Evening star., 1944-04-24

victory. For in our democracy the
Nation gets what the people want,
and your publications are the great
est educational outlet to the people
that we have. We must never let
ourselves be so unprepared again. "
Col. Alison said he did not know
what the outcome of the battle be-
hind the enemy lines in Burma
would be.
Il will say that the forces we have
put behind the enemy lines are do
ing an excellent job" he said. II
will say that in this part of Burma
we do have complete air superiority.
Sees Press Freedom Threatened.
Discussing the appeal it ordered
to the Supreme Court from the de-
cision in the Governments antitrust
suit, the. a.. p Board of Directors
said in its report: rsa
"This action was taken not only
to protect the vital interests of the
Associated Press but because the
board felt that fundamental issues
were involved and that the success
of the Government suit would i'm
pair the freedom now enjoyed in the
gathering and presentation of un-
trammeled news to the public.
Only by the maintenance of a
free and independent press can
Democratic institutions survive. If
the Government can control the
news, its power is unlimited The
Associated Press will resist to the
utmost every effort to bring about
Government control of news. No
press association, no individual
newspaper, can function success
fully and independently under per-
manent court supervision at the
risk of punishment for contempt If
court does not agree with our
actions"
High-ranking military figures. in
Guiding Secretary of the Navy
Knox. were invited to the annual
luncheon.
The directors noted that 555 men,
bers of the AP. staff, or more than
rs percent, were on military leave
but that nevertheless "the Associ-
ated Press at home and abroad
has been expanding in all it's ac-
tivities."
Latin Service Doubled.
The number of newspapers and
radio stations receiving the AP
service in Central and South
America has doubled in the last five
years, and newspapers serviced in
the United Kingdom have increas-
ed more than three and a hall
times in that period, the report
stated. Service has been started tc
IL newspapers in Sweden and two
in Finland.
The board said in its discussion
of the antitrust suit that it felt the
judgment of the Federal District
Court was so drastic in it's nature
as to strike at the heart of the AS
sociated Press"
The judgment restrained the A. P
perpetually from observing bylaws
under which members might con-
slider the competitive ability of ar
applicant for membership, but stip.
ulated that the A. P. might restrict
admission on other grounds.
THE decision of the lower court,
the board said, imposed upon the
Associated Press semipublic utility
status, based on what our counse
has described as novel construc
ton of the law and one which the
court itself stated would not neces.
sarily be applicable to ordinary
commercial pursuits - =.
Vigorous Fight Promised.
The special limitations placed
thereby on freedom of action in the
newspaper field, despite the guaran.
tees of freedom of speech and pub
lication embodied in the First
Amendment to the Constitution Of
the United States, must be vigorous
lily contested"
The directors said that with
pride and solemnity we again make
recognition of the herolsm, forti.
tude and glorious accomplishment.
Of correspondents in the war the
aters, who are daily, under the mos
extreme hazards and hardshipS
bringing us detailed and intimate
reports from fronts around thu
world. ="
The board praised "the foresight
and executive capacity" of Ken
Cooper, executive director and gen.
eral manager, who has developed
and directed the manpower thus en-.
gagged with that power and genius
which we all recognize in him"
Guests invited to the luncheon
besides Secretary Knox, included
Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commanding
the Army Air Forces: Maj. Gen
Harold L. George, head of the All
Transport Command; Maj. Gen
Laurence S. Kuter, chief of th'
plans division of the Army All
Forces; Maj. Gen. Muir S. Fair
child, Army Air Forces representa-
L.