Evening star., 1947-02-12
Marshall 5 Aid Asked
Ito Get Reds 10 Allow
|52 Newsmen al Talks
BY the Associated Pres,

A committee OF Washington cor
respondents asked Secretary of State
Marshall last night to intercede
with Russia for admission of So
United States newspaper, magazine
and radio representatives to the
March 10 meeting Of the Big -Four
foreign ministers IN Moscow.
The Soviet Union, citing'a housing
shortage, has insisted that only 20
will be granted passport visas to
cover the foreign ministers confer
ence on treaties with Germany and
Austria.
Terming this number "shockingly
inadequate, the committee sub
mitted proposed priority list of 50
culed from 73 original applicants.
The protesting group represents four
organizations of correspondents and
includes Michael j. McDermott,
State Department press officer.
Change Of Site Suggested.
Herbert Bayard Swope, chairman
Of the board of Overseas News
Agency, declared last night the for
eign ministers meeting should be
held somewhere else if the Russians
persist in their limitation.
IF the penalty for our acceptance
of the Soviet governments invita-
tion is the rigid restriction of the
number of press and radio men per-
mitted to enter Moscow to report
the historic conference to the
American people, we ought to de-
cline the invitation" Mr.. Swope
said in statement issued at New
York.
Following is the text of the joint
statement to Gen. Marshall by the
correspondents committee on news
coverage of the Moscow meeting:
Joint statement by representa-
tives of the Standing Committee of
Correspondents, the State Depart
ments Correspondents Association,
the Radio Correspondents Associa-
ton, and the Periodical Correspond
ents Association:
81. The American press and the
radio, through the cooperation of
previous Secretaries of State, have
over period of years gradually been
accorded opportunity for careful and
detailed reporting of great power
conferences in which the peace of
the world is being shaped. This pro-
cedure began to approach a salts
factory stage at the last Council of
Foreign Ministers meeting at New
York City.
Soviet Promise Cited.
"2. When the United States at
New York accepted the invitation
of the Soviet government to partic-
ipate in the next meeting of the
Council of Foreign Ministers at
Moscow, the Soviet government gave
specific assurances through its
foreign minister that everything
would be done in spite of housing
difficulties to accommodate the cor
respondents and to create the most
favorable conditions for their work.
This assurance stated further that
American correspondents would be
able to report from Moscow on pro-
cedures of the conference as they
reported from Paris and New York.
To every member Of the American
working press, this could only mean
comparable facilities.
''3. The undersigned organizations,
through their representatives, have
now completely explored the Soviet
tender of maximum Of 20 visas for
American news media and find that
this Soviet provision is shockingly
inadequate
q. In accepting responsibility in
behalf of the American press and
radio in this emergency situation,
the undersigned organizations in no
sence condone, but vigorously protest
the Soviet limitation which would
represent serious step away from
enlightened world opinion.
Strong Plea Made.
rs. We are sure that you realize,
and that the negotiators in Moscow
will appreciate, that an informed
public opinion in the United States
and elsewhere is necessary If the
conference decisions are to be effec-
tive.
IS. We therefore respectfully re-
quest, with the greatest emphasis at
our command, that you urgently ask
the Soviet government to grant as a
basic minimum visas for the list of
So transmitted to you by the special
joint committee this afternoon. We
further request that you impress
upon the Soviet government the i'm
portance of granting to American
radio correspondents the use of ade-
quate transmission facilities for
direct conference reporting to the
American radio public"