Evening star., 1951-10-17
By w. H. shippen

judge late yesterday to dismiss
parts OF Columnist' Drew Pear
sons $5.l million suit probably
will result in additional testimony
from Publisher Robert R. McCor-
mick.
This action by Judge r. Dickin-
son Let's came shortly after Col,
Mccormick had answered ques-
tions for three hours about edi-
torial policies. and managament
Of the Washington Times-Herald
and its relationship to the Chi
cago Tribune.
Judge Let's overruled the mo-
ton Of the Times-Herald to dis
miss Mr.. Pearson's charges that
the newspaper conspired with
Senator Mccarthy. Republican, of
Wisconsin, and others to boycott
him and drive him out of business.
Also rejected was Senator Nc
Carthy's request to dismiss charges
by Mr.. Pearson that the Senator
assaulted him at a dinner party
here last December, and libeled
him in speech on the floor of
the Senate soon afterward In
which he called the columnist a
mouth-piece of the Communist
Party.
Lewis Motion Overruled.
The judge overruled a motion
by Fulton Lewis, jr., news COM
mentator on the Mutual Broad
casting network. to dismiss
charges that he participated in
the alleged. conspiracy to exploit
the physical encounter at the Sui
grave Club and hold Mr.. Pearson
up to public ridicule.
Turned down also were motions
by all respondents to require Mr..
Pearson to make his charges more
specific as to the participation of
the individual defendants in the
alleged conspiracy. This means
the whole case probably will go to
trial eventually.
No date can be set, however,
until the protracted pre-trial de-
positions are completed. Neither
Mr.. Pearson nor Senator Nc
'Carthy have finished theirs, after
two interrogations each, and Col.
Mccormick was informed he prob
ably will be recalled. He replied
he will hold himself in readiness
but asked that he be summoned
before February Is. when he plans
to take an extended vacation trip.
The Chicago and Washington
editor answered questions with a
calm, unruf11ed by heated clashes
between opposing counsel. A for
mer lawyer himself, he refused to
be drawn into exchanges of a per-
Sonal nature.
News Policy Denied.
Under questioning by Attorney
William A. Roberts. representing
Mr.. Pearson, Col. Mccormick
denied there was any news
policy" on the Times Herald or
the Chicago Tribune in printing.
news stories derogatory to Mr..
Pearson.
Mr.. Roberts read various stories
printed in the Times Herald re-
ferring to Mr. Pearson as smear
columnist" and asked if these
repetitions revealed a policy.
ut is a matter of fact" Col.
Mccormick retorted. "That is his
general reputation" When Mr..
Mr.. Roberts referred to another
story calling Mr.. Pearson a *scan-5
dal monger." the colonel replied,
Il believe that to be a fact"
Asked as to his opinion of Mr..
Pearson, Col. Mccormick said he
; had no personal "opinien of Mr..
Pearson-it is a matter of news"
What about the charge that he
! is the voice of Moscow"
, Il don't know anything about
that. Who said that?" the colonel
replied. I'm not making any
opinion of Mr.. Pearson"
well. your papers have, haven't
! they?" demanded Mr.. Roberts.
' II wouldn't be surprised. But
he's not very important to me,
and I don't remember much about
them" The witness, apparently,
was referring to news stories about
Mr.. Pearson.
Recalls Meeting Mccarthy.
Asked how well he knew Senator
Mccarthy, the colonel said he first
recalled meeting the Senator at a
luncheon given about a year ago
by Senator Capehart, Republican,
Of Indiana, for all Republican
Senators.
Later on. the witness said, he
saw Senator Mccarthy at Large,
mixed dinner in Washington given
by Senator Brewster" Republican,
of Maine.
did you talk to him them"
= Col. Mccormick said, II don't
recall" He fixed the time as dur
ing the period when his niece,
the former Ruth Mccormick Mil
Ter. was editor of the Times-Her-
aid. He added he could not "re-
call seeing the Senator again"
"Is he an easy man to forget?"
"But there are so many Sen
ators," protested the publisher.
did you support him in his
campaign"
Col. Mccormick could not re-
member. he said, If the Tribune
supported Senator Mccarthy in
1916. There were many political
. candidates at the time. he pointed
, out. He did. however, support
the Senator in his campaign
against the Communists.
Mr.. Roberts asked Col. McCor-
mick if he did not recall meet
ing Senator Mccarthy on Sep
tember 2, 1916, in the Tribune
Building at a time when he was
g. a candidate for the Senate. The
witness replied that he did not.
Not a Contributor.
The publisher testified, under
questioning, that he did not con-
= tribute to the Senator's campaign