in the first place,
the book is over 500 pages Of twaddle, Just
twaddle, with a few outrageous charges,
wholly, unfounded, of which any loyal citizen
may properly complain. And they charged
think they charge plaintiff-this book charges
the plaintiff with being disloyal, being a nazi
agent being an enemy of the United States,
and being anti-Semitic. And 1 didn't hear any
evidence OF the truth of those charges. It
wasn't attempted to show that he was a nazi
agent. 1t wasn't attempted to show that he
was an enemy of the country. 1t wasn't at
tempted to show that he was anti-Semitic. l
didn't see any evidence Of that fact.
Il think the book was written by a wholly
irresponsible person who was willing to say
anything for money. I wouldn't believe him
on oath. now or at any time hereafter. l
think that book was published by a publisher
who was willing to publish anything for
money. That is what l think, about it. I don't
think they made an adequate investigation of
the author OF that book. If they had, they would
not publish it unless they cared more for the
almighty dollar than they care for human de-
cency. That is the way I feel about it.
So II say that had I been trying this case,
there would have been substantial damages
assessed against this defendant because I
think he is guilty as guilty as any person
has ever been in this court.
Judge Barnes then affirmed his faith in the
jury system generally, but with the onmen
that there are a lot of people out on the
lunatic fringes of these questions" some o:
whom sometimes "get on the jury" He re,
marked, nevertheless, that it was to the very
great credit of this jury that they had founo
Dutton guilty.
A favorable propaganda campaign already
has begun over the air and in syndicated
newspaper material in anticipation of the new
Derounian, Or Carlson, book, THE Plotters,' -
through the same channels which extolled
Under Cover as a patriotic work. Some
newspapers doubtless will receive this mott
waited promotion material in the guise Of in
formative comment and may publish or re-
ject it at their discretion. Radio stations, how
ever, have no facilities by which to elimi-
nate selectively from national programs ma
terial which the operators may regard as
false and surreptitious. Many of them thus
probably will become agents for the sales pro-
motion of a book by "a wholly irresponsible
person. willing to write anything tor money
and utterly incredible "on OATH" offered by
a publishing house which. in the unchal1enged
opinion Of the court. was willing to publish
anything for money!
John Edmondson, an official Of the publish
ing company, an attorney himself, said II
take it" that Dutton would not contest s'in
any legal way Judge Barnes total and I'M
conditional charge against the integrity and
reputation of a firm which is almost 100 years
old. Hitherto this had been a fine reputation.
For mitigation and comfort Edmondson fell
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