Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-25

proach those Of Washington. There
is no censorship problem and no like
lihood Of police retaliation against q
correspondent writing unpleasant facts
or deductions.
Expulsion = Threat.
In Berlin and Rome, correspondents
deal with the press secretaries, and
avidly read the newspapers where
much news" of interest to the world
breaks first through declarations of
of1cial spokesman. There is no direct
censorship, but always there Is the
chance that correspondent will be
expelled if he displeases. This has
happened repeatedly in recent years.
Correspondents see Mussolini and
Hitler often. but almost always at a
distance. There Is almost no such
thing as a give-and-take press confer
ence with either. except as a prear-
ranged matter usually to release some
declaration through favorite CORE
spondent.
In Moscow. relations are maintained
with the foreign press through the
onicial news agency Tass and through
press secretaries in the foreign ONCE,
who are also the censors, and whose
red pencils fall heavily. These agencies
issue the official communiques-some-
times at reasonable hours, but more
often between midnight and s am.
This is throwback to the days
when Commissar for Foreign Affairs
Chicherin oddly worked those hours
and SLOT in the daytime. There are
diplomats still in Moscow who remem-
Der donning their skis in the early,
hectic days OF the revolution and set
ting OF to the foreign ONCE for an
appointment with Chicherin at 4 am.
on snow-blown winter morning.
Much OF the news in Moscow ema-
mates from the local newspapers, par
ticularly the party paper Pravda and
the government newspaper Izvestia.
Often highly sensational developments
appear buried in line or two deep
inside the paper. Provincial papers
also must be watched CLOSELY for exc
cutlons and other news not printed in
Moscow.
Passports" in Moscow,
Foreign correspondents can enter the
foreign office only with special pass
ports and are allowed to enter no
other commlssariat. BY special ar
rangement an interview with LitvinofY
ttf1e foreign affairs minister) can be
had. but other commissars are not
approachable. Virtually no FOREIGNER
has been inside the mysterious Krem-
lin since the Kiron assassination in
1884. and Stain, during his IL years
OF undlsputed power, has granted less
than that number Of interviews. al
ways TO one man only when he had
something very important to say to
the world.
Correspondents now are denied most
all contact with Russians. They have
been Jumped together with other for
elgners. While telegraph censorship
is rigid, the telephones are open to
Berlin and London and stories can
be telephoned out freely Correspond
ents often send abroad mail stories
by messenger without molesta ton. and
usually without kickbacks.
The Bolsheviks, however. reserve
the right to eject any correspondent
they do not want, and have done 90
This constant threat combines with
the hindrances and annoyances that
can be placed in the way of unpopular
journalists.
From a delightful, luxurious. cav
foreign capital in which to work. Mad
rid has been transferred through civil
war into the most difficult present
place OF all. Censorship is absolute
on telegraph, telephone and mail alike,
the censors sitting beside correspon-
dents as they telephone their dis.
patches and cutting the line at the
slightest deviation from copy. Cor
respondents have had to abandon their
offices and transfer to the censorship
headquarters-the only place where
calls can be received from abroad.
Travel, food, living conditions, war.
rare and danger OF bombings and
shellings combine to complete the
Spanish difficulties. Correspondents
must maintain their own transporta-
ton as there is no communication
system available to them anymore in
loyallst Spain. Front line passes are
difncult to obtain during big opera
tions-or are not needed at all. Thus.
correspondents have unknowinsly
driven across the lines and been cap
tured. It's easy to see the inside Of
Spanish jail-most correspondents
have landed there through minor mis-
understandings Of regulations.
Such regulations and . consuming
American interest in European news
are the reasons for 80 many more
American newspaper men in any
European capital than there are Euro.
pean newspaper men in the United
States.
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