Evening star., 1942-10-04
Newspapers Protest Secrecy
Regarding Presidents Trip
Group Fears Creeping Censorship;
Holds Ban Is Not in Public Interest

rity rest more heavily than upon
the press. Theirs is the duty of
keeping the people fully and truly
| informed
Creeping Censorship" Feared.
I'VE respectfully submit that the
policy adopted in connection with
your trip makes it difficult for the
| press to carry on in the spirit which
you have so ably stated
In short, We are disturbed at
what appears to us to be. intentional
or not, creeping censorship, and
We respectfully request a reconsid-
GRAFTON Of this policy as it might
apply to any situation in the future.
Sincerely yours,
J. Roscoe Drummond, the Chris
tan Science Monitor; Raymond
Clapper, Scripps- Howard Newspa-
pers: James L. Wright, Buffalo
Evening News; Blair Moody, the
Detroit News: Richard L. Wilson,
Des Moines Register and Tribune.
Minneapolis Star journal and
Tribune: Paul R. Leach, the Chicago
Daily News: K. G.. Crawford, PM;
Dewey L. Fleming, Baltimore Sun;
w. c. Murphy, jr Philadelphia In
qulrer; Chesly Manly, Chicago Trib-
une; Raymond z. Henle, Pittsburgh
Post Gazette.
Phelps H. Adams, the New York
Sun; Delbert Clark, the New York
Times; Warren Wheaton, Chicago
Sun; John O'Donnell. New York
Daily News; Felix Belair, jr., Time,
Inc; Walker S. Buel, Cleveland Plain
Dealer; Bert Andrews, New York
Herald Tribune; Thomas L. Stokes.
Scrlpps Howard Newspaper Alliance;
Mark Foote, Booth Newspapers:
Robert E, Kennedy, Chicago Times;
Charles G. Ross, St. Louis Post Dis
patch, Warren B. Francis, Los An
geles Times; Sam ONeal, st. Louis
Star-Times; Robert L. Riggs, Louis
vile Courier-Journal; Ernest K.
Lindley, Newsweek; Charles Van
Devanter, New York Post; James J.
Butler, Editor and Publisher: Alex
ander F. Jones, Washington Post.
Theodore c. Afford, Kansas City
Star; B. M. McKelway, Washington
Star; Clifford A. Provost, Knight
newspapers; Carroll Fitzpatrick,
Birmingham News and Age Herald.
Mr.. Prices Reply.
Mr.. Price made the following re-
ply to the original letter of inquiry
from the newspapermen:
Naturally I have given the most
careful consideration to the memo
randum regarding the Presidents
trip, addressed to me by you and
your colleagues"
Let me say at once that the Office
OF Censorship realizes fully the ex-
tent Of the sacrifice American news
papers are making in withholding
news OF this trip for the time being
in the national interest. It is re-
assuring to note that your memo
randum recognizes in direct terms
the need for such delay. This rec
ognition is in full conformity with
the splendid understanding which
newspapers have displayed uniform
ly toward the operations Of the
Office of Censorship.
You ask how long the delay
should be. My view is that if the
purpose upon which we are all
agreed is to be accomplished fully,
nothing should be published until
the President has returned to Wash
ington and the White House has dis
closed the details. 1 do not see how
an interim publication. already de-
layed by some days, would differ
greatly in public estima ton from a
publication delayed few days
longer. Nor do l see how it would
be possible to publish the essential
news that the President has made
part of his trip, and that he has
visited certain points without re-
vealing by inference some part of his
plans for the remainder of the trip
Secondly, you ask why CORE
spondents other than those Of news
agencies should not be permitted to
accompany the President. 1 feel
sure this question was not intended
for the Office of Censorship which
as you know. does not accredit cor
respondents but is interested only in
what they write.
"Of course you are quite right
in saying that many people at the
points visited by the President know
Of his presence. This is unavoid-
able. But I venture to say that the
number who know of the trip is q
comparatively small percentage OF
the American people, and that il
will remain comparatively small
percentage unless the newspapers
60 beyond the unavoidable anc
spread the news.
Il would like to suggest further
that the newspapers undoubtedl,
know the answer to the questions
from their readers who want Il
know why they are suppressing thi.
news. The answer is that they ar,
doing it at the request of the Gov.
ernment for the patriotic purpose O.
helping to safeguard the Presiden
; in wartime.
. May repeat that all of this i
! written with Q deep appreciatio,
of the problems of newspapers il
these times of serious national peril
and with admiration for the ire
. mendous contribution which tn,
: Washington correspondents espe
! ciaily are making on 4 voluntar,
. basis to the preservation Of nationa
security"
= BYRON PRICE.
. Z Director"