Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-06
Red Probe 7 estimohy
Raped by Hennings
Continued From First Page


publicly are now working in
State governments.
II believe future hearings will
vindicate that-in leads he has
given this committee" the
chairman asserted.
Warned of Contempt
MIR. Shelton declined to an
swer a long series of questions
relating to communism and at
one point Senator Eastland
warned him: You're going to
be cited for contempt unless you
do"
MIR. Shelton, who joined the
Times staff In February, 1851,
declined to say whether he knew
any members of the Communist
Party or had ever attended any
Red meetings.
The witness answered mo"
when j. G. Sourwine. subcommit-
tee counsel, asked whether he
had ever talked with Matilda
LanSman about Communist &C
tivities in Local 6 Of the Inter-
national Typographical Union.
But he then declined to say
whether he had ever talked with
her.
you're going to be cited for
contempt unless you do IAN
swerl," Chairman E a S / a n d
warned. The witness maintained
his silence.
Explains Silence
Mr.. Shelton was permitted to
read. a long statement into the
record. In it he asserted that
because I am a loyal American
I must, as a matter of principle,
challenge questions into my po-
itical beliefs as a violation of
rights under the First Amend
ment.
II would decline similarly If
asked whether I was or had ever
been a Democrat. Republican,
Socialist. Jew, Catholic or Protes-
tant. Vegetarian, Prohibitionist
or sun worshiper," the witness
declared.
He also warned that the sub
committee was in danger of
abridging freedom Of the press.
This subcommittee is nudging
the end of my copy pencil. it is
peeking over my shoulder as
work" Mr.. Shelton said.
This subcommittee is en-
rendering the fear that soon it
will be looking into newsrooms
all over the country"
Blames Conscience
Mr.. Whitman said he based
his refusal to name other indi-
viduals ION an extremely active
New England conscience" and
a decision mot to be an in
former" He testified he had be-
longed to a Communist cell
while employed by the Buffalo
Evening News in the early 1940s,
and to one in Bridgeport, Conn,
before that time. He adgled that
he had belonged to at least
two different Red units in New
York.
Under questioning by Chair
man Eastland. Mr.. Whitman
said he did not know whether
the Communist cells to which
he had belonged at the Herald
Tribune was still in existence.
The witness said that he was
called in by management of the
New York Times and asked to
make a candid statement of his
previous activities "a few mo-
ments after" he had been served
with a subcommittee subpoena.
Backed by Times
Mr.. Whitman said he talked
with Louis Loeb, counsel for the
Times. and was told that "if /
were candid and if he were con-
ginced of my present loyalty to
the United States need have
no fear about my employment
with the New York Times"
The witness insisted that he
was asked ''about myself and
myself alone" in regard to po-
litical associations. He said that
neither Mr.. Loeb nor any other
management representative
urged a course upon him to take
before the subcommittee.
Among the questions Mr..
Whitman refused to answer was
whether any members of the
Communist cell at the Herald
Tribune in 1913 still were en-
ployed by that newspaper.
At yesterdays hearing, Otto