FAIRBANK REPLIES

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

I sometimes wonder, who is this Fairbank who keeps creeping into your headlines with a red label? Your photograph in itself is certainly most disquieting.

While it is inadvisable ever to let a China specialist get started telling you about his investigation, still the reporting of various vague statements over a long period may well have produced some confusion among your readers as to the facts concerning me. Following is a chronology I circulated to friends some time ago:

April 1951--applied for military permit and passort for sabbatical in Japan. Aug. 14-first mentioned before McCarran Committee. Aug. 17-Army refused military permit; passort application therefore lapsed. I resumed teaching, asked Army for a hearing. Dec. 5-6-Army set up its Military Entry Permit review Board (two civilians and a general, using Loyalty-Security Board rules) and I had the first hearing held by it. March 10-11, 1952-having asked for a hearing in September, I appeared before, McCarran Committee 9rranscript free in vol. 11 of hearings on the Institute of Pacific relations, Internal security Submission, Senate Judiciary Committee). April 28-Army jurisdiction in Japan ended, its Board sent my file, with recommendation, to State Department. May 1-applied for passport, passport issued Aug. 4, 2952. Went to Japan as originally planned, returning last summer.

While your latest reference to this case concludes by noting that I was "for a long time denied a visa to leave the country", I personally remain most impressed by the fact that, after being investigated in both the executive and the legislative branches of our government, I did in fact receive a passport and go to Japan on my normal business. This final result had more interest, for me at least, than the original charges.

I submit the above summary because I think the efforts to manipulate our fears have to be combated by factual knowledge, whether it concerns one person of an entire policy. John K. Fairbank '29   Professor of History