I.F. Stone

Isador Feinstein Stone (also I.F. Stone or Izzy Stone) (December 24, 1907 – July 17, 1989) was considered by many liberals as the standard for independent investigative journalism. Several independent historians and researchers as well as retired KGB officials have come to the conclusion that Stone was among a number of persons inside the U.S. journalism community used as a Soviet agent of influence, with one columnist going as far to call Stone "the KGB's front man in American journalism."

Retired KGB General Oleg Kalugin wrote, in The First Directorate, that KGB headquarters had cabled him to reestablish contact with Stone because "he was a man with whom we had regular contact." He goes on to describe Stone as a "fellow traveller who made no secret of his admiration for the Soviet system." The Venona cables show that he had a relationship with the KGB. Venona cables describe a vigorous campaign by the veteran KGB officer and head of the Soviet Tass news agency, Vladimir Pravdin, to recruit Stone. Bernard Schuster was finally required to rescue the operation. Stone "was not refusing to help the KGB, but "had three children and did not want to attract the attention of the FBI." KGB operatives making the approaches had used "insufficient caution," Stone said. The KGB Resident's informed Moscow that Stone's fear "was his unwillingness to spoil his career" since he "earned $1500.00 per month but …would not be averse to having a supplemental income." In response to Pravdin's question as to "liaison" (clandestine meetings for passage of information), Stone "replied that he would be glad to meet but he rarely visited New York City." The cable went on to record: "for the establishment of business contact with him. . .we are insisting on reciprocity." The cable exchange shows clearly Stone's willingness to cooperate with the Soviets and to accept additional income from them. "Business contact" meant espionage and "reciprocity" meant quid pro quo in the KGB vernacular. That Stone rarely went to New York would simply mean meetings would be held in Washington, his main base. Documents from Soviet era archive show that Stone was wrong in his assesment and that Joseph Stalin and Kim Il Sung orchestrated the Korean War.

External links

• FBI Venona file, p. 37.
• CIA VENONA files

• 1313 KGB New York to Moscow, 13 September 1944, pg.1
• 1313 KGB New York to Moscow, 13 September 1944, pg.2
• 1433, 1435 KGB New York to Moscow, 10 October 1944, pg.1
• 1433, 1435 KGB New York to Moscow, 10 October 1944, pg.2
• 1433, 1435 KGB New York to Moscow, 10 October 1944, pg.3