THEIR OWN CODE GUIDES RHODES

SCHOLARS IN US

State Dept. Aid Gave Support to Hiss

BY WILLARD EDWARDS

[Chicago Tribune Press Service]

Washington, July 28―The code instilled in American students by education at Oxford university did not deter a Rhodes scholar from suppressing evidence affecting the security of the United States, inquiry revealed today.

Another Oxonian, not a Rhodes scholar, became a spy when he entered the state department and made the amazing confession that he felt “a glow of pride” when he began feeding the nation’s secrets to a Russian agent.

Some Americans who obtain supplemental education and indoctrination in England, these two incidents indicate, gain an arrogance which permits them to establish their own rules of behavior, setting them above the moral and legal standards which guide the conduct of their fellow countrymen.

”Political Bias” the Goal

Rhodes scholars are men whose education at Oxford is financed thru payments from the estate of Cecil John Rhodes, British empire builder. These scholarships were established for the primary purpose of instilling “political bias” in young Americans in favor of a world federation involving surrender of American sovereignty.

In absorbing this philosofy, at least one Rhodes scholar, the record shows, did not hesitate to conceal evidence against a protégé, even tho such concealment permitted betrayal of American secrets to a foreign government.

One of the Rhodes scholars who penetrated the state department more than 20 years ago was Stanley K. Hornbeck, who became chief of the division of far eastern affairs and political affairs adviser, a top ranking policy post. Along with scores of other Rhodes scholars who infiltrated the state department, Hornbeck played a prominent part in formation of the program which resulted in the loss of China to the Communists.

Defended Hiss’ Character

Hornbeck’s name has cropped up frequently in the present investigation of the McCarran committee on internal security which is disclosing a close working relationship between high government officials, known soviet agents, and fellow travelers.

Hornbeck’s assistant was Alger Hiss, now serving a five year prison sentence for purjury to conceal espionage. Hornbeck had been a lecturer on the far east at Harvard university when Hiss was a student there.

Hornbeck appeared as a character witness for Hiss at the first trial of the state department official, asserting that Hiss had an excel1ent reputation for loyalty, integrity, and veracity. He escaped cross-examination at that time, but when he again took the witness stand at the second trial, Prosecutor Tom Murphy was armed with new evidence.

New Evidence Offered

Hornbeck, who had retired in 1945 after a period as ambassador to the Netherlands, again swore that the reputation of Hiss had been unquestioned in the state department.

Murphy confronted Hornbeck with information that William C. Bullitt, former ambassador to Russia and France, had labeled Hiss a Communist party fellow traveler in 1939 in a report sent directly to Hornbeck.

Hornbeck, much perturbed and frequently appealling to the court, finally admitted reluctantly that Bullitt had made the charge against Hiss to him, based on information received in Paris. But Hornbeck kept the report to himself and never told anyone else about it, he said, offering the excuse that “His was very close to me.”

Not until nine years after Bullitt reported to Hornbeck was the truth about Hiss made known in the testimony of Whittaker Chambers, admitted soviet courier. Hiss was convicted on evidence that he gave secret state department documents to a Russian spy ring.

Wadleigh Testimony Recalled

During the same period, Henry Julian Wadleigh, a state department economist, was funneling approximately 500 confidential documents to Moscow, according to his court confession in 1950.

Wadleigh, American-born, was taken abroad by his father, rector of the Episcopalian church in Paris for a long period. Wadleigh received his master of arts degree at Oxford and his bachelor of sciences degree at the London College of Economics. He returned to the United States in 1929 and entered the government service in 1930. He joined the state department in 1936.

Wadleigh gave a startling, candid account of his reasons for engaging in espionage soon after he entered the state department.

In his own mind, he said, he was neither a thief nor a traitor. He insisted from the witness stand at the Hiss trial that he did not “steal” documents. He was aware, he said, that he was violating his oath of allegiance to the United States, but he considered himself guilty of neither espionage nor illegal activity.

Defends His Course

“I was doing the right thing in accord with my convictions at that time,” he told the jury. “I was not spying against the United States. The information I gave Russia was to be used against Germany and Japan, not my own country.”

When he entered the service of a Russian agent, he continued, “I felt “a glow of pride.”

“I was doing something practical to protect mankind from its worst enemies,” he said. “The risks involved in the undertaking made me nervous, but more often they were exhilarating.”

Hiss and Wadleigh were unaware of each other’s espionage. Chambers, following well known espionage tactics, never told one about the activities of the other.

OWI PROPAGANDA MACHINE LINKED TO

RHODES MEN

Influence Goes Back to Elmer Davis

[Chicago Tribune Press Service]

Washington, July 30―The influence of American Rhodes scholars in the public opinion field has been traced in part to the operations of the biggest war propaganda machine in history ―the 1942-45 office of war information.

The OWI served as a training school for 10,000 experts in swaying public opinion thru the radio, press, magazines, and books. Its graduates have spread out thru the eastern publishing world, the motion picture industry, and the radio networks.

At the head of the OWI was Elmer Davis, Rhodes scholar and New Deal commentator, who presided over the agency during the three years of its life and spent 125 million dollars on films, broadcasts, pamphlets, and books.

Back on Radio Now

Davis resumed his radio work when the OWl was dissolved in August, 1945, and consistently exhibits a pro-British, pro-state department, and pro-administration attitude.

President Truman wanted to keep the OWl functioning after the war and asked 42 million dollars to maintain it. When congress slashed this fund to 18 millions, he yielded to public pressure and ordered it abolished, altho he denounced congressional critics of the agency in so doing. He sent Davis a letter, commenting that plenty of brickbats had been thrown his way but complimenting him for a job well done.”

Davis received his higher education at Oxford university, England, under a fund established by Cecil John Rhodes, the empire builder. Rhodes sought to bring the United States back under British domination thru educational awards for young American students and other “colonials.”

Biggest Propaganda Setup

During World War II, Davis operated the biggest radio network in the nation; the largest single enterprise disseminating news, pictures, and features; the world’s largest pamphlet and magazine publishing organization. The agency turned out hundreds of millions of pamphlets, motion pictures, transcribed recordings, magazines, and newspapers. Davis had been news analyst for the Columbia Broadcasting system when selected by President Roosevelt to head the OWI. His socialist views preceded those of the present Labor government in Great Britain. He publicly supported the Socialist party candidate in 1932 and helped found the leftist American Labor party which later came under the control of Communists. Communist penetration of the OWI under Davis was aired repeatedly in congress.

He’s a “News Analyst”

Davis is now “news analyst” for the American Broadcasting Company. When communist allegations were bared last year concerning Owen Lattimore, a state department consultant, Davis became one of the most violent critics of Sen. McCarthy [R., Wisj, who brought the charges. Lattimore had been a deputy director of OWI Pacific operations under Davis during the war.

When the OWI broke up, many of its 10,375 employes drifted into the state and other government departments but a majority sought jobs in the radio and publishing fields. There, those who absorbed the Davis training have pushed the British concept of policing the world with American soldiers and economic aid and have fought for a world federation under which the United States would surrender its sovereignty.

Printed in U.S. A.