Fairbank Attacks Senate Committee

John K. Fairbank, professor of History, accused the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee yesterday of "jumping to conclusions on the basis of hearsay evidence and scattergun accusations."

He appeared before the committee in a closed session to answer charges made earlier this year and last that he was a communist and a communist sympathizer.

Most of the 17-word statement he read to the committee and will repeat in a public hearing today is a detailed denial of all accusations that he is a communist. He also carefully explained how the charges grew from rumors when, as a China scholar he "tried to meet and talk with persons of all shades of opinion."

Fairbank began by quoting a statement on "Freedom of Speech" inserted in the Congressional Record last fall by several members of the subcommittee.

"There is a disquieting similarity between one aspect of the procedures of the Communist Russians and of this committee," the statement continued. "While no one questions the sincerity of this committee in seeking to combat communism, I think some of its methods have been dangerously at fault."

Fairbank admitted that "we must set certain limits to our individual freedoms in order to preserve our general freedom," but added that the doctrine, "carried to extremes, could lead us astray."

Faith--Not Fear

Communist subversion, he went on, "is a real and vitally serious problem," but the fight against it must be conducted "with facts, not hearsay and suspicion; with faith, not fear."

The subcommittee is currently investigating the Institute of Pacific Relations for any subversive influences it may have exerted on U.S. policies in the Far East. Fairbank has been a member of the international private research organization for 16 years.

The 44-year-old professor repeated his earlier statements that he is not now and never was a member of the Communist party or a sympathizer.

"I am a loyal American," said Fairbank. "I am engaged in one form of American enterprise." He agreed that "communists cannot be trusted in positions of responsibility as teachers any more than they could be as government officials."

He also denied ever having knowingly taken part in any subversive activities, as ex-Communist Louis Budenz implied before the subcommittee last August.

Moscow Attacked Him

Fairbank cited Moscow's heated denunciation of him for proposals made in his books on China. He quoted "Russian Communists" as saying that "Fairbank wants to wrench the peoples of Asia away from the democratic, anti-imperialist camp."

"This is, of course, quite true," the professor went on. "I do want to wrench the peoples of Asia away from the Soviet camp."

He continued: "I think I can say without immodesty that my knowledge of modern China and the contacts I have had over the past 20 years make it possible for me to be of help in checking communism in Asia. I want to be of help. I am gratified to know that the Russians fear my activities and writings as a threat to their success.

"But I cannot be of help in this fight if I am discredited and repudiated by my own people. Prior witnesses before this committee have sought to do just this, and they have done it through irresponsible and unsubstantiated charges.

"Unless they are right, they are helping Russia. I know they are wrong."

He concluded the statement saying he was charged by the West as being a communist and accused by Russia of being a secret agent of the West. "These charges are equally absurd and false."

He then called on the country to fight communism accurately--"with sights and a and not with a blunder base."