McCarthyism in Cincinnati: The Bettman-Collett Affair by Wallace T. Collett (review)

11() OK REVIEWS port:int external source of income for Dayton Women's Liberation. She convincingly argues that Dayton feminism was less fractured than in other cities because there was little antagonism between feminists and the New I. eft. This observation is particularly important because it weakens scholars' claims that feminism emerged otit of the sexism ot the New Left. Iii Dayton,the break between feminists and the Left wis niore of a " no fault divorce." 23) The author is less successful, CT311./, 0 . »however ,in her examination of L.... · -5 --"'. 4 ilidivid ,ials than of their organi- glist zations. Theit-stories are capti- UR116 0 ,» these v() ices are important to he 1:' 9*.« » story,and niake it a compelling read. Judith Ezekiel' s Feminism iii tbe Heartland is a fascinating and important contribution to the histc, ry of secondwave feminism and,niore generally ,American social movements,especially in the Midwest. Ir is also a significant contribution to feminist scholarship that should encourage more research of feminist organizations at the local level. Wendy Kline University of Cincinnati Wallace T.Collett. McCartbyism in Cincinnati :Tbe BettmanCollett Affair. Rosemont,Pennsylvania: Wallace Collett, 2() 02. ISBN: 091712506 ( paper). incinnati adopted the firstcol-nprehensivemaster plan fc, r an American city in 1925,but over the years the city's planning effc, rts have not been without detractors. Most recently,in 2002,spurred by allegations that planning interfered with economic develop44 {&* 0* 8* j.* **: r *' 2*-- '* 3 TOIrS RESIGNATIONS* ment,the city abolished the 4" CUt Planning depart nient tind 149* 1618*** diI _.. sub)merged the Land Use Management Group and the Historic ,» s, .»{ jft€* Conservation Officeiiito the De1 partment of Community Develk ,. % 1 1 opment and Planning. Wallace T. Collett's brief book, THE BETTMANSCOLLEFAIR McCartbyism in Cincinnati: The BettmanCollett Affair. pros ,%* 0'.12, 33 vides an insider' s view of attacks 6 * St:» 4%* ' ft '* 6 on planning in an earlier era and iii a different pc, litical climate. v: gailit/: 18:," 11'/ jin' lli. 4,/ MI. 2 Based on his personal journals , Collett's book presents a multifaceted collection of documents and commentary chronicling the electionseason redbaiting campaign he faced,as a member of the Cincinnati City Planning Commission along with Henry Bettinan, the commission' s chairman. Bettman and (: ollett had allowed Sydney Williams,who had previously belonged Itc,a Marxist study group,to be appointed Director of Planning for the City of Ciiicinnati in 1953. That fal] Republican politicians, fed informarion by the FBI, brought Williams' past to light. The Commission prc, mptly fired him. City Council then demanded that Collett and Bettman, who had defended Williams,resign their positions. Fifty years later,Collett decided to tell his story,believing , as he writes in his preface, that the events chronicled " will be instructive as we seek today to understand how political practices can at any time 64 OHI() VALLEY HISTORY veer far from basic American principles." The antiCommunist hysteria of the 1950s is not a new story. However, it is unusual to read of a community that successfully niobilized to challenge redbaiting tactics. Not only did Collett and Bettman refuse to resign,but citizens in Cincinnati organized to cotitribute tinie and money for their defense, as well as to support civil liberties in general. In the words of civic activist Iola Hessler, " I think that the jackals of Cincinnati are about to feast on the corpse of the freedom of thought and the right of an individual to pursue the truth." ( 28) The work of Hessler and others resulted in the Republican Party losing its city council majority in the fall elections . This was a clear vindication of Bettman and Collett, although Williains did not regain his job. McCartbyisin iii Ci, icinnati is the memoir ot a participant,not a scholarly treatment ot the events. But,as Americans once again face challenges to their civil liberties, Collett' s fascinating little book successfully reminds us of the ability of citizens to mobilize to defend their rights and of the importance of citizens te| ling their stories. Andrea Tuttle Kor, iblub Uilit,ersiti Of Cilicillilati SUMMER 2003 65 ...