Evening star., 1953-11-26
By John Chadwick
Associated Press Stoff Writer


headline across the front page
of The Evening Star read: "U. S.
to Seize Meat Packing Industry"
Also on the front page that
day was a story reporting some
presidential appointments. The
fourth paragraph related that
Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury Harry D. White had been
nominated to be United States
Director of the International
Monetary Fund.
Thus, without fanfare or ex-
citement, was announced an ap-
pointment that today, nearly
eight years later, is causing a
headline-making commotion.
What was making the news
in the days when, it now turns
out, a behindthe-scenes drama |
involving White and others IN
spy charges was going on?
To find out, a reporter scanned |
back issues of The Star on key
dates in the White case-from
November z, 1945, the day Eliza
beth Bentley told the FBI of her
work as Soviet espionage
agent. to February 26, 1916, the
day former President Truman
signed Whites commission for
the Monetary Fund post.
Strikes Were Top News.
The newspapers files showed
that top news then included
strikes in the automobile, steel,
meat-packing and other indus
tries as the Nation attempted
to readjust wage and price poll
cies in the postwar period.
Another consistent headline
maker was a congressional probe
of the Pearl Harbor disaster.
Also claiming attention were
a Sc billion tax cut, the resigna-
ton of Patrick j. Hurley as Am
bassador to China, the develop
ment of atomic policies, SEN
ate f1libuSter on fair employ
ment practices bill, and fight |
over the nomination of Edwin
w. Pauley to be Undersecretary
of the Navy.
But the dominant concern
was union-management strife,
as indicated by the front page of
The Star on the day Whites
appointment was announced.
Besides the story reporting
plans for Government seizure of |
strike bound meat - packing
plants, there were these head
lines:
Rail Strike Vote Slated at |
Once by Brotherhood"
steel Strike Closes 5 Bitumi-
nous Mines in Pennsylvania"
"Fact-Finding Bill Faces Re-
vision Into Broad Strike-Control
Plan"
Another front-page story that
day told of President Truman
presenting the Medal of Honor
to four World War II heroes.
Among those who witnessed the
ceremony was Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower, who six years later
succeeded Mr.. Truman as Presi-
dent.
Day of Bentley Story.
But let's flash back to Novem-
ber Z, 1945, the day Miss
Bentley went to the FBI and
named White and many others
as members of espionage rings
with which she said she had
dealt in Washington.
Top stories in The Star re-
lated to the end of local street.
car and bus strike, the Pearl
Harbor investigation, a Sena-
tors demand to halt the draft
and a union-management con-
ference on wages and prices.
Another top headline read,
~. S. Should Keep Atomic Sc
cret. Churchill Says" and the
story from London quoted the
British Prime Minister as say
ing he was convinced Russia
would not share the A-bomb
secret if she alone had it.
The next day, November 8,
1945, was when FBI Chief j. Ed
gar Hoover says "top secret"
letter was sent to the White
House advising that the FBI had
received information linking
White and others TO a spy ring
for Russia.
But top headlines that day in
cluded:
Truman Orders All Pearl
Harbor Data Released"
Chinese Reds Demand Apol-
ogy by Wedemeyer and Payment
for U S. Interference in Civil
War"
Industry Seeks Farley Action
to Ban Strikes"
Strike Curb Message.
On December 4, 1945, the day
GAAC GoA oCllC q tA-PdSC 1CpOl
to the White House about White
and "the highlights of Soviet
espionage in the United States"
the top headline in The Star
was:
Strike Curb Bill May be
Given House Today"
This referred to legislation
Mr.. Truman had recommended
in a special message to Congress
the day before the face of wide
spread strikes and strike threats.
On February 4, 1916. the day
the FBI sent a special 28-page
report on White to the White
House, a headline in the top
center of The Star announced:
Truman Begins New Drive to
End Steel Strike"
February s, 1916, is the day
the Senate confirmed Whites
nomination for the Monetary
Fund job; it also is the day |
Truman says he discussed with
then Secretary of State Byrnes
and then Secretary of the Treas