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McCoy Calls on Press to Fight News Suppression
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"Whenever we lose the God-given right to sound off about our leaders, or when politicians can intimidate us until we are afraid to use it, I say 'God help America,'" Alvin S. McCoy, Kansas correspondent for the Kansas City Star said Saturday evening at the Kansan board dinner.
Speaking in the Union ballroom before about 230 journalists, Mr. McCoy discussed the watchdog role of the press in reporting government affairs, and voiced his opposition to news suppression. He related his experiences in the recent C. Wesley Roberts investigation in Topeka to support the ideal of freedom of the press.
He said after he had written the original story about Mr. Roberts, politicians "screamed like wounded wildcats." He soon found he, rather than Mr. Roberts, was on-trial, he said.
"In almost every case when newspapers have exposed irregularities in government," he said, "the first persons tried by politicians are those connected with the newspaper which broke the story. The Roberts case was a flagrant attempt at coercion. Had it been successful, doubtless other newsmen and publishers would have hesitated in the future to print embarrassing facts about Kansas politicians," the news-
Mr. McCoy said as government grows more remote from the people, possibilities for secrecy increase, making the responsibility of the press greater. He said reporting by press releases was lazy reporting, since they are not objectively presented.
man said.
Preceeding Mr. McCoy's talk, awards were made to 21 journalism students for outstanding work in the Daily Kansan during the school year. Mrs. Lorraine C. Reid, representative for Lumbermurs Mutual Casualty company, awarded second prize in traffic safety, a $250 check, to the Daily Kansan. The company sponsored the national contest.
Honorable mention awards for
traffic safety stories were presented to Lorena Barlow, senior, for editorial; Donald Moser, senior, for feature; Richard Clarkson, junior, for picture, and Larry Cunningham, fine arts freshman, for a cartoon.
The presentation of Daily Kansan awards followed.
Those winning awards for news stories were Tom Stewart, junior, first place; Clarke Keyes, junior, second place; Bob Longstaff, senior, third place, and Eileen Foley, senior, honorable mention.
Cooper, senior, honorable mention.
Editorial awards went to Jerry Knudson, junior, first place; Charles Zuegner, graduate, Bob Stewart, senior, and Yarrington, second place; Moser, third place, and Mary
Cooper, senior, honorable mention.
Feature story awards were presented to Knudson, first place; Foley, second place; Donald Nielsen, third place, and Tom Stewart and Ken Coy, senior, honorable mentions.
Awards for good photography were given to Zuegn, news; Coy, feature; Longstaff, sports, and Knudson, picture story.
Tom Breckinridge, senior, was awarded first place in promotional advertising, Gordon Ross, junior, second place, and Jane Megaffin, junior, third place. Elbert Spivey, senior, took first in institutional advertising, Bill Foose, special stu-
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Peggy Hughes Chosen Sabre Dance Colonel
Peggy Hughes, college sophomore, was named honorary cadet colonel of the Air Force ROTC at the Air Force "Sabre dance" Friday evening in the Union ballroom.
Ridgway Says Allies Still Weak
The Supreme Allied Commander in Europe appeared before the House Foreign Affairs committee to bolster the administration's plea for $5,800,000,000 in foreign aid.
Washington --(U.P.)—Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway told Congress today the allies in Europe are "still gravely short of airpower" and have "major deficiencies" in supplies and ammunition.
"To counter the threat from submarines and mines, we need additional escorts and minsweepers," Gen. Ridgway said. "We must increase the reserves of our land forces, strengthen their supply troops, and insure the continuous supply of all our forces."
Gen. Ridgway said that even with completion of the 1954 goals set by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, "we will still fall short of the minimum defensive strength required to prevent serious reversals in the early stages of a determined attack."
Gen. Ridgway, who steps up to Army Chief of Staff next August, said the administration's foreign aid request "is essential to the security of the United States as well as to all the NATO nations."
"Despite the substantial gains in numbers of aircraft and trained pilots deriving from the U.S. mutual defense assistance program," he said, "our air forces today still are inadequate to carry out their assigned tasks."
Miss Hughes was chosen over two other finalists, Carolyn Nardyz, college junior, and Betty Rieger, education junior, by Col. Royal N. Baker, one of the nation's leading jet aces.
In the annual Honors Day parade Friday afternoon, 1,800 Army and Air Force cadets and Navy midshipmen passed in review before the honorary reviewing officer, retiring Navy ROTC commander Capt. William R. Terrell.
During the review, 44 outstanding cadets from the three services were presented medals and awards for their achievements'.
Cadet John R. Transue of the Air Force and Midshipman Mahlor M. Ball of the Navy both receive outstanding awards for their scholastic achievements. They received Society of American Military Engineers gold medals for being among the top 10 students in their respective services in the country.
Following her designation, Miss Hughes presented a gift to Mrs. Lynn R. Moore, because Col. Moore is leaving his position as commander of the Air Force unit at the end of this semester.
Intermission entertainment was provided by master of ceremonies George Detsios, special student; Dee Ann Price, fine arts sophomore; Joy VanMeter, college junior; Dorylon Humbargar, fine arts freshman; Francile Aronholt, education freshman; Gerald Scott, college sophomore, and Don Jensen, fine arts senior.
