The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-01-17
GAG RULE CALLS
OUT PROTESTS
Newspaper Corr espondents
Object to Applied Re-
StriCtiOnS.
CLEMENCEAU EXPLAINS
Allies DESTROYS Of Presenting
Solid Bloc When Final Con-
ference Begins.
(By John Edwin Nevin.) }


Paris, Jan. i'll. N. S.)-Premier
Clemenceau explained to the cham
Der of deputies that the reason greater
means of publicity had not been pro-
vided by the peace delegates was be-
cause of many delicate problems re-
garding which 1t would be unwise to
say one nation proposed and another
opposed.
The premier cited President Will
sons denial of the alleged threat to
withdraw American troops from
France as an example of the disturb
ing false news.
"Of course, there are going to be
arguments" declared the premie.. ut
would not be conference otherwise.
At the preliminary conference we
wish the utmost accord so that we
can enter the final conference with
the allies presenting a solid bloc"
The question of press representa-
tion at the conference or a provision
for other channels of official infor-
nation on debates has been attract
ing a large share of the envoys' at
tention during the past three days.
A committee of fourteen newspaper
representatives was formed with
plenary powers to secure the fullest
possible publicity on the proceedings
of the conference. The three Ameri-
can members of the. committee are
Herbert Bayard Swope, of the New
York World; Arthur Krook, Of the
Louisville Courier Journal, and John
Edwin Nevin, of the International
News Service.
The American and British Journalists
find themselves in accord excepting
that the Americans are demanding
fuller representation at the preliminary
sessions OF the conference. The Brit
ish suggested that they would be sat-
isfled with one press representative
present.
Sense Of Press.
The Americans adopted the following
resolution:
Resolved. that It is the sense of the
American press correspondents in Paris,
that full and free admission to the
peace conference and to its preliminary
sessions should be granted the press,
and second, that there can be no re-
Striction whatever"
The Temps. in discussing the pub
licity tangle. points out that the dele
gates are unable to force an enlightened
reading public to accept the results of
the conference unless kept informed by
more than the dry communicates. This
newspaper does not favor newspaper
representation at the sittings. but sug-
gests a. conference advisor who will
keep the correspondents informed of the
developments.
More than 100 newspapermen attend
ed a meeting last night which had been
called to consider steps to combat the
gag rule. AT the same time the way
was paved for furnishing suggestions
TO the commissioners by a joint allied
newspaper committee. The British and
American press men were confident
that way eventually would be found
to permit spondents-perhaps q
r n hn
of the sittings if not all.
An international journalistic commit
tee met and discussed the situation. In
addition to the Americans present.
there were Sir George Riddell and
George Adams, of the London Times,
three French newspapermen; three
Italians, and two representing the press
OF smaller nations. and a representative
of Reuters, Limited.
Suggest Ten Representatives.
The Americans suggested that ten
newspaper representatives be allowed
to be present at each sitting of the
conference. The American press repre-
sentatives emphasized to their COL
leagues that American sentiment had
crystallized behind President Wilson'S
demand for full publicity. The Ameri-
can people. it was pointed out, strongly
oppose the conference working behind
closed doors.
The British presented their resolution
for representation first.
Mr.. Swope then stated that a protest
had already been lodged with President
Wilson by the Americans. An Ameri-
can resolution was then read by David
Lawrence.
French Attitude.
The spokesman for the French ex-
pressed agreement with the general
sentiment, but expressed some doubt
as TO the practicability of having a
large number of newspapermen sitting
in the conference.
The Journal des Debats takes the /
conference to task for assigning peace
delegates to Servia and Montenegro in |
stead of to Jugo- -Slavia and warns of
the possibility of unrest that may lead
to bolshevism In Jugo- Slavia. The pa
per said it believed ''it was finished
with chicanery by chancelories, but
finds itself mist ken - -