During the McCarthy Era, the New York Times apparently collaborated with the FBI. As Compromised Campus by Sigmund Diamond revealed:
“On Oct. 2, 1953, Assistant FBI Director Louis Nichols wrote Clyde Tolson, J. Edgar Hoover’s closest associate, that he had been visited that day by General Julius Ochs Adler, general manager of the Times, to discuss matters of mutual interest. Adler had left a letter, dated Oct. 1, 1953, for Hoover. Nichols wrote:
“`Adler further stated he is very glad to cooperate with the Bureau in any respect in this matter, and while he appreciates the confidential character of the bureau’s work, he wondered if the Bureau could possibly assist him. Adler further advised, of course, he doesn’t want any Communists on the New York Times…’”
Compromised Campus also revealed the following:
“According to a memorandum from the FBI official Alan Belmont to (D.M.) Ladd, June 15, 1953, Assistant SAC Whelan of New York had called that very evening: `(Name deleted) of the New York Times had informally discussed with him a campaign being waged by the Rosenbergs…for clemency or a stay of execution. The informant wondered whether it was not possible for the Government to hit back through the medium of newspapers…He wondered if there was any slant we would want to give the New York Times for this purpose.’”
(Downtown 4/19/95)
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