SHEA SUPPORTER REPLIES

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

As one who was present during your interview of Mr. Quinlan J. Shea, Jr. '56, and as one of those active in the forming of the proposed Conservative League, I must protest your highly misleading article in Friday's CRIMSON, as your slanted story does not represent the true facts of the situation.

First, the organization is not to be a FRONT for anything. It is to serve as the instrument for the expression of feelings held by many members of the University, and which at present have no organized outlet.

There are many agencies presently handling the Communist situation and it is doubtful whether there is any need for students to "spy" "on suspected Communists among University students and faculty. . ." When questioned on this matter, Mr. Shea vigorously denied that the new organization had any such purpose, and you presented no evidence to contradict this. Any ideas about such actions came from your reporter, inasmuch as Mr. Shea said nothing to bring the matter up, and promptly denied it when suggested by your reporter. It would seem that facts have no place in the CRIMSON; preconceived notions are much more important. If such a statement is to appear in a newspaper, it should be in the form of an editorial, not passed as fact!

Secondly, and most unfortunately for the sensation seeking press, Mr. Kenneth D. Robertson '29, is in No way connected with the proposed league. Mr. Robertson is a fine man, fighting for what he believes is right--a personal friend of Mr. Shea's and an acquaintance of mine, but this is certainly not enough evidence to warrant your linking him to the organization. There are many students active in the formation of the League who are not connected with Mr. Robertson in any manner.

Perhaps the most ridiculous portion of the whole ridiculous article was that referring to our "connection" with "Students for America." As far as I have been able to discover, no member of the proposed League knows anyone connected with this organization, or has been in contact with it.

Furthermore, Mr. Shea did NOT make any statement to the effect that he "wished" it would support the Junior Senator from Wisconsin (referring to the League). Although Mr. Shea is a McCarthy supporter, there are many persons in the group organizing who do not support him. As far as can be determined at the present time, there is little possibility of the League becoming a "McCarthy fan club."

I hope that you will see fit to retract this piece of yellow journalism and inform your readers of the true facts. Wm. Leavitt Sullivan, Jr. '56

To judge a newspaper as inaccurate because it "slants" news shows a certain misunderstanding of the place and duty of the press. Any newspaper must present all aspects of the news. No paper, including the New York Times, runs only a stenographic record of events.

Unless the reporter annotates his story with factual background material, the story would be incomplete. Thus, most stories of respected and forthright papers are interpretative--and one can only judge a paper on the way in which the bare facts are supplemented by relevant information. In this instance, Mr. Robertson has repeatedly told CRIMSON reporters during the past few months that he had plans for an undergraduate organization which would hunt down Communists and, in effect, spy on University Faculty member and students. The writer knew of Robertson's intentions and knew of the close relationship between Robertson and Shea. He felt that writing a story solely on what Shea said about the organization would give an inaccurate picture of the group's nature. He put together his knowledge of the Robertson-Shea relationship, Mr. Robertson's hopes for starting a "scouting" group, and the formation of Shea's group. The quotes on page one of today's paper in which Shea says that he is a "scout," not a spy for Robertson would seem to bear out the reporter's judgment.

Mr. Sullivan claims that the "most ridiculous portion of the letter was the referring to our 'connection' with Students for America." The CRIMSON story did not claim that there was any connection at all between the two groups, but accurately stated that the Shea group would be "similar" to "Students for America," an organization which is sponsored by Fulton Lewis for exposing Communist conspiracies in universities. Mr. Sullivan says "Furthermore, Mr. Shea did NOT make any statement to the effect that 'he wished' the group would support" McCarthy. The CRIMSON stands by its reporting again--Shea did tell the reporter that he hoped the organization would support McCarthy.--Ed.