APittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Tuesday, August 10, 1965 - Page 8
Chess by Long-Distance
The State Department's refusal to permit the U.S. chess champion, Bobby Fischer, to go to Cuba to play in an international tournament serves no purpose but to make this country look vacuous and self-conscious.
It isn't going to keep the 22-year-old champ out of the competition. He is going to participate by telephone, thus publicizing and emphasizing the fatuity of the State Department's attempts to control the international movements of its citizens.
We think it would be a good idea for more Americans to see Cuba and for more Cubans to see the U.S. The contrast inevitably works in our favor. Why would we be afraid to expose U.S. citizens to the Castro culture if they are willing to take any risks involved?
