Case History

Joseph E. Hicswa, chubby-cheeked and 20, from Wallington, N.J., was a private in the Army. Last week he stood before a military court in Osaka. Its eight judges had found him guilty of stabbing two Japanese to death with his bayonet. The crime, they said, was "premeditated, vicious and unprovoked," and Private Hicswa was sentenced to die for it.

These were all the facts that the press of Manhattan had to go on. Its reporters hustled across the Hudson to the Hicswa home. They found it plunged in grief: there was a welcome sign for Joey on the front door, presents for him in the parlor. He had been expected home any day, and the Christmas tree had been kept ready. It made a poignant story: any newsman who failed to see its news value should have quit. But the papers proceeded to overplay it outrageously.

When they got through, the U.S. had a case history of "feature story" journalism and the pressure it can apply. The Hicswa story stirred up clouds of sentiment, obscuring the harsh question of his guilt or innocence.

A first-day headline: HE'S A GOOD BOY, SOBS G.I.'S MOTHER. A Page One picture was captioned: Grief-Stricken Parents. The news lead read: "A red, white & blue sign reading 'Welcome Home' hangs on the front door of the little frame home. . . ."

Second-day headline: TOWNS RALLY TO SAVE JERSEY G.I. There were interviews with town cops, who didn't remember Joey ever causing them any trouble. Other headlines: PLEAS FOR HICSWA KEEPING WIRES HOT . . . LEGION, V.F.W. JOIN FIGHT,

The third day: PLEAS TO MACARTHUR FOR HICSWA BEGIN . . . JERSEY STRIKERS PLEAD FOR G.I.

The fourth day: "HAD NO KNIFE," HICSWA WROTE GIRL. The girl (good looking) was photographed with Joey's mother, and it was reported that "Mrs. Hicswa smiled for the first time."

The fifth day's headlines: BUDDY SURE HICSWA WAS UNARMED.

The sixth day: MAC WILL REVIEW HICSWA SENTENCE. (A fact some newspapers overlooked was that a death sentence automatically goes to General MacArthur, as theater commander.) Picture caption (family around the radio): Hicswa Family Rejoices Over Good News.

On the seventh day, a 55-year-old man in Passaic, N.J. asked Joey Hicswa's parents to write the Government "and ask them if I could take Joe's place."

By now journalism (and, perhaps, justice) appeared triumphant. Headline:

MAC ARTHUR WILL FIND JOE INNOCENT, HICSWAS SURE.

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