Evening star., 1948-04-15
Bureaucracy
Threat 10 News,
Editors Told
ASNE Hears Howard
Call for Vigilance
Against Menace

Against menace
A call for vigilance to protect the
freedom of obtaining the news from
any bureaucratic menace" was
sounded today by Nathaniel r.
Howard, president Of the American
Society of Newspaper Editors.
Mr.. Howard is editor of the Cleve-
land News. His address this morn
ing opened the newspaper editors
26th annual convention at the Ho-
tel Statler. The convention will run
through Saturday. About $50 men,
bers are attending.
After Mr.. HoWard's opening ad-
dress, the editors received recon-
mendation from one of their COM
mittees that the Associated Press
and the United Press resume fur
nishing their news reports to the
State Department, a practice the
press services abandoned in 1916.
Used In "Voice" Programs.
These reports would be used in
the departments Voice of Amer
lea" broadcasts and in its other
programs disseminating news de-
signed to tell the story Of American
democracy to the wrold.
Mr.. Howard told the editors they
hold dual responsibility: First, to
the people whom our newspapers
serve and protect, and equally to-
ward our Government and its man
date to protect the people If a
strange time
If there are any reasons for the
society to discuss limitations or
qualifications on the free pursuit
and publication of news. he said,
these must begin certainly with the
element of national safety"
| He cited the recent exposure by
the press of the plans of a Govern
ment departmental committee here
in Washington to impose pattern
of silence on the cabinet depart
ments."
Tells of Truman Denial.
Mr.. Howard said that when the
ASNE expressed its concern lest
such move would mean infringe
ment of the right of free newspa-
pers to Government news" Presi-
dent Truman replied:
"* I never heard of the
program to which you refer and
I am very sure that such a pro-
gram could not POSSIBLY go into ef-
feet without my approval
The Cleveland editor went on
I'VE accepted this answer as being
more reassuring than not, and
acknowledged it in that spirit.
Nothing further has happened; no
such rule has been made an eXecu-
tive order as yet.
But it is entirely likely that this
bureaucratic menace has not passed,
nor will for some time, and I recon-
mend : vigilance on this
issue"
Mr.. Howard's address was fol-
lowed by reports OF officers and COM
mittee chairmen and discussion
of world dissemination Of news.
Special Circumstances Cited.
The recommendation that the
Associated Press and the United
Press again furnish their reports to
the State Department was made in
the report of the ASNE committee
on world dissemination of news.
The report. given by Hamilton
Owens, of the Baltimore Sun, was
received with applause. The recon-
mendation will be voted on when
the society takes up resolutions
Saturday.
The committee report today called
attention to the special circum-
stances arising out of the present
crisis in Europe. 1t expressed the
belief that the press associations
should put their reports at the serv-
ice of the State Departments Office
of Information and Education Ex-
change.
The committee also urged the
necessity for intensifying the Ole
program as provided for in the
Smith -Mundt Act. Mr.. Owens was
followed on the platform by George
v. Allen, recently named Assistant
Secretary of State. to direct the
State Departments information
program.
Three Resolutions Considered.
Mr.. Allen emphasized that it was
impossible for OLE to operate with
out the two press associations. He
read a memorandum from the Of
fees international broadcast divi-
sion giving instance after instance
of news items from overseas which
it was impossible for the Crganiza-
ton to confirm.
The Ole has been supplied by two
foreign and one domestic agency.
Richard w. Clarke of the New
York Daily News, reporting for the
Resolutions Committee, of which he
is chairman, said three resolutions
have been considered by the COM
mittee. These and other resolu-
tions offered during the convention
will be acted on at Saturdays Ses-
sion.
The three resolutions would:
l. Put the society on record as
opposing censorship in peacetime,
with an exception covering scien-