Evening star., 1945-05-14

Paris Bureau.
For there seemed some danger not
only that the entire journalistic
profession would be damaged by Mr..
Kennedy's breach of faith but that
the Associated Press, by its boast of
. scoop" obtained in such a way
and its apparent determination to
defend Mr.. Kennedy's act, had low
cred its own ethical standards and
diminished respect for it everywhere.
Mr.. McLean's statement, for which
he is to be congratulated, Is what
might have been expected from him.
1t has pulled the Associated Press
out Of an indefensible position and
re-established it in the general re-
gard by making it clear that the
heads of this great organization
think no story however big and
however exclusive is worth the price
Of dishonor.
Beneficial Phases.
Had the Associated Press taken
any other position, the indictment
leveled at Mr.. Kennedy by SO Of
his colleagues, that this was the
most disgraceful, dishonorable, un-
ethical double-croSS in the whole
history Of journalism" to some ex-
tent, anyhow, would have been lev
eled at the Associated Press as a
body.
AS 1t is, except that Mr.. Kennedy
Is still, properly, under the ban,
and though there will be echoes
for some time to come, the Incl
dent appears to be closed. Neverthe-
less, it has not been without Ger
tain beneficial phases. For one thing,
it discloses-again on the testimony
of Gen. Eisenhower-that, so far as
he knows, this is the only violation
of confidence that has occurred in
the whole war.
When one considers the large
number OF correspondents engaged
in reporting the war, plus the fact
that ways Of beating the censorship
can always be found, this Is very
considerable tribute to the corps of
correspondents by the commanding
general.
For another, 1t is a highly salutary
fact that, though he obtained one
of the greatest scoops" in journal
istic history, so far from reaping
credit from this achievement, the
writer has reaped only discredit,
fierce denunciation from his own
colleagues, scorn from the COM
manding general and what amounts
to reputation by his own organiza-
ton.
In brief, it has been demonstrated
that, even on the low ground OF
interest, it does not pay in this
game to cut corners. Nothing in
Mr.. Kennedy's long explanations
and nothing said by his radio de-
tenders relieves him of the simple
charge that he was the only one
of large group of correspondents
in whom confidence was reposed
who violated that confidence.
Just Does Not Pay.
Had Mr.. Kennedy been able to
retain the support of his organiza-
ton and the respect Of his COL
leagues it would seriously have hurt
the newspaper business, made it
ridiculous ever after to mention
journalistic ethics or newspaper
standards. That he was unable to
do either of these things has had
the contrary effect.
Certainly it makes it much more
unlikely that in the future, no mat
ter how great the temptation, any
newspaperman will put himself in
Mr.. Kennedy's position to secure
any newspaper story, no matter how
big nor how exclusive. 1t has been
completely proven that this just
does not pay.
Had there been no penalty for
Mr.. Kennedy, had he gotten away
without that expression of pro
found regret" from the head Of
the Associated Press, the tendency
would have been to make "off-
the-record" press conferences ex-
tremely hard to continue.
Public men, holding such confer
ences, would naturally say to them
selves that while they were sure 80
per cent of the reporters present
would keep faith, there was always
the chance there would be one who
would not, and that the violator
would suffer neither personally nor