Reporter Critcizes Class of 1927

Frederick Woltman, Pulltser Prise-winning reporter of the New York World-Telegram and Sun, this month made the first criticism of the Harvard Class of '27 because Frederick Vanderbilt Field is a permanent officer of the class. The holds its 25th reunion this June.

Field, millionaire ball bondsman for several of the convicted Communist leaders, is currently serving a contempt sentence for refusing to reveal who supplied the money which the American Civil Rights Congress used to ball out the Red leaders, four of whom are now fugitives. Field was a trustee of the Congress.

Woltman also succumbs to the temptation to pun on "Crimson" and "Red." Field was president of the CRIMSON during his senior year, as was Joseph F. Barnes '27, who also earns mention in Woltman's piece.

Starting point for the article is Field's position as permanent class treasurer. (The last report of the Class of 1927 reveals that Field ceased being active in class affairs shortly after 1937.) In Boston, Donald Harding, acting co-chairman of the reunion committees, said that Field "handles no funds."

Because it lacks a constitution, the Class of '27 has no machinery for replacing its permanent officers until the quarter-century reunion. "There is a real need to fresh on up our class officers," Woltman quotes Harding as saying.

"High on the reunion agenda," continues Woltman, "is the election of new class officers." The post of permanent class secretary is also vacant. Lawrence H. Duggan '27, elected with Field, died in a 16-story fall from a building in December, 1948.

The former State Department expert on Latin America, asserts Woltman, had been linked by testimony with the Alger Hiss inquiry. Friends of Duggan have strongly defended him against all attacks on his reputation.

Besides secretary and treasurer, the Class of '27's only other permanent officers, also elected at graduation for a 25-year term, are the class committee of five.

Barnes, who is a member of the permanent Class Committee, formerly served as foreign editor of the New York Herald Tribune, and is currently executive editor of Simon and Schuster. Woltman calls him a "defender of Owen Lattimore...who has been identified as a Communist by four witnesses before Congressional committees." Barnes has repeatedly denied all alleged Communist connections.

"Strange Coincidence"

Woltman finds a "strange coincidence" in that the names of Field, Duggan, and Barnes were linked together in one of the Senate sub-committee hearings on subversive activities last month, and that Barnes is now married to an ex-wife of Field's. Harding's only comment, reports Woltman, was, "Well, it certainly was no conspiracy by the Class of '27."

A list of '27 graduates "on the distinctively non-red side" ends off Woltman's story. He includes such men as society columnist Lucius Beebs and State Department Counselor Charles E. (Chip) Bohlen.

Woltman omits mention of Dean Wilbur J. Bender '27.