Evening star., 1942-02-20

conduct OF the DAVID Lawrence.
war has been introduced in Con-
gress at the request of Attorney
General Biddle.
President Roosevelt told his press
conference the other day that he
didn't know about this bill. But it
has happened in the past that such
disclaimer of responsibility doesn't
interfere with the rapid passage of
a bill through Congress when the
New Deal Cabinet members get be-
hind it.
The new bill is the most severe
thus far offered in Congress to bring
about the complete suppression of
all news except that which the
heads of departments may wish to
have made public. If passed, it may
spell the death knell of representa-
tive government in America as we
have known it for the last century
and a half. There will be no way to
find out what mistakes are being
made and Congress itself will be
powerless to demand from witnesses
before congressional committees any
sdata which the head of a depart
ment does not wish to allow Con-
gress to obtain.
Repeal Problematical.
1t is true that Congress some day
could repeal such a law if now
passed but it takes a two-thirds vote
of both houses to repeal bill that
the administration vetoes and this
is sizable majority to obtain when
the Executive by means of patron
age and other executive favors can
control something more than one
third Of either house.
1t Is important that the exact
text OF this amazing proposal be
known to the public while there is
time for the processes of represep-
tative government to function. Here
1t is:
Section 1: Whoever, without au-
thority. shall willfully and know
ingH furnish, communicate, divulge,
or publish to any person, in whole
or in part, copies or the contents,
substance, purport, effect, or mean
ing OF any file. instrument, letter,
memorandum, book, pamphlet,
paper, document, manuscript, map,
picture, plan. record, or other writ
ing in the custody of the United
States, or of any agency, officer, or
employe thereof, declared to be
secret or confidential by statute,
or declared to be secret or conf
Dental by any rule or regulation of
any department or agency of the
United States Of which he has
knowledge or which has been pub
lished in the Code of Federal Regu-
iations or In the Federal Register
shall be fined not more than $1,000
Or imprisoned for not more than
two years, or both. The provisions
Of this section are In addition to,
and do not supersede, other laws.
Section 2: The head of any exc
cutive department, independent
establishment or other agency may
authorize the disclosure of informa-
tion in the custody of his depart
ment, establishment, or agency to
particular persons or classes of
persons or to the public generally.
The provisions of Section One of
this act shall not apply to dis
closures so authorized"
Can Kill News.
That's all there is to the bill but
1t can successfully kill news gather
ing in Washington for all time be-
cause most of the news is Gus
tomarly gathered from minor
officials who would not dare to dis
cuss the affairs of their bureaus for
fear they might be divulging the
substance, purport, effect, or mean
ing of any file, instrument, letter,
memorandum, ETC."
AL that the department heads
would have to do-and some have
tried it in the past-would be to
make one rule that no information
can be given out except when they
themselves authorize it and the
policy of suppression would be effec-
tive.
If the bill wasn't intended to
cover up incompetence and was
loosely drawn through sheer in
advertence, then it doesn't speak
well for Attorney General Biddles
prestige as a drafter of laws. If the
bill was seriously intended to mean
what it says, then indeed has the
Roosevelt Administration corrob-