Evening star., 1951-03-09
Probe Of Democrats
Role in Butler Tabloid
To Continue Tuesday
By w. n. Shippen

prediction tabloid will be inves-
tigated further Tuesday at the
Senate inquiry into the Butler
Tydings campaign.
The first witness after the week
end recess was to be William F
Peterson of Baltimore, who was
said to have come to the Times
Herald newspaper Office here with
an attorney to go over the galley
proofs of the tabloid.
Two other officers of the young
Democrats committee, Edward B.
Freeman. chairman, and John B
Purnell, treasurer. yesterday told
the Senators they never read proof
on the copy before publication
and did not know who wrote the
material.
The tabloid, 100000 copies of
which were printed by the Times
Herald, has been attacked by Mr.
Tydings as a tissue of lies" He
asked that the subcommittee rec
ommend action against those re-
sponsible under the libel laws, if
his charges are substantiated.
Distributed Through HEADQUARTERS.
The newspaper" which stated
on the masthead it was sponsored
by the young Democrats, and car
ried the names of Mr.. Freeman
and MIR. Purnell, was distributed
through the Butler campaign
headquarters, Mr.. Purnell said.
Jon M. Jonkel, campaign man.
ager and former Chicago public
relations counsel, has testified he
paid at least part of the distribu-
ton bill from contribution checks
he received late in the campaign
and never turned over to the
treasurer.
Mr.. Purnell said Mr.. Jonkel
and Mrs. Katherine Van Dyke,
campaign office manager, prom
ised him the tabloid bill would be
paid. and he later received a
check to pay the Times Herald
lao for the printing job.
The witness said that, after Mr..
Peterson and the attorney, Andy
Brewster, looked over the copy,
I'VE gave our approval to the pub
lication of the paper, and I was
present when such authority was
telephoned to the Times Herald
in Washington"
Mrs. Miller May Testify.
In addition to Mr.. Peterson,
the witnesses Tuesday may in
clude Mrs. Ruth Mccormick
Miller, editor of the Times Herald,
and several members of her staff
Frank Smith. former chief edi-
torial writer for the paper, who
was hired by Mr.. Butler as his
administrative assistant, has been
i'll at his home this week and un-
able to testify as scheduled.
Both Mr.. Freeman and Mr..
Purnell denied they ever were
shown proofs of composite
photograph run in the tabloid
IN an attempt to show Mr.. Tyd-
ings in friendly association with
Earl Browder. former Commu-
mist leader.
Attorney Perry Patterson, rep
resenting the Times-Herald, told
the Senators yesterday 1t was
his understanding the composite
picture was made up in the news
papers Photographic department,
presumably from two photographs
taken from the files.
First Political Venture.
Mr.. Purnell, who explained his
part in the campaign was my
first political venture, so to speak, :"
told the Senators:
I'VE understood that the text
for the tabloid was being pre-
pared by people in Washington
who were thoroughly familiar
with Senator Tydings' record and
his conduct on the Armed Services
and Foreign Relations Commit
tees.
1--WE were told that the whole
newspaper would be carefully re-
viewed and passed upon by compe-
tent counsel. On this basis, we
authorized the publication and
sponsoring Of the tabloid"
What people in Washington
were preparing the copy?" MIR.
Purnell was asked.
II don't know, sir" he replied.
Earlier, Mr.. Patterson had
testified he went over page proofs
of the tabloid, item by item, with
Miss Jean Kerr, an employe of
the Office of Senator Mccarthy,
Republican, of Wisconsin. He
estimated almost half of the ma
terial had come from Mr.. Nc
Carthy's Office.
Mr.. Jonkel had said Miss Kerr
had a large part in preparing the
copy. The young woman has been
prevented from testifying so far
because of a recent fall in which
she fractured her hip.
Denies Seeing Photos.
Mr.. Purnell was asked if he
selected any of the photographs
He replied he had never seen any
of them, including the composite
picture. He added he first saw
the publication at a friends
house on the Friday before the
election on Tuesday, November Z.
He said the Young Democrats
for Butler Committee made no
plans for the distribution of the
tabloid and paid none of the costs
for the latter job. which was
handled by William H. Fedder, a
Baltimore printer.
did you receive a bill from the
Times-Herald for the printing
job?"
GEUo. ,;,, >, NJ, n.....1I ..-1;.J