Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-23
Censorship.

The Senate committee on rules yes
terday denied to the United Press the
privilege Of sending its reporters on the
floor of the Senate because that press
association had copyrighted and pub
lished a roll call on the Lenroot nomi-
nation taken in secret executive session.
When this action of the committee was
called to the attention of the Senate
itself Senator La Toilette Of wisconsin
made the point that the rules commit
tee had neither the rieht to grant nor
to take away floor privileges in the
Senate; that only those persons men
toned in the rules Of the Senate itself
were entitled to 60 upon the floor OF
the Senate, The Vice President sus-
tanned the point RAISED by Mr.. La Fol-
lette and the floor privileges were de-
MED to all press associations. In the
twinkling Of an eye what the rules COM
mittee had sought to impose as a pun
ishment on the United Press and Its
correspondents had been transferred
into q hardship upon all the news
gathering press associations which have
been accorded the privileges of the floor
By common consent through the instru-
mentality Of the rules committee.
The Senate committee on rules has
confused what It considers matter Of
courtesy with the right OF newspapers
to publish legitimate news. II its course
is persisted in, it Ia first step in CEN
sorship. It's action in denying a press
association and It's correspondents floor
privileges is in reality an effort to in
tinnidate; to throw the fear Of the Sem
ate into the news gathering organiEa-
tons and the press galleries. The Sen
ate has q rule regarding disclosures OF
what occurs In secret sessions Of the
senate. It provides that any Senator
or oficer Of the Senate who discloses
the secret business or procedure Of the
Senate shall be liable, II . Senator, to
expulsion, and II an ofiicer, to dismissal
from the service Of the Senate and pun
ishment for contempt. The Senate rule
does not undertake to punish a news
paper which publishes an account Of
the secret proceedings Of the Senate.
such An effort would, indeed, be clear
violation Of the right Of free speech
ana free press In this country. What
the Senate rules committee is now seek
ing 10 DO Is to infringe upon that right
through ir1direction. While the Senate
rules committee has not undertaken to
deny the United Press the right to sit
in the press gallery itself. along with
other correspondents, the question
arises As to what step the committee
may undertake in the event Of the pub
lication in the future Of any Of the pro-
ceedings in secret executive session.
In an effort to enforce the rule Of
secrecy the rules committee Of the Sen
ate has issued subpoena for the cor
respondent Of the United Press who
wrote the story Of the Lenroot rule. Its
purpose, according to the members Of
the committee, Is to demand OF the
correspondent where he obtained the
information regarding the roll call.
Should the correspondent decline to
answer the committee may recommend
to the Senate that he be punished for
contempt. What the Senate would do
in the matter, however, Is something
else. There is . strong sentiment in
the Senate itself that secrecy in con-
nection with roll calls on the confirma-
ton of the appointees TO public office is
not justified. Nor Is 1t justified in the
public interest.
Accounts of what has happenened in
secret session Of the Senate have been
published, when the news value of the
publication warranted, for years. The
information upon which these reports
were based has been obtained from
members Of the Senate themselves.
Many reports Of the proceedings other
than that Of the United Press, dealing
with the Lenroot case, were widely pub
lisiied. Reports Of the debate, almost
In verba tim form, appeared in some Of
the newspapers. No effort has been
made by the rules committee to deal
with the correspondents Of newspapers
which published those reports. To sin
gae out the correspondent of the United
Press seems at least unfair. If the Sem
ate committee on rules desires to get to
the bottom Of the so-called 'leak' 1t
should summon all the members of the
Senate, including the members of the
committee, and question them under
oath.