Evening star., 1946-02-24
Editors Society Backs
Stand .S.De|egates
For Free World Press
BY the Associoted prea

pf me SsSotioIed ~feSt
NEW YORK, Feb. 23.-The Amer
ican Society of Newspaper Editors
standing committee on world free
dom of information today termed
imperative and wise the United
States request for full study of
the whole problem of freedom of
informa ton.
In a statement to Edward r.
Stettinius, jr., chairman of the
American delegation to the United
Nations Organization, the commit
tee said:
The American Society of News
paper Editors, the membership of
which includes active editors from
most every important newspaper in
the United States, has assumed as
a serious obligation the furtherance
by every possible means of the
cause of world freedom of informa-
ton as vital element In a lasting
peace.
Find Demand for Freedom.
"A committee representing the
society toured around the world In
the early months of 1945 holding
conferences with groups of editors
and Government officials in all
available capitals during that war
period. This committee found
sincere desire on the part of foreign
editors for freedom of the press and
an enthusiastic Support-except in
Russia, where the press is govern
ment-oWned or controlled-for the
elimination of censorship and in
reference by government with free
dom OF news and expression.
The American Society of News
paper Editors has since named a
standing committee on world free
dom of information, constantly to
survey the world free press situation.
| Observations indicate, among other
matters, that:
Il. The cause of freedom of in
formation, despite orld-wide pub
licity and attention, has not been
conSpicuouSly advanced with the
end of the war.
Pressure on UNO Charged.
-. During the past three months
political pressure has been exercised
against newspapers in nations.
members of the UNO, and by one
device or another editors and their
newspapers have been suppressed
for opposing government policies.
"3. In some nations and areas
statesmen have evidently drawn no
| 1pSSn1S fr0r,, ha ta,- y
devastating struggle in history.
which was the result OF secret
diplomacy, trickery, ultranational-
ism, demagoguery and repression,
including censorship and control
of all media of public knowledge
and expression, national and inter-
national
a. While some statesmen are
honest and sincere in their desire to
promote and perpetuate freedom of
the press in their respective nations.
the problem is intricate and de-
pendent to some extent on the
attitude Of others and is, therefore.
an international rather than
national problem.
IS. While the issue of world free
dom of information is wholly sup
ported by the United States Gov
ernment, by the American Press and
radio and has almost universal ap-
probation Of American public opin-
ion, the approach to it on the part
OF some governments is, to say the
least, apathetic.
IS. Any hope of international
agreements looking forward to
world wide freedom of information
designed to prevent or erase inter-
national Observation-Disclosures is now
in the hands of the United Nations
organization and uniquely depends
for success upon the initiative and
ability of the American delegation
to promote it.
The standing committee of the
American Society of Newspaper
Editors. in view Of the above con-
cluSionS, notes with much interest
the information that the United
States has now requested that the
commission on human rights un-
dertake as one of it's first tasks a
full study of the whole problem of
freedom Of information with a view
to preparing draft recommenda tions
or draft convention thereon to be
submitted to the economic and So
cial council and later to member
governments.
The standing committee is more
than ever of the view that the
United States policy is imperative
and wise, and that a forceful stand
for prompt action which will be
supported by most editors who. the
world over, are convinced that gov
eminent control of or interference
with the right of people to know
the truth threatens the very foun-
dations Of lasting peace"
The committee is composed of
Wilbur Forrest, New York Herald
Tribune, chairman; Alfred H. Kirch-
hofer, Buffalo Evening News: John
H. Sorrells, Scripps- Howard News
papers; N. r. Howard, Cleveland
News; Edward E. Lindsay, Decatur
Newspapers, Inc; Stephen C. No.
land, Indianapolis News; Roy A.
Roberts, Kansas City Star, Donald
j. Sterling, Oregon Journal, Port