Evening star., 1942-10-21
Government ImperiIs
j. ). Press Freedom,
Ackerman Asserts
Columbia U. Dean Calls
A. P. Suit Unjustified;
Sees Freezing Process

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Oct. 21.-Dean Carl
w. Ackerman of the Columbia Uni
Versity school of journalism says
that under the cloak of war emer-
gency" the American way is being
profoundly changed by law and
dlrectives" that hit straight at a
free press and the Bill of Rights.
Dean Ackerman, former war cor
respondent, told the Fourth Ac-
counting Institute banquet last night
that American newspapers were be-
ing subjected to freezing process
by our Government" and that if the
forces out to complete the process
succeeded, I'VE may have freedom of
speech but be deprived of the free
dom to speak
He said the lawsuit brought re-
Gently by the Justice Department
against the Associated Press and
1,275 American dailies was further
move to freeze the press into a
new mold in perpetuity," adding that
the suit had no justification what
ever by the necessities of war"
All Outlets Threatened.
IF the Associated Press is frozen
into this mold" he declared, every
other press association and news
paper, every periodical and book
every pamphlet and speech, every
radio and every forum will be frozen
into similar moldS, and the Bill of
Rights and the Atlantic Charter
Will be relics of aspirations and
Ideals, not solemn covenants for
the use and progress of humanity.
The directors and members of
the Associated Press have an
nounced that they will fight the
charges in the courts, because these
journalists know that their repu-
tations, their integrity, their obli-
cations and responsibilities to the
public are involved. And these at
tributes and convictions are the life
OF Journalism, the life of freedom
10 print"
Dean Ackerman said that since
the war started there had been re-
strlctlons and limitations on the
freedom OF the press so that TO-DAY
the press is frozen by law, by censor
ship, by directives, by DEGREES and by
executive action
In all governmental affairs" he
went on, the press is free onlv to
report what is officially released.
Editors and publishers are free to
comment and criticize. They are not
free to investigate the war effort or
to crusade and to report their find
ings.
Insofar as this relates to the war.
no one has right to object because
no Journalist would purposely or
even involuntarily give aid and COM
fort to an enemy"
Sees Revolution Planned.
He said that before Pearl Harbor
and more vigorously since then
some Government officials have been
pressing upon us domestic revolu-
ton designed to freeze our inalien-
able rights and those of millions CT
soldiers, sailors and marines who
tdnIlOb De mere TO QeIenQ tnem-
selves
We who remain" he continued.
Share literally stupendous re-
sponsibllity for what we are permit
ting to happen while these men are
away, AT sea, or on the several bat
tie lines"
Dean Ackerman pointed to the
services OF newspapers throughout
the United States in promoting SAL
wage drives, sale of War bonds, the
Red Cross rollcall, the USO cam
paign and the mobilization of civil
defense and community chests, and
said the press had enthusiastically
and Loyalty modified public scntl-
ment in support of every war prof.
ect,"