Evening star., 1945-05-13
Tight News Controls
In Occupied Germany
Feared by Maj. Eliot
BY MAI. GEORGE
FIELDING ELIOT,

SAN FRANCISCO, May 12.-The
prospects do not seem too bright for
free reporting of news from oc-
cupied Germany, either in the
American or the Russian zones.
Certainly the American press will
not get any better consideration
from the Soviet authorities than it
gets from its own Government: if
we are to urge on the Russians any
relaxation of their present strict
censorship, we must set them an ex-
ample to which We can point.
Secretary of War Stimson saws
that censorship in the American
zone will be solely on the basis of
military security. Military security
during actual hostilities has a def
mite meaning-it is defined by con-
slderlng whether or not information
Is being conveyed to the enemy
which would be of possible use to
him. Military security as inter-
preted by a military government in
an occupied territory may include
almost anything that the military
government does not wish to have
published. There should-indeed
there muSt-be a far clearer deflni-
tlon of the rules of censorship in the
American zone of occupied Germany
tnan the mere mention of military
security.
Three General Rules.
Inc hrSt Interpretation we have
had comes in the form of a new
directive on this subject from su-
preme Allied headquarters, which
Is somewhat more specific as to the
rules to be imposed for the imme-
dlate future on correspondents op-
Grating with Allied forces under the
direction of SHAEF. This directive
lays down three general restric-
tlonS: The first is military Sc
curlty, the second is that news will
not be released which is not "accu-
rate and truthful" and the third
prohibits the release of news likely
to impair the relations between the
Allied powers"
These are excellent objectives, no
doubt. But who is to interpret and
apply the rules which are intended
TO serve these objectives? 1t is
dlf11cult to escape the conclusion
That II 1t were desired to avoid
criticism of the American occupying
authorities, nothing would be sim
pier than to prevent the release
OF critical news items on the ground
that they are not. accurate and
truthful" 1t is only fair to say
that this regulation, or one like it,
has long been in effect at SHAEF.
and that it has not, in general.
been used to prevent the sending
OF critical news dispatches. Indeed,
1t has not been used to prevent the
sending of wholly unjustified criti-
clsm of the conduct of military op-
erations, as for example during the
abortlve German counterofensive in
the Ardennes.
Clay Lacks Understanding.
1t remains, however, to be seen
whether it will be applied in the
same manner under the new condi-
tlons. There is nothing in the
record of 1t. Gen. Lucius D. Clay
to suggest that he has much under
standing of or sympathy with the
needs and point of view of the
American civilian. He is described
as tough minded" which is GER
tainly a desirable quality in deal
ing with the people of Germany,
but not with the American press
and radio.
One may hope that Gen. Clay
will show understanding of the fact
that the people of this country are
entitled to a free flow of news from
the areas occupied by American
troops in Germany, whether the
reports sent in by the correspond
ents are critical of his regime or
otherwise.
AS for the suggestion that news
likely to impair good relations be-
tween the Allied powers may be
barred, this certainly hints at the
beginning of political as well as
military censorship. 1t should be
remembered that the Central Con-
troll Commission, which will estab-
lish general regulations for all the
occupying forces, will consist of
American, British, French and Rus
sian representatives.
Are we to assume the censorship
will be applied under regulations
which will forbid any criticism of
the Central Control Commission be-
cause-being of inter- Allied compo-
sition-such news might be objec-
tionable from the point of view OF
some of the other members OF the
Central Commission? And just how
far do the western members OF the
commission propose to go in agree
ing to Russian suggestions as to
limitations on news from occupied
Germany?
1t cannot be emphasized too
strongly that we are engaged here
in San Francisco in building a
structure of world security which
must be based on mutual confidence
and mutual observation-disclosures
ed, in a word, on truth, as the Nazl
structure was founded on the lie.
IT will be to the interests of our
Russian allies-whose views as to
freedom of news differ from our own
at present-to let us know them bet
ter and to get to know us better.
They do not yet believe that this is
so; it may take a long time to con-
vince them of it; but we shall never
convince them of it if we set them
bad examples ourselves. That is
why we must all hope that the
handling of news in the American
occupied zone, and the American at
titude about news in the Central
Control Commission, will be more
liberal than present indications
suggest.
Copyright, 1945, by N. M. Tribune, Inc.)