Evening star., 1945-06-09
Kennedy Insists Duty
|mpeI|ed Him 10 File
Surrender Story
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, June 9.-Edward
Kennedy, the Associated Press cor
respondent who sent the story of
Germany's surrender "a hours be-
fore the Allies officially released it,
says IF had it to do over, I think
I would send the story, but with the
fiat statement that it was not passed
by SHAEF censors, so the Asso-
ciated Press would have known ex-
actly what it was"
Mr.. Kennedy made the statement
in an interview with Dwight Bentel
for the current issue of Editor and
Publisher.
II thought we were there as re-
porters-that the end of the war
was news" Mr.. Kennedy said, that
millions of people had members of
their families at the fronts and that
every day the war continued was
another day of strain for them, and
that they should be told"
Status With AP Inactive"
Mr.. Bentel reported that Mr.. Ken
nedy's current status as an AP en-
ploye was inactive" and that he
had been told at the AP offices
There is nothing more to be said
now"
"T think it was most unfortunate
that the news of the end of the war
in Europe had to be broken in this
manner" Mr.. Kennedy said. Far
from gloating over any scoop, I
think it would have been infinitely
better If the authorities had let the
news come out in a normal way,
instead of trying to keep it bottled
up"
He said he weighed his action for
many hours.
Il knew if I sent the story there
would be fireworks" he said. II
realized the other correspondents
would be highly indignant After
thinking over all these things, de-
cided to send the story.
Il believe in keeping condolences.
have been in newspaper work for
20 years and have never been ac-
cused of violating a confidence or
release. I believe in the sanctity Of
agreements. I have always kept
them.
But in this case, I found myself
confronted with what l believed
was a conflict of rules, and what
considered my duty"
Quotes Gen. Allen.
Mr.. Kennedy quoted Gen. Allen
BRIG. Gen. Frank Allen, SHAEF
public relations officer, as saying
during the waiting period at Reims
that SHAEF was anxious to release
the story Immediately "for its pos
sible effect in saving lives of Allied
soldiers"
After the signing" Mr.. Kennedy
said, Allen said Gen: Eisenhower
wanted the story released immedi-
ately for this reason, but that Eisen-
hower's hands were tied at a high
political level. To me that meant
just one thing-that this was not
but political censorship"
After the story had been sent, Mr..
Kennedy said, he went to Gen.
Aliens hotel to protest.
He said Gen. Allen would not dis
cuss it with him.
Mr.. Kennedy said Gen. Allen re-
leased the statement which attrib-
uted to him the words self admit
ted breach Of confidence" after he
fKennedy) had told one of the two
ofdcers assigned to his case that he
took full responsibility for the
story"
Il deny now, nor did r admit
then, any breach of confidence"
Mr.. Kennedy said. Gen. Allen put
out the statement containing the
words 'self-admitted breach Of con-
fidence.' He also said 1t was a vio-
lation Of military security endan-
gering lives. This accusation was
so serious that it might have in
volved the death penalty Yet it
was made without his according
any hearing to me-"
Integrity Not Questioned.
Mr.. Kennedy said of the officers
assigned to his case:
Il would certainly not question
the integrity of these men. but do
want to point out that they were
asked to pass on what their COM
manding officer had already ex-
pressed judgment. 1t is inconceiv-
able to me that their findings could
have been different from his"
Asked about the APPS expression
Of regret on the story, Mr.. Kennedy
said:
This was moral question, and I
don't deny any one the right to his
own opinion. do feel a lot of peo-
pie who expressed opinions did not
have the whole picture. If they had
had all the facts, they might have
felt differently. I feel the denun-
Citations have gotten far more space
than my side of the story. The
whole picture has never been pre-
sented in balanced form"
D -