Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/72

60 Senator. This is very interesting. They attempt to quote the Daily Worker to show that anyone who questions comics is a Communist. I think this should be placed in the record along with the item you spoke about that quoted the editor from Rapid City, S. Dak.

The. The Chair agrees with the Senator from Tennessee, and without objection, the items will be made a part of the record. Let that be exhibits Nos. 8 a and b.

(The information referred to was marked "Exhibits Nos. 8a and b," and reads as follows:)

, New York, N. Y., March 18, 1954.

To all Publishers of Comics Magazines

The following headline appeared in the Rapid City (S. Dak.) Journal on Febru- ary 18: "Number of Comics Books on Newsstands 'Comumunistic'."

The story ran 10 eolumu inches and quoted various Army officials.

Following are the first five paragraphs:

"Fifty communistic publications are available to the people of Rapid City on local newsstands, according to a wing intelligence officer of the Ellsworth Air Force Base.

"A1l local newsstands are carrying communistic literature, declared Capt. William Wyvovki who spoke at a conference of civilian and military law-en- forcement officials at the base Wednesday afternoon.

"The 'literature' is comic books that show brutal police and FBI officers and are derogatory to people of high social status, Wygicki said,

"They show everyone who has a high place in society as cowards with no back- hone or regard for life. So they are definitely a menace," he said * * *,

(The above is an excerpt.)

The Orlando (Ila.) Sentinel on February 23 published a lengthy editorial en- titled "Problems Comic Books Produce" and with the editorial ran a cartoon showing a book labeled "United States Comic Books" and across the book was pictured a hammer and sickle. The editorial concluded with a sentence sum- marizing Dr. Frederic Wertham. The editorial writer said: "And as propa- gunda agencies for Communist cells, they [comic books] are made to order."

February 23: Erie (Pa.} Times carries article attacking comics, stating in part, "A Times reporter spent 50 cents for 'children's' literature and came up with a short course in murder, mayhem, robbery, rape, cannibalism, carnage, sex, sadism, and worse."

Iebruary 24: Mayor Thomas Flutley, of Eric, ordered an investigation by police of comic books found in Erie stores.

February 25: Sharon (Pa.) Herald carried story about the Erie police in- yestigation. :

Webruary 27: Erie Times carries story that the mayor und police chief will meet to adopt a city ordinance "with teeth in it" to keep "such matter off the stands."

The Chicago News (March 5) reported in a fwo-column headline: "Ciucci Denounced as Wife Cheater."

And the story said, in part: "Vincent Ciucci, young grocer accused of wiping out his family of four because he loved another woman, went on trial for his life in criminal court Friday.

"The prosecutor described him to the jury as an unfaithful husband, a deceiver of his mistress, and a comic book reader." [Italics ours.]