Newspaper Page Text
PAGE TWO
~ The Forest Park News |
Post Office Box 21 Office: 45 Oak Street |
Forest Park, Georgia Phone POplar 1-0911
ANTHONY GREY Editor and Publisher
-ED LA CHAPELLE - Associate Editor
PUBLISHED EACH WEDNESDAY
From This Corner
(From Page 1) |
. feel that any reputable newspaper would resort to any
such last-minute smear tactics | predicted for the occasion.
Yet, Mr. Flcetwood did not know the nature of the
f?rcea.whioh I oppore here in Clayton County.
How low can a man stoop, when ne 13 hard-pressed
to stave off defeat in his candidacy for the State Senate?
How low? Well, | shall now attempt to plumb some
vof the depths . . .
Following are a partial list of the lies, published in |
the last issue of the Foster Machine paper. by Foster, and
directed against this writer, and which Foster felt con
fident could not be answered before election day:
LIE NUMBER ONE: In his full page ad in his paper, date March
28, Alvin Foster stated in connection with my six months as ediicr
of his paper that | “never had a single penny invested in the
paper” despite my “statement to the contrary notwithstanding.”
THE FACTS: From the time | assumed the duties of editor of’
that paper in November, 1954 until January, 1955, NEARLY ALL
OPERATING CAPITAL NEEDED WAS SUPPLIED OUT OF MY PER.
SONAL FUNDS. Cancelled checks drawn on one of my personal
accounts in New York City, and us:d in payment of printing costs |
will be offered in court as evidence.
Further, when the paper borrowed SIOOO frem o bank in
Atlanta for operating capital in Junuary, 1955, | made the ar
rangements for the loon, and my name, with those of Alvin and
Walter Foster, appeared on the note. Thus | assumed one third of
the obligation, in accordance with our agreement that each part
ner would have one third interest in the paper.
The original canceled personal checks which | drew to pay
printing costs for the paper, plus a photostat of the SIOOO note |
which | signaed with Alvin and Walter Foster will be produced to
prove conclusively that Alvin Foster's statement as quoted from his
ad above is an utter falsehoed. Also to be produced will be evid- |
ence to positively show that when | decided to sever my connec
tion'with the paper, an audit was made of the books by « certified |
public accountant and | was paid a sum of ONE THOUSAND '
DOLLARS for my financial equity in the business plus back salary.
LIE NUMBER TWO: Mr. Foster states in his full page ad, in the
March 28 issue of his paper that | was “discharged (fired),” as
editor. Yet in the issue of the paper after | left (April 28, 1955)
there appeared (certainly with Alvin Fosier's approval) the follow
ing statement: “The Forest Park Fiee Press regrets to announce
that Mr. Anthony Grey has resigncd os editor of the Forest Park |
Free Press.” fi
As | pointed out in my editorial in the March 28 issue of the |
News, the big question is: was .he Foster puper lying when it
published the above statement after | left the paper, or is Alvin!
Foster lying now? !
LIE NUMBER THREE: In his full page ad in his paper, issue of
March 28, Alvin Foster makes the grave charge that | “misused the
funds of the paper.” ‘
THE FACTS: Any funds | collected which were not entered in |
the receipt book through oversight were more than covered by
funds due me ot the time | left the Foster paper. Foster knows this.
We were supposad to have settled that account long ago, yet it
has not, though | have asked that it ba closed half a dozen times |
(twice within the post four weeks) Alvin Foster has never directed |
thet this be done and THIS LEAVES MY RECORDS ON EARNINGS |
INCOMPLETE TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT | WillL BE UNABLE TO |
FILE A COMPLETE INCOME TAX RETURN THIS YEAR.
The above falsehcod by Alvin Foster, which reflects so much
upon my integrity, will be one of the prime issues in my suit
against him. ! |
LIE NUMBER FOUR: Alvin Foster states in his full page ad in his
paper (issue of March 28) that | had been tricked by him into
writing a story that a petition (which he says never existed) was |
being circulated in which signers were attesting their support of |
Mr. Foster’s position regarding the Forest Park annexation issue. |
THE FACTS: This is an uiter falsehood. Mr. Foster had no
friend trick me info writing o story about such a petition. The in- |
formation for that news article came from William V. George, a |
local attorney and chairman of the committee to defeat Forest
Park annexation. Mr. George called me and said he had received
reports that citizens had been asked to sign the petition. Witnesses |
will be produced who were asked to sign the petition which Mr.
