Today in History – 19 January

The Cat and Mouse story

On 19 January 1956, Cüneyt Arcayürek, editor-in-chief of the controversial Akis magazine founded by Metin Toker, was acquitted from the lawsuit brought against him for the article, “The Mice Ran Away When the Cat Showed Up” he published in the said magazine.

Referring to the Democrat Party Parliamentary Group inclined to revolt, DP A?r? Deputy Kasım Küfrevi had said to Metin Toker, “The mice are running wild in the absence of the cat! Once he is back, they won’t know where to hide!” and Toker opened the article he penned for Akis that week with the line, “The Mice are Running Wild in the Absence of the Cat!”

However, this “cat-and-mouse” analogy had enraged Menderes. In the end, editor-in-chief Cüneyt Arcayürek had to bear the brunt and was arrested. The court convicted Cüneyt Arcayürek to prison for six months and imposed a fine on Metin Toker. The decision was overturned at the Court of Appeals and the journalists were acquitted; however, Baha Arkın, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Appeals, was forced to retire.

Menderes, on the other hand, made press history with his retort from the dais of the Parliament: “You may do as you wish, but we will not have you refer to our esteemed group as mice. If you do, you will be grabbed by the ear like a cat and get stuffed into a rathole.”