SILLY PUTTY AWARD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00901R000600100005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 18, 2005
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: March 29, 1973
• Content Type: OPEN

RA?10 TA pr6cF ReeWise1NQ/11/28: CIA-RDP91-0
PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF
PROGRAM Opinion
DATE March 29, 1973 7:25 AM
SILLY PUTTY AWARD
STATION WTOP TV
Washington, DC
JOHN HART: An opinion now from Nicholas von Hoffman columnist
for the King Feature Syndicate. It's his own opinion.
NICHOLAS VON HOFFMAN: The Silly Putty Award of the week goes
to John A. McCone, ex-chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, ex-hea.d of
the CIA, and current member of the board of ITT. Mr.McCone has proven that
to be rich, famous, and powerful, you don't have to be smart.
T
STA
Before a Senate committee the other day, McCone confessed that
in a burst of absolute purblind dullness he went to Henry Kissinger and the
CIA with an offer of one million ITT dollars to tamper with the Chilean presidential
election of 1970.
This act of consumate stupidity was performed at the behest: of
Harold S. Geneen, the number one ITT honcho.
The offer was turned down by the CIA which was up to some other
kinds of monkey shines in Chile, and Salvador Allende was elected to office.
He promptly accused ITT of interfering in his nation's domestic affairs and
confiscated the corporation's property.
But get this. McCone said ITT did it to fight the Marxist Allende
and to frustrate International Communism's "object of destroying the free
world." At the same time those corporate freedom fightters are negotiating
with the Russians to put ITT owned Avis and ITT owned Sheraton Hotels in
the Soviet Union. Thus in one stroke these two bunnies have made themselves
look like idiot hypocrites, have compromised their own country, and have
supplied all the proof anybody will ever need that there is an international
capitalist conspiracy.
Great work, fellas. You've lived up to ITT's slogan "Serving
People and the Nations Everywhere." To both of you goes the Silly Putty
Award. You've demonstrated you don't need brains to make money.
Approved For Release 2005/11/28 : CIA-RDP91-00901 R000600100005-9
 Approved For Release 2005/11/28 : CIA-RDP91-00901 R000600100005-9
2
And this is Nicholas von Hoffman saying the next time you get
a bright idea the two of you should stick your heads in one of Dita Beard's
shredders.
HART: That is his opinion, not necessarily CBS's or the station
you're watching.
Approved For Release 2005/11/28 : CIA-RDP91-00901 R000600100005-9