Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-25
BY CHARLES p. NUTTER,
Associated Press stan Writer,

BY CHARLES p. NUTTER,
Associated Press star Writer,
Those flying fellows racing through
Londons Whitehall these momentous
days as though pursued by Scotland
Boobies are Just representatives OF
the working press looking for . tele-
ohone.
The information they carry on Brit
aims latest move may stop presses the
world over; but first they must run q
quarter mile or SO to . telephone to
connect with their offices. And they
better have the proper penny ha'
penny ready for changer the world
will wait.
Press rooms and telephone facilities
for Newspaper men are virtually I'M
known In England and all over Eu-
rope. Over there, they make Journal
lists DO theiE reporting the hard way.
The world frequently doesn't know
what Hitler and Mussolini are doing
but 1t usually knows where they are.
In the SOVIET Union, however, Stain
frequently goes away for . month or
more. No one knows where; no one
asks.
Tho returning American correspond
ent can scarcely believe his eyes when
he sees a hundred or more correspond
ents walk unquestioned into the White
House executive ofhces. gather about
the Presidents desk and fire questions
At random; or when he sees Secretary
Hull and other cabinet officers in the
hesh and hears them likewise freely
questioned.
They do things differently over
there!
Duration In Moscow.
In Mexico. it was once 4 matter Of
speculation for weeks whether the
President and the ex-President were at
outs, and crisis was in the making.
No one knew the truth, nor could any
one md out until, in one of those
gestures virtually unknown to this
country, the two notables strolled arm
In arm engrossed in conversation down
Mexico City's main street at the bus
lest hour Of the day. Thus rumors
arc SoHiCtlHcS spiked.
When was in Moscow in 1898 and
1885 We had a working rule which
never failed during the beginning of
the Dig purge. So long as the news
papers referred to man as "Comrade"
and so long as his picture or bust ap-
peared In the places where it would
be expected to appear. We knew he
was safe. But let the word "Comrade
disappear or his picture turn I'D miss
Ing and we knew his name had been
added to the list of those in trouble.
Even In England and France, where
democracy prevails, the work of a
newspaper correspondent is far more
difncult than anything imaginable on
this side even in the old days when
spokesmen spoke for the President or
no one spoke at all.
FROM Brltain's comparative hiph
plane. where correspondents none
tf1eless rarely see the heads of gov
eminent in conversation and must de-
pend for their contacts upon press
secretaries, the liberties and contacts
guaranteed working journalist dwin-
die down through Berlin and Rome to
Moscow and Spain.
Spain Is Most Difficult,
spai9 has been recently the most
difficult place in Europe to work be-
cause OF its ironclad and unbendinp
censorship. physical danger, lack of
food and difficult living conditions.
But let's start with London. While
Secretary Hull in the United States
meets the press daily, a second or
third assistant press secretary meets
the press daily in the gloomy halls
OF the British foreign office. It's about
as simple to see and talk with Presi-
dent Roosevelt as it is with the chief
press secretary, who is as much a buf-
fer to the press as a real purveyor OF
news.
In times OF stress the British news
men are received in solemn state bv
the secretary Of state for foreign affairs
IN the Locarno room, and the situation
Is outlined to them. Later a minor
press secretary, who has listened in.
gathers up the foreign correspond
ents who have been stamping their
feet In the dank upper hall, and he
relates to them what he thinks they
should know.
A press secretary likewise functions
at 10 Downing street, the Prime Min
listers ONCE, but nothing Of signifi-
canoe ever passes his lips It's a big
admission for this functionary to say
openly that the weather is improv-
ing. Foreign correspondents are not
welcome In any other government Of
flee.
But they find their escape In Par
Lament. The heads of government, in
Guiding the Premier. appear daily in
the House Of Commons, where they
face questions from members of Par
Lament.
Press Rooms Nom Existent.
Press rooms. such as Washington
knows In profusion, are non-existent in
London except for the Commons Press
Gallery. There admission is by special
card to foreigners. Getting a hot lead
at the foreign ONCE or 10 Downing, a
correspondent often has to sprint
madly for blocks to the nearest public
telephone station, q chilly red box
parked along the sidewalk
France is better because Of the no
tably friendly contacts between i'm
portant government officials and re-
porters. News leaks fast In Paris;
there have been cases Of French jour-
nalists rushing into print with reliable
reports Of secret British French nego-
tiations before diplomatic coding and
DECIDING processes had been COM
pleted between Paris and London. OF
the result Of the Hoare-Laval CONVEX
sations on Ethiopia, which caused .
government crisis In England. Prime
Minister Baldwin related in Commons
that he had read the news first in q
Paris dispatch printed in \ London
paper.
Foreign journalists in Paris have
FAIRLY free access to high officials and
can freely attend Chamber of Deputy
RA4S10nS With