Evening star., 1942-09-28
Press Urged 10 Explain
To Public Why Some
News Is Withheld
Price Tells Publishers
Proper Understanding
Will Creote Confidence
Earlier Story on Page A-2.)

80 SStS ~SHth
Earlier Story on Page A-2)
BY the Associated Press
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. Sept. 28.-
Complimenting American newspa-
pers for striking a balance" in
handling war news within ilmita-
tions Of the censorship code. Byron
Price. director of censorship, urged
them today to explain to the public
why some information has to be
withheld
The American people cannot be
expected to fight the war in a
vacuum" he said in an address
prepared for delivery at the annual
convention of the Southern News
paper Publishers Association here,
Neither should they, nor will they
when properly advised, want to see
in print ally disclosure which would
endanger the life of son or
brother"
Necessity for Caution.
Summarizing nine months expert
ence with voluntary censorship, Mr.
Price said some Americans felt the
system was a feeble and futile
method while large body of
public opinion held that more in
formation, not less, should appear
in print.
THE newspapers of the country
have done good job of striking a
balance" he said, but added they
have done a poor job of informing
the people why some information
has to be withheld
Il suggest to you that patient
explanation of these requests and
Of the reasons behind them probably
would foster confidence in
newspapers by emphasizing the de-
gree of their cooperation in the
war and it might convince a greater
number of readers that they should
guard their own tongues more care
fully"
Cites Possible Disorders.
Pointing out that the basic consid-
Grafton behind censorship was that
none of us shall provide the enemy,
by design or inadvertence, with in
formation that will help him kill
Americans" Mr.. Price gave the pub
fishers examples of the benefits de-
rived from voluntary censorship and
disasters possibly resulting from ap-
parently "unimportant" violations.
Censorship withheld from publica-
ton for more than month news of
the sinking of the aircraft carrier
Lexington in the South Pacific last
May 8, he recalled.
Surely there is sense in the be-
lief Of naval experts that japanese
ignorance of the loss led Japans ad-
mirals to overestimate the American
force from which they turned tail
and ran at Midway" he added.
Tells Of Train Wreck.
On the other hand, he told of a
case in which the details of move
ment of special train of oil cars
was publicized for advertising pur-
poses although the code asked that
such information be withheld.
"a few days later similar train
bound for the same designation
was wrecked and burned" Mr.. Price
related. mo direct evidence of
sabotage was discoverable. Maybe
1t was a mere coincidence. Maybe
not" g. a..
Giving a code catechism," Mr..
Price supplied these answers:
Disclosure of the exact regiment
In which soldier is serving abroad
is withheld because if the enemy
is supplied with such information
"he will know the total strength
and can tabulate in detail
what arms and equipment they are
likely to have with them, and what
special training they have had"
Why Details Are Withheld.
Premature disclosure of diplomatic
discussions is withheld because "a
major defeat on the diplomatic front
may be as disastrous as a
major defeat on the military front" "
Nothing should be said about
training special units because per
haps the enemy has learned some of
our methods, but who knows how
many?"
Details of submarine attacks are
withheld because cargo details dis
close what materials we are trans
porting and in what direction: and
sufficiency of such information
would tell the enemy all about our
stockpiles and our shortages in criti-
cal materials.
Exact data on the effectiveness
OF any torpedo hit would be highly
useful to the enemy in determining
the value of his own weapons What
was said or what was omitted about
escorting ships would be tip-ofl
about the operations of our convoy
system"
The enemy is not super-human,'
Mr.. Price emphasized. He can be
deceived and he can be frustrated
- I heard quoted the other day
one sentence which summarizes il
al. 1t was written by Ray Daniel
Of the New York Times and it de.
serves to live for duration in the
hourly thoughts of every writer
every editor, and every publisher il
America. 1t is simply this:
There isn't any story in The
world that is good enough to justif,
-isking the life of single American
soldier
Fill IL. n. l.