The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-04-10
G.L. Papers
BY FORMER STARS AND STRIPES STAFF
MEMBERS


archy'' over the maintenance of free press
within the Army.
The latest flare-up in the Mediterranea an
Stars and Stripes in Rome, which resulted
in the entire staff of three officers and 81
enlisted soldiers requesting reassignnent, is
the most serious to date. The fact that this
particular controversy has been settled ami
cably and freedom has oeen restored to this
Army paper, does not preclude the probability
of the same trouble happening again. Only re-
Gently on the other side of the world, C. Is
publicly accused the "brass'' with tying to
muzzle the Tokyo Edition OF Stars and Stripes,
following the removal of the Managing Editor
and columnist, charged with conmunistic
Ieanings IN Manila, staffers of the Army
daily, the Paclfican, threatened to resign when
forbidden to publish stories on recent demobil-
ization demonstrations, by the Asso ciated
Press Or otherwise, without approval by su-
perior officers.
The issue which has logged the heels OF
Army newspapers ever since the first Stars
and Stripes was published in London in 1912
boils down to the determination OF how mucn
freedom should be allowed newspaper pub
lished by Army personnel
Lieut. Gen. John c.. H. Lee, Commanding
General of the Mediterranean Theater, whose
censorship order caused the Rome incident,
recently aired his long-held views After Or
dering that all letters submitted to the Mail
Call colurna of that edition be screened by
a high-ranking officer. he repeatedly stated:
This is not a free newspaper. I can
break up Stars and Stripes. can order
all these men somewhere else But l
don't intend to-
General Lees comments indicate striking
difference to the concept of policy for the
paper laid down by General Marshall in the
first issue published in London. The former
Chief of Staff, at that time, recalled General
Pershing's appreciation Of Stars and Stripes
morale value in World War One, ana men
toned the fact that mo official control was
exercised over the matter which went into
Stars and Stripes" He stated: This policy
is to govern the new paper"
General Lees opinion that ''this is not
free newspaper is an exact opposite view
point from that held by the present Chief OF
Staff and former Supreme Allied Commander.
In a conversation with two Stars and Stripes
stafters on Oct a. 1914, at Versailles, Gener-
al Eisenhower emphasized then, and later for
publication. that the Army newspaper must
remain free as long as it lives" Commenting
on the letter column (variously known as Mail
Call and "B-Bag), General Eisenhower re-
marked that he always read this column first,
since it gave him an idea Of what the soldiers
were thinking about.
General Eisenhower's concept Of Stars and
Stripes freedom is given added support by
Capt. Harry c. Butcher, USNR aide to the
former Supreme Commander, in his war
diary "My Three Years With Eisenhower.
Butcher says, in diary note dated Paris
April II, 1945, that General Ike took ian in
tense personal interest in seeing that the staff
of Stars and Stripes is not pestered by the
brass" To make sure that those above the
Editor understood his policy, the Supreme
Commander, Butcher relates, sent letter to
Deputy Theater Commander Lieut.. Gen. Ben
Lear, which said in part:
A great deal Of pressure has been brought
on me in the past to abolish such things as
Mauldin's cartoons, the "B"-Bag, etc. You
will make sure that the responsible officer
knows he is not to interfere in matters Of
this kind. If he believes that any specific
violation of good sense or good judgment has
occurred, he may bring it TO my personal
attention.
The Jetters-to-the- editor column which is the
only practical place, other than the slow-mov-
ing Inspector Generals Office, where the en-
listed soldier can register his "gripes' against
the inJustices, incompetence, and discrimi-
nations of officers, was under constant fire
A few newspapers supporting General Lees
stand have stated that news and comments
OF a political nature do not belong in any
Army newspaper. II is taken that political
news per Sc is not meant, since it would be
absurd not to publish things like news Of DO.
litical elections AS to the publication of slant
ed news and opinions Of syndicated column
nists, such were never permitted in the pages
of the paper. The one exception to this rule
was the publication OF "orientation" editorials
written by an officer and printed over the
strenuous objection OF the staff.
Having observed the i'll effect on soldier
morale the present controversy had during
two war years on Stars and Stripes, this
writer Is Of the opinion that the condition
should be rectified by intervention of tie Chief
OF Staff. Either he should (D restate and re-
affirm The policy laid down at the beginning
by General Marshall and supported by him
self during the war, so that there will be
no misunderstanding by lower ranking Of
flcers, or (2) he should indicate precisely un-
der what restrictions, if any, peacetime Army
newspapers are to operate.
If the freedom that was envisioned for Stars
and Stripes by General Marshall and General
Eisenhower is not to be allowed, then let a
civilian press be instituted overseas, so that
our soldiers can enjoy this one of the four
freedoms which is beine promised to the
people of the world including those in the
areas they are occupying Christian Acience
Monitor.
Editorial Comment