Evening star., 1947-08-11
By Eddy Gilmore
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent

MOSCOW, Aug. 11.-David Zas.
lavsky, Pravda commentator, de.
livered an attack of nearly half g
page today on the United States
press, declaring it was not an organ
of opinion and conviction, but a
commercial enterprise
Pravda is the official organ of the
Communist Party.
Mr.. Zaslavsky's attack was in re-
action to an article by Managing
Editor Edward L. James of the New
York Times, who had criticized
utterances of Alexander P. Morozov,
Soviet delegate to the United Ma
tions Economic and Social Council.
(Mr. Morozov told the Councils
Social Committee August /. that
Russia had real freedom of the
press and that the western ma
tions did not. He said that the
only guarantee of a free press
lay in communal ownership"
(Mr. James commented in an
article August 3, that Mr.. Moro
zovs presentation of the Russian
press as free press rs propa-
ganda gone crazy"
CMoscow has never made any
bones about its press policy" Mr..
James wrote. T%"It regards the
press as an instrument for the
support of the Communist Party.
1t abhors what it calls objective
journalism and allows to be
printed what helps the regime
along-and nothing more. For
example, Mr. Morozov's criticism
Of the western press was printed
E In New. York;. Criticism of the
, Russian press would not be
printed in Moscow. In that cir
cumstance lies all the explanation
between the Russian and Ameri-
can press.D
Press Resolution Cited.
The Pravda writer declared Mr.
James asserted the United States
Constitution and Bill of Rights
allow all United States citizens the
right of lying and slandering, with
no threat of punishment" (The
James article made no such state
ment, but declared: I'VE have our
Constitution and our Bill of Rights.
We are not going to throw them
overheard to pleace the Rusians.")
Asking whether Mr.. James spoke
In the name of the owners of the
New York Times or in the name of
all American newsmen, Mr.. Zaslav-
sky said: James knows very well
the international Congress of Jour-
nalists adopted resolution on press
freedom which asks that the press
be protected against the uncon-
trolled, irresponsible influence OF
capitalistic monopoly"
(The international Organiza-
ton of Journalists adopted at
Prague June 6 a resolution de-
claring: There must be free
access to news and information
for all journalists; journalists
must have full freedom to write
and publish news without re-
striction except for the require
ments of decency. =. *D
Mr.. Zaslavsky declared Mr.. Jane!
was "in the tolls of his boss, Sulz'
berger" and added: "At the pres.
ent time we cannot consider James
words as his own-they are really
the voice of his master-owner.
(Arthur Hays Sulzberger is presi.
dent and publisher of the New Yorl
Tines.
News Agencies. Criticized.
The Pravda writer also criticized
American news agencies.
I'VE understand very we'll HI
declared, why the biggest agencies
the Associated Press, United Pres!
and International News Service, 81
fiercely seek complete, unrestricted
freedom for their irresponsible in
formation-a full, unlimited righ
to penetrate all nations, have theil
agents everywhere. buy everywhere
what they need 70 sell everywhere
things that are profitable for them.
Mr.. Zaslavsky said he saw NJ
difference between these three new
agencies and oil companies who de-
sired that the whole world reek oI
American oil"
Then he turned to Kent Cooper