SIDNEY GRUSON, NEW YORK TIMES CORRESPONDENT IN GUATEMALA CITY.

Created: 8/9/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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POSt Tbe Honorable Henry P. Holland Assistant secretary ofState rApartatent Washington, B. C.

SUBJECT0 rue on, HEM TORE TIMES

correspondent In Ouateaala City.

Reference ia nade to ay two stenoranda to you dateday anday respectively concerning Sidney Gruson. Ia thoseurnished to you, pursuant to your expressions of interest, certain information concerning tbe background and recent activities of Gruson togetherrief connect try on tbe tone and content of Oruson'a dispatches fros Ouateaala.

I do not doubt that you have been following, at least to acme extent, the dispatches of Gruson since his return to Guatemala. Gut in anyhould like toew points in case ycu bare not considered tbea fully. Oruson'a dispatches haveat leastery narked change, since bis return to Guatemala. He did file sots pretty sour stuff from Mexico while he waa there in sane of his dispatches; but, as Just stated, ne now appears alsost to be (going out of bis way to set tbe record-as particularly In tore* tod in Gruson's dispatch which appeared in the KgK TOMC TIMES edition of Saturday, Augustn which he states st the conclusionairly Involved discussion af the recentthat if tbe revolt of the cadets and certain elements of the regular nllltary bad succeeded, tbe situation would baTe been natch easier for the Comasanlsts, since Arfcena's nllltary friends were Gruson goes on toiploaatlc observer (unnsaod) for the following statement:

'Only an idiot could fail to understand now how thoroughly Arcana wased bjr the Conaunllte."

bas yet been found in Conwnnlat files oaptared after tha civil war to proveoubt that Sen or Arbanaasmniat party meeber. the libraries at both hla private hone and Presidential residence contained Uttla else but Con-wonist literature. His closest adviser during bis last days as President was Jenor Portuny, who is withnow in the Mexican Esbasay."

This current reporting on the part of Oruaonar cry fron hie dispatches of lata Hay and early June. Then* when the chips were down, he was not only going all oat in reporting tha Torlallo-irbena linehe was going oat on hia own to support it. In fast only one day after his re-entry into Guatenala /on the basis of sons kind of deal with Toriello? Oruaon waa able to report that the people of Guatenala supported their Government oneQui woe ally on tba parohase of araa froa behind the Iron Curtain, and the State Departnent'a expression of concern over this purchase had "boome ranged." You will, of course, recallurifoy's expressions of el&ra concerning Oruaon'a reports and other activities during tbe critical phase. Too will also recall how widely Qraaan's dispatches which appeared proainently in the NEW TCflR TDCS were uaed and quoted by the internatl-xial Conwunlet propaganda eedia.

lu It is myrsonal andconclusion tnat thia is one leopard which has not really changed its spots, but rather has been sniffing the wind acd has temporarily altered his course in accordance therewith. In sun Groson ranoina in nyan to be watched.

Paw O. alSHkS Deputy rector (Plans)

Orig &

Leddy

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