Foster now states is non-existant.
LIE NUMBER FIVE: In his full page ad in his paper, issue March
28 Alvin Foster states that | wrote o “sneok letter to o printer in |
Carrollton in which he made so many misstatements regerding |
the ¥oop|a here in Forest Park that the printer called me.”
HE FACTS: | never wrote a letter, as Mr. Foster states. | did,
however, in my regular new stories to our printer at the time,
include a news article concering the resignation of myself and
two members of the staff (Ed LaChapeile and Annelle Gibbon)
due to o “policy disagreement.” This news article was scheduled
for publication in the paper, as a routine matter, but the printer
called Mr. Foster, who BAMNED the story like he had banned
other material in the paper earlier (us discussed in previous
columns.)
I had writtan the resignation of myself and two staff mem
bers (whose signatures | have on the original story) since | pre
ferred to write it rather then have Foster write it
There was no letter written, as Alvin Foster states, and there |
were no misstatements of foct in the news article, The carbon copy |
of that article will be presented to substantiate this statement.
It is now 115 A M., Thursday merning, and since | must
drive to Atlanta and place this editorial on the bus for the
printer, in arder that this special edition can come off the press
this afternoon and be distributed te counteract Mr. Foster’s lies
I shall net deal further with his untruths in his final ad of the
compaign.
" | 'would like 1o observe, however that Mr. Foster, desperate
that the unholy cause which he espouses will bring about his
dismal defeat a1 the polls, has struck o low blow by making false |
wcousations The blow is the lower because he did not come out |
with these charges in earlier weeks so that | could have pefuted
them In ragular issues of the paper,
But to make the choarges caily anough that | could make
answer is not consistant wi's V. Toster's tactics. He saved all of
his lies te the lost issue o vaper hefore the cloction, hoping,
(o 8 1 said earlier) he oo womoaish the impact of imy columns on
him and his machine, b o the election.
He felt confident thot | would be unable 1o answer his vicious
ond untruthiul attack " kaowing him for the kind of man he is,
) hava kept the pressc o readiness. The fact that |am able to
maoke answer nearly o weeli before he expected, will be a surprise
10 him no doubt
| huye cited Alvin Foster on five counts of lying above. | plan
1o taks him te court and prove my accusotions. Let him now pre
para his dofrnge
n conclusion | weuld like to point out ene very significant
peint: During post weeks | have made some grave charges in
connection with Mr. Foster’s political and other activities, in my
column.
I have discussed his refusal to publish the story of the purchase
of the Forest Park Free Press, his censoring of material which
went into the paper, his desire to manipulate advertising rates, his
desire to gain control of all newspapers in the County, to name
but o few.
All of these are issues in the campaign fer Clayton’s seat in
the State Senate. Yet you will find, from reading his ads, in
cluding his final, malicious and desperate blast, that he did not
deny o single one of these charges, or even discuss them.
Rother he attempted to discredit the author of these articles.
Why did he not deny the grave charges | have made against
him in past weeks? Simply because he knew the charges were
frue. &y
On the basis of earlier fuctual statements regarding Alvin
Foster, plus his untruthful attack on me it is hard for me to see
how he can consider himself fit to hold public office.
H t chine
ow The Foster Machi
5 °
Has Been Building--Some
Exemples Worth Study
Last week | devotea my column to a description of how
Alvin Foster planned to use the newspapers of Clayton
County (which he planned to control) as an instrument,
tool, force and weapon to assist him in his drive for
political power. I recorded now he purchased the Forest
Park Free Press, how he insisted that his ownershi;: and
control be concealed from the readers. Some examples of
how he used the paper wee given, including his activity as
high censor of the paper. . ‘
That column produced great response and 1 will dis
cuss this at the end of this corumn. But for my main the,’ne
thic week I would like to record some facts concerning
Alvin Foster’s activities in building his machine, of which
press control was just one phase.
What indications are there, you ask, that Alvin Foster
is trving to zet up a political machine in Clayton County.
There are inany and they can be proven. But sil_'me
this is just a column, and not a book, we must be brief.
Here are two examples:
(1). About three weeks ago, Alvin Foster a.pproach
ed T. J. Ell’'ott, candidate for clerk of the Superior Court,
and tried to get Mr. Elliott to withdraw from the. race.
