Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

columns via Few Communists In
the press. Most of the witnesses
last week were past or present EN-.
ployes of the New York Times. The
paper took personal offense in an
angry editorial on Thursday in
which it said, in effect, that it was
being Disseminated against, that
neither Senator Eastland nor any.
body else would tell the Times who
1t should or should not employ.
and that 1t would be around a lot
longer than Senator Eastland.
The Times, complained that it
had been singled out for attack
because 1t had opposed many Of
the views held dear by Senator
Eastland. This the pro-segregation
Mississippi Senator denied.
Some Of the former and present
employees of the Times pleaded
the Fifth Amendment. others
talked. One pleaded the First,
Fifth. Ninth and Tenth Amend
ments. Among the witnesses were
copy editors, reporters. specialized
writer's. proofreaders, an indexer
and linotype operator.
A book reviewer told the subcom-
nnittee that he had been fired when
he told his boss that he planned
to invoke the Fifth Amendment
when questioned by the Senators.
BENJAMIN Fine, Times education
editor. was more than happy to tell
Of his one-year experience as Q
Red in the 1930s. His ready willing
ness to talk won him several com.
pliments from the Senators.
James CHASER. a copy editor on
the New York Post who held tho
same job on the Times % years
ago. talked. and loudly. He related
In detail, from his own experience.
the woes of q managing editor Of
the Communist Daily Worker. But
he protested that the subcommittee
was making a public spectacle" Of
him because Of 1.-THE dreadful, ter
rible mistake which ! made more
than 81 years ago." The subcom-
mittee treated Mr.. Chaser kindly
and assured him his testimony had
served his country well.
The gist Of Mr.. Glaser's public
testimony had been the not-too-
amazing revelation that the Daily
Worker followed the Communist
line.
Among other witnesses was q Do
lice reporter for the New York
Daily News, who answered some
questions but refused to answer
others. He was promptly fired, via
Western Union. Another baking
witness. rewrite man on the New
York Daily Mirror, also got his
walking papers.
A Times article on Friday said the
central figure in the investigation
was Julien G. Sourwine,. subcom.
mittee counsel. Mr.. Sourwine had
failed, the Times claimed, to prove
that any Of the witnesses had in-
fiuenced policies Of their papers.
But he had demonstrated, the
Times conceded. that Communists
and former Communists had indeed
worked their way into the city
rooms of New York dailies.
On Friday, Senator Hennings,
another member of the subcommit-
tee, said that he had some misgiv-
ings about calling witnesses whose
Communist Affiliations had covered
only a brief span IS or 20 years ago.
He called on Mr.. Sourwine for IAN
offer of proof" that witnesses will
give testimony of value before they
are called. He saw no reason, he
said, to embarrasS men who had
mended their ways. The public
hearings wound up shortly after
Senator Hennings' complaint, but
the subcommittee announced that
there would be more closed-door
sessions to consider the subject.
Leaving motives of the investi-
gators aside. however. few saw in
the investigation at this point any
telling attack on freedom of the
press. Nor had any evidence been
presented that the Communist line
had gotten into the New York
newspapers columns-with the ex-
ception. Of course, Of the Daily
Worker.