The sun., 1919-09-27
AMERICAN NEWS TO
ORIENT POISONED
British and japanese Cable
Agents Prejudice Dispatches,
House Is Told.
NAVY RADIO USE URGED
Trans-Pacific Report at Low
Rate Demanded as Best
Remedy.
NAVY RADIO USE URGED

WASHINGTON, Sept 2e.-Reversion t.
conditions existing in the Far East be-
fore the war. when, as he said. British
and Japanese control OF news in that
part of the world created a prejudice
against America, was predicted to-day
by v. s. McClatchy, publisher OF the
Sacramento. Cal, Bee, unless use OF
naval wireless for handling Of trans
pacific news report at low rate be
permitted.
To counterfeit "the poison spread
through the Far East" by British and
Japanese controlled news Mr.. Nc
CATCHY. who was testifying before the
House Merchant Marine Committee.
said the United States Government soon
after this country entered the war 'went
into the news business" 30 as to present
fairly American aims and acts. He
counselled against continuation of this
service. however. as liable to bring ac-
cusations OF its partisanship.
Good VIII Is Menaced.
"All American interests In the Far
East, diplomatic and commercial" Nc
Clatchy, who recently toured the Orient.
declared. ARE unanimous in expressing
the opinion that the United States can
iOt tno BOOu Will OIL inc Il ut East
and can not protect her interests there
in the absence Of the exchange Of news
reports across the Pacific which will
keep the United States and the Far East
fully advised as to the acts OF each
other"
Little American news Is printed on
the eastern Asiatic coast. and rarely
anything Of Importance from America
that Is distasteful to prominent Far
Eastern interests, he added explaining
the news service there Is controlled
practically by Reuter-, a British agency,
and by Kokusai. a Japanese agency, the
two having formed a combination.
Except during the few months OF
this year and last year." said Mr.. Nc
CATCHY, when the Committee on Pub
lie Information sent American news
across the Pacific, the Far East had re-
ceived its news of the United States
through Reuter-. the report being pre-
pared by British hands at New York,
blue pencilled by British hands at Lon
don, expurBated. clarified and inter-
preted by British hands at Shanghai.
where British feeling against Americans
has been most marked, and thence dis
trfbuted."
Closed Door Is Feared.
The Kokusai, which he said was con-
trolled by the Japanese Government. al
, though that Government had diplomati-
cally denied II. controls all news sent
into or from Japan. He added that the
agency's treatment Of news was like that
OF the British. and that the Japanese
were seeking to extend their news con-
troll In China, which he feared might
result in the open door" of trade in
China being closed to Americans.
Members OF the committee informally
expressed approval of a transpacific
news service, but were noncommital
during the hearing as to the pending bill
proposing a rate OF Ave and six cents
word on press dispatches between the
United States and the Far East. The
measure was introduced by Representa-
tive Curry (CaL), who asserted that
commercial Interests would be benefited
as well as the press, and that private
! American owned wireless would receive
the preference in obtaining business.
! Naval officers added that their wire
less system was not operated at one
half its capacity and could be used to
the limit at practically no additional
/ expense.