Mv. Elliott (present city clerk in Forest Park), declined.
Forest Park), declined.
Why had Alvin Foster, candidate for the State Senate,
brazenly tried to have a candidate withdraw from
another race? The answer is simple: Mr. Foster felt that
Mr. Elliott’s candidacy was splitting the vote which Fo.?-
ter wanted the candidate he is supporting to get. Why is
Foster supporting a candidate for Clerk with his block of
votes. So that he will have another elective official who
is “‘cooperative.” .
When the info:mation came to me cuncerning this |
called an Mr. Elliott and asked him if it were true that
Foster had approached him and asked that he withdraw
from the race. Mr. Elliott said that it was true.
(2) My second example adas weight to the convic
tion of thousands that Alvin Focter is striving to elect a
man to nearly every county office now open. About two
months ago, when the political pot began to simmer,
Walter Foster approached a well-known Forest Park resi
dent and asked that man if he would consider offering for
the office of ordinary. (Walter Foster, you will recall,
owns 25 per cent in the official county newspaper, and he,
with his brother Alvin . . . who owns another 25 per cent,
own half of the paper..)
Why did Wal.ter Foste: (and therefore Alvin) want
to <un a man against Frank Adamson? The answer is not
comblicated to those who have observed politics in Clay
ton Cot'mty. Sil_nply because it is pretty well established
that Adamron is not what would be called “co operative”
towards the Foster cause.
Whether the Foster organization ever found a candi
f:la.tc to oppose Adamson is not known by this writer. But
it is known, and can he proved, that at least one citizen
was approached to make the race, for that citizen so stat
ed in the preence of this writer and three others . . .
The auestion still stands: why. if Alvin Foster is not
interested in building a machine in the County, does he and
his organization attemot to run a nearly complete slate
of candidates? Why does not Alvin Foster content him
rolf to running for the State Senate ? Why? v
There are other examples, but space does not permit
them being printed here. Actually, I have avoided the
BEST example but it can be overlooked. for reasons which
I will explain in a review of the campaign next week.
Thus we have, briefly, a few examples of the Foster
drive to build a powerful organization in Clayton County.)
A SUMMARY ...
In concluding this, the seventh of a series of articles
concerning County politics, and the forthcoming primary
election, I would like to summarize the main points, parti
cularly for those who did not read all articles in the
series. Examples and other documents will not be given
hece for brevity. Here they are:
1. Two generally distinguishable political factions ex
ist in Clayton County, each with a different outlook on
how government should serve the people. State Repre
~entative Alvin Foster, now a candidate for the State
Senate is the leader of one faction. County Commissioner
Belton C. Haynie, now a candidate for re-election, is the
leader of the other faction.
2, The Haynie and the Foster factions were once one.
They solit after victory at the polls four years ago be
cause Belton Haynie was not co-operative with Alvin
Foster or his viewr. on how the County’s affairs should be
administered
3. Alvin ¥oster and his group, cefusing to tolerate
Belton Haynie for the four years for which he was elect
ed, spearheaded a drive for a tl&ee man county commis
sion, backed the two candidates who were successful and
thus curtailed Haynie's authority two yea:s before the
expiration of his term.
4. The orpanization. led by Alvin Foster then began to
show indications that it would build a political machine
in Clayton County. Control of the county newspapers be
came an important factor in this plan. One newspaper was
nurchased, this writer was retained as editor with other
duties aimed at “selling” the Foster organization to the
voters,
Ownership of the paper is concealed at Alvin Foster's
order despite protests from the editor.
5. Friction developed ! iween this writer, as editor
¢l the Foster-controlled Free Press, and Alvin Foster. as
to what war ethical and what was unethical journalism.
Alvin Foster clearly indicated his desire to use the
FOREST PARK, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1956
paper as an aid to his rise to power. ¥
6. Alvin Foster became high censor of the Free
Press, instructed the editor what could and what could
not be published, desired to manipulate advertising
rates, generally desired to uss the paper as a private
political organ to influence public opinion for him and
against his opponents.
7. The editor of the Free Press resigned when it
was found impossible to go along with Foster’s plan for
complete control of Clayton County newspapers. Foste:
and his political team then purchased the Clayton County
News and Farmer, and, expecting the Forest Park News
to be short-lived, found control of the press in the
County nearly within their grasp.
