The Press: Eastland v. the Times

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The Times also stated that "we would not knowingly employ a Communist Party member in the news or editorial departments." As for former Communists, or employees who plead the Fifth Amendment "for reasons of their own," the Times said it would "judge each case on its own merits," taking into account the employee's job and how well he performs it. Said the Times: "We do not believe in the doctrine of irredeemable sin. We think it possible to atone through good performance for past error." At week's end, though the hearing transcript was still under scrutiny by its executives, the Times had made no further dismissals.

The blast against the Eastland subcommittee was hailed by newspapers around the U.S. The Denver Post called the hearings "The Big Floperoo" and a "puerile attempt ... to smear the New York Times."

Would the subcommittee go on with its investigation of Communism in the U.S. press? Yes, said Senator Eastland. Would it investigate the Washington press corps? No, he quickly assured a questioner. Had the investigation shown any Communist effort to influence the content of any recognized metropolitan daily? Said Eastland: "No." But as the hearings ended, he and Senator Jenner maintained that the sessions had disclosed "a significant effort on the part of Communists to penetrate leading American newspapers." They added: "We feel confident that the American press will prove fully competent to deal with the problem in its own American way."