THE CASE OF THE IGNORED WHISTLE-BLOWER

Khelen Keldikott's Physicians for Social Responsibility [AtE Jan 81 or Pravda 12 Dec 80) gets 25 % of the "Briefing" columns under the headline ANTI-NUCLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING, while the appeals of Scientists and Engineers for Secure Energy, who count eight Nobel Prize winners among their ranks, are censored; so is their new National Energy Forum Newsletter (obtainable from SE2, 570 -- 7^th Ave, New York, NY 10018).

In Pravda?

Yes; but also in Science's reports by Constance Holden (2 Jan 81). In itself, that is nothing new. Her predecessors Gilette and Boffey practiced petty censorship in Science's trendy news columns (not written by scientists) before they made it to the real thing at the Times of Los Angeles and New York.

More interesting is the case of a marine biologist M.H. Baslow, who was allegedly fired by Con Ed of N.Y. because he thought his company's cooling towers would hurt Hudson River fish, and that was to be withheld from the courts. A two-page article with Baslow's portrait made the charge in Science on 14 November. Authored by Miss Holden. Could she be right?

Of course she could. In a truly free enterprise system intimidation and cover-up are, above all, bad business (which a free market will ultimately punish, but overregulation will ultimately protect), and Con Ed has no Divine Diploma of Perfect Business Practices.

So should we not try to find out more about the charge (as some subscribers have suggested)?

No. In a world full of injustices, time cannot be wasted on charges made by trendy reporters. Too many such accusations are frivolously leveled by journalists who are not servants of the truth, but slaves to fashion.

And what if she is right after all?

Then her type of news selection and reporting will have done its bit to delay the cause of justice, of the environment, of Science, and of science.

In that respect, she has famous colleagues, and not only at Science. Like anti-consumerist Nader, antinuclear activists damaging public health, special interest groups In The Public Interest, and pacifists inviting aggressors to wage war.