Conant Statement Denies Any Libel Of Clark in 1954

TRENTON, N.J., April 9--James B. Conant '14, President Emeritus and former ambassador to Germany, has denied libeling former Judge William Clark of Princeton.

Clark filed a $150,000 libel suit against Conant in federal court Feb. 28. He charged Conant libeled him in a cabled memorandum to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles two years ago.

Conant's reply to the suit, filed in federal court here yesterday, said the memorandum was an official document and as part of a judicial proceeding was "absolutely privileged." The answer said the remarks in the memorandum were true.

Clark and Conant have been feuding since 1954, when Clark was chief justice of the Allied High Commission courts and Conant was high commissioner.

Clark was informed in 1954 that he would not be reappointed. He refused to leave his post, but his passport was picked up under State Department orders, forcing his return to the United States.