Evening star., 1959-11-02

4 its demand for the telegram but
the network was adamant. He
finally dispatched a telegram
repeating his previous denials
that he had. been given any
questions and answers In ad-
vance on Twenty-O and Of
fering to appear before the
committee,
Explains Disappearance
This began the period Of sus.
pense over whether Mr.. Var
Doren would appear to testify
which eliminated in the issu.
ance of a subpoena for him.
He disappeared for severa
days after the subpoena wal
issued. Today he explained how
that happened.
When he obtained permission
from Columbia University. tC
take a weeks leave, II simply
ran away" Mr.. Van Doren said
He felt he had to get away
from the crowd Of newsmer
who surrounded him wherever
he went, he said, but most oi
all was running from myself
He was influenced in his fina
decision to tell the committee
the complete truth. he said, BY
a letter from a woman tele.
vision fan who advised thai
this was the only way he woulc
ever be able to live with him.
sell. ,r.. 1E
Testimony Praised
When Mr.. Van Doren com.
pleted his formal statement
Chairman Harris and Robert
w. Lishman, the subcommittee
counsel, commended him.
I'VE who have been involved
in this investigation a little
more than a year appreciate
more than the average person
the statement you have made.
Mr.. Lishmah praised the
"soul-searching fortitude dis
played in your statement" He
said the statement was sc
complete in exposing the whole
sordid mess that I have nc
questions to ask this time"
Mr.. Harris. however, asked
the witness to give more details
about a statement that Mr.
Freedman had guaranteed Ger.
tain payments to him.
Mr.. Van Doren explained
that those amounts changed
from week to week. He recalled
that $1,000 was the guarantee
for the first week, $4,000 fol
the second week and ther
there were jumps to $4,000
$4,000 and $25,0o0
II think it was never dis.
cussed after ! had been on the
program a few times" Mr.. Var
Doren added.
Mack Comments
II think it was assumed that
I would receive what ! won. Al
I remember, $4,000 was the
highest amount guaranteed.
Representative Mack. Demo.
crat Of Illinois, commented that
Mr.. Van Doren's statement
makes me wonder whether IL
is necessary to have phony
programs to make them popu-
lar on TV."
Mr.. Van Doren replied that
he thought Twenty-One would
have been popular "even if this
had been done honestly"
When Mr.. Mack asked Mr.
Van Doren whether he was
still on the NBC payroll follow
ing his suspension from a $780,
000-a-year consultant job. the
witness said:
II believe / was-at least up
to the last hour"
Mr.. Mack asked Mr.. Van
Doren's opinion as to whether
lTV networks "have any obli-
cation to clear themselves by
offering something such as
more public service programs. .
Witness Agrees
Mr.. Van Doren said he be-
lieved very strongly that there
should be many more public
service and special educational
programs on TV. But he added
that he thought it probably
would be presumptuous of him
to advise the networks on that
matter.
But" Mr.. Mack continued
"do you think the networks
have an obligation to keep their
programs honest?"
"Of course I do" Mr.. Van
Doren declared.
Answering questions from
other members, Mr.. Van Doren
testified that in late January
1857, while he still was on
Twenty-O One, Freedman de-
manded $4,000 of his potential
winnings.
Didn't Think He Meant 1t
He hurriedly added that he
didn't think Mr.. Freedman
meant it. Nothing came of it
he said.
The inciLent occurred, he re-
lated. when Mr.. Freedman ap-
preached him one night "anc
told me ! was to be the first