Miss Hughes was given a portable radio, and Miss Nardyz and Miss Rieger each received a strand of pearls, in addition to the crimson and blue capes bearing their honorary cadet rank. The escorts for the three finalists were Paul Leoni, college sophomore; Jerry Hoigden, engineering senior, and William Landes, business senior.
Dailu Hansan
50th Year, No.146
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
THEY RATE SALUTE—Peggy Hughes, college sophomore, (center) Friday night was named Honorary Cadet Colonel of the Air Force ROTC wing at the Sabre dance. Miss Hughes' attendants, Carolyn Nardyz, college junior, (left) and Betty Rieger, education junior, were given the rank of lieutenant colonels. The honorary officers were given capes which indicate the r rank. Miss Hughes also was given a portable radio, and her attendants were given pearls.
Dean Reese Denies Pro-Red Affiliation
—Kansan photo by Bob Longsiaft
Monday, May 18, 1953
Alumni Establish University Fund
Organization of the greater University fund, a new program designed to give all friends and alumni of the University an opportunity to participate in the future growth of the University, was announced today by Ray Evans, president of the Alumni association and chairman of an advisory group of alumni participating in the new program.
The new program is sponsored jointly by the Alumni association and the Endowment association.
"Funds for student loans *and* scholarships, research, and adequate student housing are important aspects of this new program," Mr. Evans said.
"The purpose of the fund is to encourage support of all alumni and friends of the University, and to give them the opportunity to become more actively associated with their University." Mr. Evans said.
Maurice E. Barker, '43, has joined the Endowment association to serve as executive secretary of the fund, Mr. Evans said. Mr. Barker, formerly of Kansas City, Kan., completed two years of active duty with the Air Force prior to joining the association.
Communist-front organization.
A University professor today explained how his name came to be listed with other American professors charged with sponsoring a Communist-front organization.
J. Allen Reese, dean of the School of Pharmacy, was one of many educators named in an article in the May issue of the American Mercury magazine entitled, "Communism and the Colleges."
The article says, "The Committee for Medical Freedom is one of the newest units of the Communist-front apparatus." It lists among its sponsors the names of 42 professors, one of which was J. Allen Reeze.
It was written by J. B. Matthews, whom the Daily Kansan contacted by phone today in New York City. In a preface to his article, Mr. Matthews is described by a Mercury executive as follows:
"The author, the acknowledged dean in the United States on the subject of Communism, has spent months in research and investigation. The article is factual, and completely documented."
Dean Reese today revealed how complete Mr. Matthews' research was.
The dean reported he had never been approached by Mr. Matthews. He said, he had never knowingly sponsored any organization with Communist leanings.
How had Mr. Matthews concluded that Dean Reese was a backer of the Communist-front group?
Mr. Matthews' answer to this question was, "What goes on in my mind, and how I arrive at these conclusions, is my own business. It's none of your damn business."
Other attempts to get answers to questions put to this alleged authority on American Communism were similarly met.
"Have your lawyer write me a letter." he said.
Several times during the brief interview, which was ended when Mr. Matthews hung up in the middle of a question, he refused to explain how he knew that Dean Reese was connected with the CMF.
Mr. Matthews seemed to feel the questions ought not to be directed at the person who brought the charges, but at those persons named. Readers should begin looking for facts where the article indicates, he said.
"Why don't you ask him (Dean Reese)?" he asked. "It's for you to find out."
Dean Reese was interviewed, and made the following explanation:
"Some time ago, I received through the mail a letter from some person who claimed to be connected with education in California. I believe it was about the same time they were having all those investigations of colleges out there.
"This letter—it was a sort of questionnaire—asked me if I, as an educator, was opposed to having outside agencies enter professional schools for the purpose of conducting investigations."
J. ALLEN REESE
Dean Reese said he had only to indicate his stand on the question by marking either a "yes" or "no" blank.
"As I remember, the letter mentioned the Committee for Medical Freedom, and it carried the names of prominent persons who apparently had endorsed opposition to investigations of the professional schools."
Dean Reese said he opposed subjecting professional schools to investigation, "unless they can show they are looking for something specific, and have reason to believe they'll find it where they're looked."
Dean Reese said, he answered the questionnaire accordingly a n d checked a space which said he would permit his name to be used.
He did not realize the true background of the CMF, Dean Reese said.
ground of the CMF, Dean Reese said. "I don't belong to any such organization, I am not in any way supporting one and I certainly wasn't joining the Committee on Medical Freedom when I filled out that questionnaire." he said.
Although others who were similarly "used" by Communist-front organizations are bringing libel suits because they have been listed as "supporting" such groups, Dean Reese has decided to let the thing alone.
"The way I feel about it," he explained, "anyone who knows me, knows I wouldn't be in such a thing. I think that if I tried to fight this thing, persons who have never heard of me would hear of me in this way and associate me with the thing I'm trying to get clear of."
The dean dismissed the whole article, and the charges contained in it, by saying, "I think they were trying to sell the American Mercury —don't you?"