Bad Ammunition

For the first time in history, the State Department refused a passport* to a Congressman.

New York's Representative Leo Isacson, American Laborite who won a Bronx by-election in February with the backing of Henry Wallace, wanted to go to Paris to attend a conference on aid for the Greek guerrillas. He would go as an observer for the American Council for a Democratic Greece, a Communist-front organization. Since the council is opposed to the U.S. policy of aiding the established Greek government, said State, issuance of a passport would not be "in the interests of the U.S."

Behind State's decision was a fear that many Europeans, unfamiliar with U.S. politics, might interpret Congressman Isacson's presence in Paris as official congressional and administrative blessing upon conference doings. Communists undoubtedly would do their best to give Isacson's visit that appearance. Editorialized the New York Times: "No citizen is entitled to go abroad to oppose the policies and interests of his country. . .. The State Department acted wisely."

But did it? An Isacson trip to Paris could hardly have "stirred up more commotion--and given Communist propagandists more anti-American ammunition--than the passport denial. Congressman Isacson promptly made the most of the situation. All he wanted to do, he cried, was to "learn the truth" about conditions in Greece. He said he would apply for another passport--this time to Palestine--and dared State to refuse him again.

Not a few Congressmen, however unsympathetic they might be toward Isacson's foreign policy views, were disturbed at this infringement of their right to go anywhere and investigate anything. If one Congressman could be forbidden a passport, so could others. Besides, if any citizen of the U.S. had freedom to speak his mind at home, why should he be denied the same freedom in Europe? Congressmen were not alone in thinking that the State Department, instead of using its passport power to curb its critics, would do well to label them properly and let them talk their heads off.

*For news of another passport refusal, see PRESS.

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