8. Plans for the Democratic primary in March,
1956 were carefully made, with the intent of the Foster
organization clearly being to insure the electon of as
many offices as possible, thus making machine-type poli
tics a realization.
- -
Further Concerning My Column Last Week Which
.
Concerned Press Control Foster Machine Style
My rccording of press control—Alvin Foster style—
brought great response since publication. After having
heard rumors and bits of information for nearly two years
concerning Alvin Foster’s activities in this connection,
thocusands welcomed some hard facts.
Mr. Havold Banke, the man whose photograph was
cersorea »rom the Forest Park Free Press by Alvin Foster,
told me that he had explained the facts as he knew them
to “about 300" citizens who called him or stopped him
on the rtreet.
Since others may wish to hear what he has to say re
garding the banned photograph, he has authorized me to
state that the facts as | outlined them last we~k were
“categorically cor-cct as | have known them for more
than a year.”
Last Friday evening, at a political vally in North Clay
ton, Harold Banke came face to face with Alvin Foster,
who attended for the purpose of soliciting votes for his
candidacy for the State Senate.
It was the first time they had met since Alvin Foster
learned that Harold Banke knew all about the censored
photograph.
.The wcrd_s exchanged were brief and significant.
_Alvm Foster did noi mention the banned photograph, say
ing only that he hoped Mr. Banke would forget the past
when it came timc for him to vote for a candidate for the
State Senate.
Mr. Banke, a true Southern gentleman, was polite . . .
i lam informed, from a number of sources, that a story
is ma.king the rounds in the County that it was W. H.
Fleming, the other candidate whose likeness abpeared in
the photograph, who asked it not be published.
'This curprises me very much, for Mr. Fleming was
auite happy to go with Mr. Banke and staff photographer
Ed La Chapelle, all the way to Jonesboro, to have the pho
tograph made.
Further, | took my orders from Alvin Foster. Mr.
Fleminz had nothing to say to me about the photograph.
He had nothing to say about how the paper was run.
I have not talked to Mr. Fleming about the rumor. so
can not say that he has ever made the statement that he
asked that the photograph not be published.
But one thing is clear . . . Mr. Fleming could better as
sume the responsibility for the banned photo at this time.
After all, he is not running for office and Alvin Foster is!
If Mr. Fleming has anvthing to do with Alvin Foster’s
order to me not to publish the photograph, it is news to
me. . . And if he did, I would like to know why. So would
many thousand other citizens of Clayten county . . .
It has been published that the ownersh'p of the offici
al Clayton Countv organ has been a ‘“‘matter of record”
for a long time, Thisc is an error of fact which a number
of citizens have cailed to my attention. The fact is that a
cornoration was formed to conduct the business of pub
lishing a newspaper. The owners of the corporation were
listed, and the legal ad was publiched for four weeks.
But (and it is a very big “but”). it was never publish
ed that the cornoration owned the official Clayton County
organ. Check the records.
The first time anything appeared in print concerning
the ownership of the official newrspaper was in a letter
addressed to that newspaper which was refused publica
tion according to the author. It was then published in the
News at his request, and then (better late than never) in
the newspaver for which it was originally intended.
Those who would continue to try to fool the intelligent
readers by insisting that the ownership of that pape:r was
common knowledee since it had been published as such
(when it had not) certainlv must think the readers are
easily fooled. They aren't!
It has come to my attention that the story is circula
ting that I was “fired” as editor of the Forest Park Free
Press!
I quote an article from that paper. Page one issue of
April 28, (the week after I left) as follows: “The Forest
Park Free Press regrets to announce that Mr. Anthony
Srey ,l'\as RESIGNED as editor of the Forest Park Free
ress.
Either the writer of the above quoted and published
sentence was telling the readers a lie, or those who now
spread the rumor that 1 was fired are guilty of this of
fense. Any way you add it up, somebody just isn’t telling
the truth!
YOU'RE TELLING ME!
r————— B WILLIAM RITT s——
Central Press Writer
A MIDWESTERN university
president declares schools waste!
up to one-fourth of the funds
they spend on capital impxmje-i
ments. Maybe the colieges should |
forego stressing the teaching of
political economy and practice
instead just plain economy. |
113 |
There are at least 20,000 spe-.
cies of birds, according to Fac 10-i
graphs. And they're all outside
our wwmdow when e want to
sleep late on a spring morning. i
' ! 1
New York City's St. Patrick’s
Doy parode will be reviewed by
Prime Minister Costello of Ireland.
