Presidential Assistant David K. Niles, whose resignation was announced this week, was the subject of a sarcastic news story by Joseph Hearst published today in the Washington Times-Herald and the Chicago Tribune. Amidst hints that Mr. Niles misused his position, it is alleged that " capital observere regard Niles’ desire to see the new state of Israel as that of man wanting to see what he has created, for the Washington version is that Mr. Truman tossed the Israel problem to Niles and that he masterminded the independence of the Jewish state."
The article, printed on the front page of the Times-Herald and featured prominently in the Tribune, says: "In his day Niles dispensed Federal patronage, put his proteges into the government at a pace exceeded only by the influx of Frankfurter’s bright young men, built political machines and masterminded Presidential nominations."
The Chicago Tribune version of the story contains the assertion that Mr. Niles resigned when Mr. Truman became President but " the minority groups, who had found Niles a constant friend who provided them entree to the White House, howled their protests and Mr. Truman persuaded Niles to stay." The Times-Herald and Tribune are both published by Col. Robert R. McCormick. The papers have previously carried attacks on Jews in the government.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
