More Fanciful than Real

For years the Republican New York Herald Tribune has not only housed but syndicated two of the most pro-Democratic columnists in the U.S.: spry Walter Lippmann, 73, and supple Joseph Alsop, 52. Last week Columnist Lippmann announced that he and his syndicate of 30 years will soon part company. His new employer, effective Jan. 1: the Washington Post Co.

If Lippmann's purpose in making the move was to improve his ideological setting, the improvement is more fanciful than real. His columns will be distributed by the news service recently launched by the Post, a Democratic-leaning paper, and the Los Angeles Times, whose Republicanism is more conservative than the Herald Tribune's. Furthermore, Columnist Lippmann will also write 26 columns a year for Newsweek, which the Post bought in 1961. Newsweek's political coloration is best described as neutral grey. Columnist Lippmann will also continue to appear in the Herald Tribune--as well as 200-odd other papers of every political hue.

Lippmann denied any ideological intent in changing bosses. "I like the contract better than the one I had," said he, in a characteristically oblique reference to the fact that he will obviously get more money. From the columnist's previous employer, Herald Tribune Publisher John Hay Whitney, came still an even more cryptic explanation: "Mr. Lippmann has felt that since he lives in Washington, he would prefer to have administrative matters connected with syndication handled by a Washington paper." And who else lives in Washington? Joe Alsop--whose contract with the Trib expires next year.

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