That should make it official.
' ' '
See where a number of big
shot sports writers are picking
the New Yotk Yankees to meet
the Brookiyn Dodgers for the
| seventh time in the World Series.
lGood grief, are they playing it in
| installments ?
: . ' ‘
! The wnewsp., s lately have
| been featuring picturss of brand
| new babies who have sprouted
| teeth. So far. however, none has
{ done a testimonial for some den=
| tal cream.
l Pomdey
| Georgi Malenkov, ex-premier, is
Ii Russian minister of power stations
l now, we read. Bos:s of all but the
;bi"m one—the Kremlin
! ? 11
| The Physical Culture and
| Sports commission of Red China
has added a new event to its
[track and field meets—the hand
- grenade throw. During this part
‘of the program w 2 assume the
{booing from the stands is at an
| absolute minimum. =
T d Stop M l
By BENNETT CER
\TISITORS TO LAS VEGAS are warned by Mel Torme thy
the gqmbiing parlors and slot machines are not:the omt’
hazards with which to conjure. “Lock out for th()se'odt'i-shapei|
swimming pools. too,” cau
tions Mel. “They have a very
high chorine content.”
oy
Sign on mirror of saw
dusty saloon: ‘“Resignations
from Alcoholics Anonymous
accepted here.”
“Marriage,” opines my
Uncle Herbert in Vermont,
“is something like hanging:
by the time you're used to
it, you're dead.”
- - -
Arthur Goodmen cbserves Mo ;
tartly, “What this country needs is a good five-cent anything”
© 1936, by Bennett Cerf. Distributed by King Fealur{ Syndicate,
TO THE
CITIZENS
OF
CLAYTON
COUNTY
Last minute charges, so timed that they cannot be
answered before an election, are typical of campaigns
conducted by desperate politicians, fearful of the out
come of an election—and frantically clutchfng at any
straw which may salvage them from impending defeat.
Such is an ad my opponent released to the Forest Park
News early this week—well after the deadiine had pas:ed,
Poiaiant
Very late last week, my opponent solicited a state
ment from members of the Forest Park City government,
who were in office at the time the Forest Park Annexa
tion Bill was drawn. The statement was represented to,
the signers as one which would be published as a message
from them to all citizens.
Poahon®
Yet, my opponent very cleverly added a preface to the
letter, and a closing statement, to give it an entirely dif
ferent significance, by using it as a political ad for him
self!
B s W P
Having been advised beforehand of his intent, I re
fused to sign the statement when it was presented. |
would have, if it was to have been a statement to the citi
zens and not a partisan political ad by my opponent. It
was very clear he would not have asked me to sign it, if
he did not feel he could use it against me.
: Yoo x ;
Those signers who have been contacted and advised
of the us= my opponent has unethically made of the
;'tl?t;lm:l;t:rs}fl‘é Ythat THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED
’ KNOWN THEUSE TO W T
WOULD BE PUT. -e |
Pl
It is inl'eresting that there are signers who have
pledged their support to me in this race, and they know
u.ugly would not have allowed the message, which they
signed, to be distorted, and put to the use it was.
BBt
. “t:: well kno».vn that I was a member of City. Council
:raz:r‘n b; ‘:::exa_;_t':?n bill was drawn. Yet, it was not
. 's was done by the city attorney.
PP
Yet the fact remains, that Mr F
e s . Foster must bear full
respon'.!.blhty. for any defects in the final draft of the
E::::?lhor;: bnl‘l\. which was prepared after I left City
. or he a 3 2 :
B B the dnw. pproved that bill, introduced it, and
Bl ;
Whlt my opponent ;8 attempti .
: ke Pting to do is to argue that
some one handed him a loaded gun, which he discharged
;t thle Citizens whom he was supposed to represent. Now
e claim= that he is not to blame, but, rather, those who
handed him the gun! :
O eB Vs
If my opponent had been ; i
A performing the duties of
the office of Representative, and had been looking after
the interests of ALL the people, he would have refused
to introduce the bill unti] all defects, which are issues in
this race, had been deleted. _This he did not do.
Respectfully yours,
LAMAR R. BECKWITH.
—Paid Political Adv.
