Publishers Hit 'Ban' But No Sale of 'USA'

All booksellers in the Square were refusing requests for copies of "U.S.A. Confidential" yesterday, even though the book's publishers, Crown, Inc., claimed that Massachusetts State Police were trying to stifle its sale by "artificial pressure."

Samuel H. Post '45, an executive of the New York publishing firm, told the CRIMSON yesterday that Daniel I. Murphy, the state's Commissioner of Public Safety, "blew his top because the state police are roasted in the book, but he's got no right to advise people that its sale may be dangerous."

However, Murphy stated again that only complaints from "institutions of higher learning" brought about the police action.

"We can't fight this thing in court because there's no legal ban on the book yet," Poet said. Even though the publishers are contacting all bookstores in Massachusetts, and in turn 'advising' that the book is legally clear and can be sold, book sellers here will not stick their necks out.

"If there were any book we intended to make an issue of," one said, "it wouldn't be 'U.S.A. Confidential'."

Although the book was not scheduled for release until next Thursday, over 100,000 copies are already in possession of dealers. They stopped advance sale here Thursday, after state police warned that "sale, lending, or distribution" of the book might make them liable for court action by the state or individuals.

Post said yesterday that "although there are some generalizations about Harvard I don't like, the firm will stand behind the book." He advised merchants to "be discreet" until official publication date, March 13, when "everything should be cleared up."