Evening star., 1953-07-03
Hennings Resolution
Asks Administration
To Clarity Book Issue


The issue of removal of books
from the State Department.
overseas libraries, sometimes re-
ferred to as "book-burning," was
brought, directly to the Senate
today in a resolution demanding
that the Eisenhower administra-
ton clear up the confusion over
the issue.
The resolution was introduced
late yesterday by Senator Hen
ningS. Democrat, of Missouri.
He said that events in connec-
ton with the removal of books
as demanded by Senator Nc
Carthy, Republican, of Wiscon-
sin had brought embarrassment
to our country and discredit to
our country'S sacred traditions
of freedom of thought and ex-
preston"
The HenningS resolution would
ask President Eisenhower to di-
rect Secretary of State Dulles
to tell Congress just what books
have been removed from the
information centers abroad and
why.
Referred to Wiley Group.
1t was referred to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee
headed by Senator Wiley, Re-
publican. of Wisconsin. Con-
gresSional approval would re-
Quire action by both the Senate
and House.
There was no immediate in
dication of when the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee
would consider the resolution.
If the Wiley group should ap-
Prove it, there was speculation
that 1t would find itself involved
in a clash with the SEN
ate Investigations subcommittee
headed by Senator Mccarthy.
Senator Mccarthy, with
series of public hearings, sparked
the movement of questionable
books from the overseas reading
CenterS. He has charged that
more than 10000 volumes by
Communist writer's have been
purchased by the State Depart
ment for use in the overseas
Libraries.
AS a result of the Mccarthy
charges. the State Department
has issued a series of directives
calling for the removal of books
suspected of containing Commu-
mist propaganda or volumes writ
ten by individuals suspected of
having Communist leanings.
Actual Burnings Suspected.
The dIrectiveS have been
broadly interpreted, according to,
reports reaching Washington,
that some books actually have
been burned and some non-Com-
muniSt books have been removed,
Including mystery stories. Presi-
dent Eisenhower, commenting on
the situation two days ago, said
he thought somebody must have
got frightened.
Senator Hennings took note of
the confusion and in introducing
his resolution said:
This confusion has resulted
In the loss of Unitod States pres
tigesabroad and raised questions
both within the United States
and in the minds of the peoples
of free nations and in the press
of these nations as to the OBJ
jeCtiveS of United States foreign
policy"
informed of the Hennings reSo-
luton, Senator Mccarthy said:
It's encouraging to find that
he finally is interested in the
State Department. He seems to
get concerned when the State
Department starts cleaning house
and cleaning out the Communist
books, but he showed no con-
Germ at all during the AcheSon
sell-Out period"
During AcheSOn Regime.
The Wisconsin Senator has
emphasized that the books by
Communist authors were pur-
chased during the period that
Dean AcheSon headed the State
Department.
The HennineS resolution was
introduced as Senator Mccarthy
indicated he plans to wind up
next week his inquiry into what
has become the smoldering issue
Of book-burning."
He called off a New York hear
ing scheduled for today and said
it would be held here next Tues
day Several more authors whose
books have been used in the
library program. Senator Nc
Carthy said, will be the wit
nesSeS. Their names were not
disclosed