The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-27
In The Nation
BY ARTHUR KROCK
In The New York Times

In The New York Times
WASHINGTON, 49, With remarkable reg
ularity, officials of the government draw
up plans to keep the public from getting
legitimate information, and with the same
regularity the scheme never gets beyond
the planning stage. This probably will be
the history of the newest effort-a code
drawn up by the Security Advisory Board
of the State and Defense Departments and
now in circulation before being submitted
in final form for the Presidents approval.
In the past, incessant publicity has been
required to prevent the attempt from 60
ing into operation. But it seems unlikely
that, even if the SAB's draft comes to Mr..
Truman with approval by the executive de-
partments, his good sense and his memory
will permit him to sign it.
In the code as projected by the SAB
confidential government information is de-
scribed as alton ''the unauthorized
disclosure of which, although not endan-
gering the national security, would be pref
Judicial to the interests of the nation, any
governmental activity or an Individual;
and (or) would cause serious administra-
tive embarrassment or difficulty" The
Presidents good sense would surely pre-
vent him from signing a rescript like that.
And his memory would remind him that
the wartime Senate Committee which bore
his name and made him a national figure
turned many official faces red.
The Truman Committee embarrassed
and caused difficulty" for administrators
in wartime. This section OF the code would
outlaw that even in time of peace.
A worthy reason is always given for eff
forts to suppress legitimat and essential
public information. Sometimes these who
give it sincerely believe the end stated
j~ustifies the means. But always also poll
ticians are mixed up in the effort who,
though loudly proclaiming themselves to
be "liberals," dislike the freedom of the
press and avail themselves of any fine
sounding objective to restrict it. On this
occasion the uneasy status of peace. the
activities in this country of spies and busy
domestic enemies of our economic system
furnish the excuse.
This code lists classified informa alton as
top secret, secret, confidential and re-
stricted. The test given above of what is
"confidential," so convenient to official
blunderers and politicians, offers a rough
idea of the range of information which
the codifiers would. consider "secret" and
stop secret" And they define restricted"
as news which cannot be published or dis
closed save for an ~"official purpose" In
der this precious formula nothing could
be published out of Washington except
what government officials released, and in
that form without supplement, interpreted
ton or background.
This latest attempt at suppression was
done in response to a Presidential direc-
ton that rules be drafted "applicable to
the handling and transmission of confiden-
tial documents and other documents and
information which should not be publicly
disclosed" The purpose, as is not always
the case, was constructive. The bureau
cratic response, as always, was destruc-
tive-in this instance Of the free flow of
legitimate public information.
The last time this was tried was in
February, 1912, by Francis Biddle, then
Attorney Genral. The excuse was a state
OF war. which r"nnot be given now. p1t
even under that pressure Congress de-
cllned to have anything to do with the
proposed "War Secrets Act" On that &C.
casion, however, Congress and the public
had to be aroused to the threat by rep
resentatives of the press. for the bill went
to the Capitol with administration ap-
proval. In wartime, support from that
quarter was even more politically power
ful than in time of peace. Also, whenever
that administration saw an opportunity to
restrict public information or dieora1'+ 4ho
press. Official spokesmen got on the Job
with exceptional enthusiasm.
But from what Mr.. Truman has dis
closed of his political philosophy it does
not seem that loud alarms will be re-
quired to keep his signature off the di-
receive as drafted by the SAB. And if
that is a poor forecast, then Congress def
initely will see the danger without the aid
of fire bells.
Mr.. Bidd]e's War Secrets bill, with the
blessing of President Roosevelt, could
have been employed to set up a more rigid
| censorship than that exerted anywhere out
| side the Axis in 1912. It was an instru-
ment to conceal official incompetence,
misfeasance and error and to brand the
highest form of patriotism as treason.
Administered by a set of arch-angels."
wrote this correspondent at the time. "the
bill could serve to prevent only the publica-
ton of military secrets of value to the en-
envy. But no angels of any degree are to
be encountered in Washington: and the
administrator numbers more han a few
officials who would further restrict the re-
manning freedom of the press'' (bevond
the so-called voluntary censorship then
! prevailing).
Mr.. Biddle's draft prvided that. when
the head of any government denartment
or agency classified as secret "any letter.
file, instrument, memorandum, book.
pamphlet, picture, plan, record or other
writing in the custody of the United
States" those VIII released or published
it were liable to fine and Imprisonment,
Now in time OF peace it is proposed to add
pubhcat1ons causing official "embarrass-
II the German unions refuse to obev
orders they can hardly expect us to keen
Shipping IN food to feed them.-Gen. Ialci,1s
D. Clay, commander u. S. forces in Ger
| ma1y.