reply to post by Misoir
Misoir: You have been the unwitting victim of a hoax. The story presented in the article by Cleon Skousen, the link to which you included in your
article is entirely false.
Let’s recap the time-line which Skousen asks us to believe.
(1) July 1960 – the first negative “attack” on the Birch Sociey by Jack Mabley – then –
(2) December 1960 – the subsequent “further public criticism” commenced as a consequence of CPUSA “orders”
(3) The first tangible result of those "orders" appeared with the publication of the article in the 2/25/61 issue of the West Coast Communist
newspaper, Daily People's World.
However, no less an authority than JBS-founder Robert Welch himself falsifies this time-line.
In a November 16, 1960 memo to his National Council, Mr. Welch announced that one item on the agenda for the next Council meeting would be:
“A brief report of the various smears of, and attacks on, the Society during the past few months.” [11/16/60 memo captioned “To All Members of
the Council”, page 1]
Two months BEFORE even this 11/60 memo, Welch sent a memo to his Council which refers to what he discussed during a September 10, 1960 meeting of the
Council at JBS headquarters in Belmont MA.
Referring to that meeting, Welch wrote:
“Later in the morning I also read to those present the nine-page letter we had written to Dr. Fred Schwarz, which is self-explanatory, and which
will give you information concerning the origin of the recent unfavorable newspaper publicity about us, which will undoubtedly surprise many members
of the Council.” [9/14/60 Welch memo, “To All Members of the Council”, page 1.]
Thus, in summary, as can be seen, the initial criticisms of both Welch and the Birch Society originated not from “Communists” but from persons and
organizations on his side of the political spectrum---particularly as a result of newspaper publicity about the content of Welch’s “private
letter”, The Politician
And the first paragraph of the September 1960 JBS Bulletin opened with the following lament by Robert Welch:
“For the past five weeks – it seems like five months – the John Birch Society has lived through one massive smear campaign on a national scale,
and several regional attacks with varying degrees of plausibility, reach, and impact.”
Furthermore, as the JBS grew and its members started acting upon the recommended activities in JBS Bulletins (prior to the February 1961 article in
People’s World), they provoked heated controversies in communities around the nation.
Those controversies included:
* a lecture and filmstrip entitled "Communism on the Map" which the FBI reviewed and concluded was "biased" because they "frequently deal in half
truths, distortion of truth and innuendos to establish its point, that international communism is encircling America"
* the effort by the JBS to impeach Chief Justice Earl Warren of the U.S. Supreme Court
* JBS-initiated attacks on the patriotism of prominent authors such as Harry A. Overstreet (and claims that his 1958 book, What We Must Know About
Communism was “pro-Communist”)
* attacks upon the League of Women Voters, attacks upon the National Council of Churches of Christ and sensational charges about purported
“Communist infiltration” of our clergy and religious institutions
* the outrage over comments made by Robert Welch in his book-length “private letter”, entitled "The Politician" which accused President
Eisenhower of being a Communist traitor
* an anti-UNICEF campaign, attacks upon the ACLU and anyone working for elimination of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, attacks upon the
Great Decisions discussion group program
* JBS infiltration of PTA’s, JBS anti-fluoridation activities, and many many more local controversies too numerous to list.
The FBI prepared a summary report on the JBS in April 1961 and a section of the report was captioned "The Present Controversy". The summary does
not mention "Communist" direction of any "smear" campaign against the JBS.
Instead, the Bureau presented a different interpretation about the reasons for the controversy regarding the JBS as follows:
"The JBS is probably one of the most controversial organizations in the country today. This controversy stems mainly from the allegations made by
Welch and the Society alluding to President Eisenhower being procommunist; the allegations that there are communists in other high Government
positions; and calling for the impeachment of Chief Justice Warren. This controversy has led to many attacks on Welch and the Society through the
newspapers and in some congressional circles." [FBI HQ file 62-104401, serial #1746; 8/29/62 J. Edgar Hoover memo to Deputy Attorney General].
As can be seen from the information presented above (including comments made by Robert Welch!), the adverse comments or publicity about the Birch
Society began LONG BEFORE any article appeared in a "Communist newspaper" in late February 1961.
Furthermore, the Skousen article (which repeats the standard JBS mythology about this subject) totally ignores all of the newspaper coverage that
existed months before February 1961. For example:
Date................................................Publication or Source
04/15/60……………………………......Phoenix AZ Republic
07/25/60..........................................Chicago Daily News
07/30/60..........................................Racine WI Journal-Times
07/31/60..........................................Milwaukee WI Journal
08/01/60……………………………......Oshkosh WI Daily Northwestern
08/01/60..........................................Appleton WI Post-Crescent
08/03/60……………………………......Milwaukee WI Journal
08/04/60..........................................Appleton WI Post-Crescent
08/07/60..........................................Amarillo TX News-Globe
08/10/60..........................................Appleton WI Post-Crescent
08/11/60……………………………......Vilas WI News-Review
08/14/60..........................................Amarillo TX News-Globe
[Note: Extensive News-Globe coverage of local controversies involving Birchers was responsible for correspondence received by the FBI inquiring about
the JBS. Also, several FBI memos between top FBI officials concerning the JBS referred to letters received from Texas residents who were concerned
about inflammatory comments made by Birchers – including JBS National Council members.]
08/26/60………………………………....Appleton WI Post-Crescent
08/30/60...........................................Chicago IL Daily News
08/28-30/60.......................................Boston MA Herald
09/60................................................NAM resolution
In September 1960, the National Association of Manufacturers released the following statement:
"NAM believes completely in the loyalty and integrity of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and further believes he courageously and forthrightly has
guided the foreign and domestic policies of the United States in the direction in which in his judgment the best interests of this country lie. NAM
as an organization does not and will not knowingly be associated with any individual or be a party to any organization that questions the loyalty or
integrity of President Eisenhower or attempts to degrade the fundamental respect due him and his high office.”
09/13/60...........................................Chicago IL Daily News
09/25/60………………………………....Milwaukee WI Journal
09/29/60...........................................San Marino CA Tribune
09/30/60...........................................The Tidings (Boston MA Catholic publication)
11/15/60...........................................The Sunflower (Univ of Wichita KS student paper)
11/28/60...........................................Stamford CT Advocate column by W.D. Workman
12/16/60...........................................Phoenix AZ Republic
12/16/60………………………………....Phoenix Arizona Republic
01/12/61………………………………....Cody WY Enterprise
01/13/61………………………………....Butte MT Standard
01/14/61………………………………....Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express
01/22/61...........................................St. Louis MO Post-Dispatch
01/22-23/61......................................Santa Barbara CA News-Press