Evening star., 1947-10-04
BY the Associated Press

LAf6 oOCCEOO, OCt. IA
head-on Soviet-American clash
over freedom of the press shaped
up today as a sharp initial test
of the determined Soviet CAM
paign to get the United Nations
Assembly to brand the United
States as hotbed of anti-Rus-
sian "Warmongering."
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt was
leading the American fight against
the Soviet drive, evidently as part of
carefully planned American dele
cation strategy to present the issue
as one of democratic freedoms versus
totalitarianism.
1--WE cling to the right of criticism
and disagreement" in the United
States, Mrs. Roosevelt told the
United Nations Social Committee in
a terse statement last night.
I'm my country" she said to the
other representatives of U. Ms 81
member nations, "we have certain
documents, with which we hope
every citizen is familiar, setting forth
basic principles of freedom and de-
mocracy.
Right of Criticism Respected.
"But we know that free press will
inevitably interpret certain prin-
ciples of democracy in different
ways, as will the people themselves.
We have, therefore, ditfe, ences of
opinion. Sometimes the Govern
ment and certain people disagree,
but we cling to the right of criticism
and disagreement.
'It is the price one pays for free
dom and for democracy that the
Government often has to wait for
the enlightment of the people.
Totalitarianism may move faster,
for good or i'll, but we believe de-
mocracy and free people stand on
a firmer foundation"
The Soviet proposal, which Mrs
Roosevelt asked the United Nations
committee to reject would, in effect
call on a forthcoming United Ma
tions conference on freedom of in
formation and of the press to seek
to organize the world press against
"Fascism" and "warmongers."
Mrs. Roosevelt said that in a
country where all means of informa-
ton are under government control
the press can be organized. The
Soviet proposition, she argued Is not
conceived "in the spirit of freedom
of information"
Another Session Scheduled Today.
The Soviet position was firmly
supported by White Russia, Czecho-
slovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia. The
committee scheduled another session
today to press toward vote.
The main Russian "warmonger'
charge against the United States is
slated to come up soon in another
U. NJ committee, that on political
affairs. Mrs. Roosevelt has been des-
ignated to assist in the American
argument there also and the present
contest therefore is in the nature of
preliminary test.
Her speech came at the close of
one of the U. N. Assemblys busiest
days, which included these develop
ments:
l. The new Moslem dominion of
Pakistan charged before the Legal
Committee that thousands and
hundreds OF thousands are being
butchered" in religious struggles fol-
lowing the partition of British India.
The new Dominion of India immedi-
ately challenged this assertion.
There have been reports Pakistan
might appeal for United Nations in
tervention.
Britain Defends Empire.
2. Britain defended her colonial
empire as bulwark of world peace
and told the United Nations Trus-
teeship Committee that the world
now must help to assure her colonial
peoples of the benefits of peace.
3 The Security Council, on a pro-