Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-22

The new dear may be a dark deal
This IL in the sense that q good par,
Of its interior mechanism works in the
dark-not that there Is any suggestion
OF dishonesty.
It Is potentially dark" in the sense
that the obtaining Of Illuminating de-
tails OF the activities of various Federal
departments Is more restricted than
ever before in the memory Of Washing
ton correspondents.
1t has brought about the "heydey" Of
the information service-an extension
of a system originally set up as an aid
in securing information but which has
become a potential If not an actual
agent OF censorship.
With attention strikingly directed on
this development by the rigid restric-
ton placed on the giving of informa-
ton by Treasury Department officials
by the new Acting Secretary, Henry
Morganthau. jr., the progress of the
more insidious change in other de-
partments Is brought out.
Change Is Subtle.
The subtle change Is approximately
as follows:
A year ago If a newspaper desired
information on, for example, a recently
conducted survey of the water power OF
the United States and did not know
Just what ofilcial of the Geological Sur
vey could most readily furnish reliable
data, the proper procedure would have
been to seek the assistance of the press
representative Of the Interior Depart
ment.
Presumably he would clear the way
to securing the desired statistics. He
would know whom TO see. He would
make the proper contact. II the official
in question offered some objection to
furnishing such information. the press
representative would ascertain his rea-
cant from the point of view Of public
policy. would argue the case for the
correspondent. not against him.
In other words. he was there to IA
cilitate the obtaining of information.
His services were sought only in event
that the correspondent did not know
whom to see or had encountered what
appeared to him unreasonable Difficult
ties.
Now his position is radically differ
ent. He is there to tell the bureau
official whether he can talk or not.
The correspondent must get in contact
with him to obtain permission to inter-
view a department employe rather than
to obtain help in putting through such
an interview.
Many Try to Help.
Actually the difference is somewhat
theoretical. The press contact man of
the Interior Department is as helpful
as ever. He tries to clear the way.
But the fact remains that, because
Of an order received directly from Sec
rotary Ickes, the man in the Bureau of
Education who knows all about the
number Of closed schools, the man in
the Geological Survey who knows about
the discovery of new underground
river. the man in the National Parks
Service who knows about the status Of
the elk In Yellowstone Park, must in
theory at least, although the policy
would not be applied generally for such
innocuous details. tell the correspond
ent who approaches him directly that
he Is forbidden to give out any infor-
nation without specific instructions
from the Secretary's office through the
departments information service.
In these particular instances, of
course. the information service would
readily grant such permission. The
process of obtaining it is made just
that much more complicated. On more
significant matters, it might well be
different, although there is no evidence
that 1t actually Is.
The major developments are made
public. quickly and accurately enough,
through official releases"
Details Significant.
But the fact remains that the course
Of history seldom turns on oStensible
major developments 1t turns upon
intimate details, without which any pic
ture given to the public of the course of
the Federal establishment is bound to
be shadowy and unreal
Intended by Secretary Ickes to check
the spread through the press of I'M
founded rumors from inadequately in
formed department workers, the actual
effect probably is to increase the supply
OF such transformation by discourage
ing the correspondents from verify ing
their tips"
For example, in order to get a COM