Wisconsin State Journal Madison, Wisconsin Tuesday, July 11, 1972 - Page 8
He Objects to Journal's Support of Soviet “Anti-American” Political Invective and Smear Campaign
Sirs — I am happy to see that The Wisconsin State Journal has decided to back Boris Spassky in the up-coming chess match of the century. I was becoming worried that I might agree with something the Journal supported.
It is evident that you fail to realize that chess is and always has been Bobby Fischer's (sic) profession, and that only he can judge how much this tournament is worth to him. ([Soviet Payrolled Editor notes “sic” in parenthesis, mocking mention of Fischer's “profession” as a chess player. But withholds his mockery that Spassky, himself, is also a professional chess player, subsidized by the Soviet Empire. Completely understandable, employed by Soviets to abuse public trust and publishing Pro-Soviet propaganda. Rooting for the Soviet Empire and their racism, antisemitism and Anti-American chauvinism. All in a day's work!])
After all, the United States has not supported him during all these years; he has been training as is done in Russia.
It is also possible that Bobby Fischer is repaying some of the humiliation which has been dealt to him by the Soviets in the past. Where was The State Journal over the years when the Soviets were cheating Bobby Fischer out of tournament championships by the underhanded cheating between comrades? It was this cheating which almost forced Bobby Fischer to quit chess altogether.
It is also possible that this whole affair is just part of the pre-tournament “psyching out” between players, but, of course, your editor doesn't understand that.
Why doesn't The State Journal stick to the reporting of important news such as Gov. Lucey's son's trip from Vermont and leave the unimportant stuff, such as the breaking and entering of the Democratic Convention and the world chess championship, to interested newspapers? — John S. Daniel, 2501 Fremont St., Madison, Wis.
