Show lut WESTBROOK New Racket Exposed S THE 1 HE New York court of appeals has ruled that a person JL 1 who has falsely been called a Communist or accused of sympathizing with communism may b be hurt in his reputation reputation reputation tion and feelings According to the present rule of the United States Supreme court all such charges must be false unless the victim admits his guilt In which case he couldn't sue anyway The be Supreme court rejected proof uncorroborated by the defendant A plain citizen with a non-legal non point of ot view might remark that persons desiring not to be mistaken for tor Communists or sympathizers had better take care not to court suspicion After all courts do recognize contributory negligence So granting that It Is even a little more unpleasant to be mistaken for a a. traitor these days than In other times Isn't It always Incumbent on any plaintiff to shun bad company meaning the commies Another thing the asking price In this kind of ot lawsuit varies In an enormous range and would seem to be fixed b bv whim rather than by t tany any calculation of ot the victims victim's woe Often they are pr professionals nals in controversy con controversy who draw lightning and then run screaming for tor their attorneys I In many cases they clothe themselves in the tho appearances of ot defiant I sedition to Invite the reliable scorn of ot patriotic men In any case a jury would be justified in denying damages If plaintiff had earned his unsavory reputation by offensive all his life li The action for tor big judgments in these Communist and arid communism cases has become a racket as distinct as some of the old personal-Injury personal specialties |