Evening star., 1949-05-01

OF Soviet Russia. This fact has
recent efforts Of a committee Of t
convention designed to give gre'
and transmit news and informa-
ton from one country to another
In Paris last summer, the COM
mittee succeeded in drafting
document which would have
limited restrictions on news leav-
ing a country only when 1t might
endanger national military Sc
curity." Even this would have en-
abled military authorities. who
now play such an important role
throughout the world. to exercise
considerable control over interna-
tional news.
At Lake Success. representa-
tive of Colombia insisted that the
word military" be left out
thereby broadening the limitation
Any official or bureaucrat could
find something ip any news item
that could be interpreted as en-
dangering national security
For obvious reasons. the Colon
bian proposal has the support OF
all the governments behind the
iron curtain.
Latin View Significant
A Mexican delegate Offered
several amendments that wen
much further. One propose
would permit nothing to go out
Of country that reflects or
national dignity" or prestige.
The other would make it necessary
for a news agency or newspaper
of country signing the conven.
tion to distribute and publish any
protest over the accuracy of .
dispatch from one of its cor
respondents. Under this provi-
sion, If the Kremlin should dispute
the accuracy Of any dispatch sent
from Moscow, the State Depart
ment would be expected to request
this newspaper to publish the
Soviet version.
Worst of all, the committee has
actually adopted, over the protest
OF both the United States and
British representatives, an amend
ment which spells out "the duties
and Responsibilities" Of the press.
The Mexican proposal requires
that correspondents report facts
without discrimination, promote
respect for human rights and fun
damental freedoms, further in
ternational understanding and
contribute to the maintenance Of
international peace and security.
Not even Mr.. Gromyko could have
offered q more severe measure for
throttling freedom of news and in
formation. -.
The state Department says the
United States will not sign the
news freedom pact unless the
Mexican provision is removed.
The fact that such proposals
have been offered by delegates Of
nations from the Western Hemi-
sphere is significant, although not
surprising to those familiar with
the temperament of the people
and the political history and back
ground Of a majority of the south
ern republics.
Press Control Usual
Most of them have at various
times been, and numbers Of them
still are, under the rule of mill
tary dictators and strongmen. In
such countries there can be nc
such thing as a completely free
press at home or the free flow OF
news to the outside world. There
is no question about control OF
the press and the radio, as well
as other agencies Of information
under the iron listed reign OF
Gen. Trujillo in the Dominican
Republic, in Nicaragua under Gen
Somosa's lordship. or under the
Peronista domination in Argen-
tina.
The long. 27-year reign of Juan
Vincente Gomez in Venezuela
the 11-year dictatorship of Angus
to Leguia. followed a few years
later by the semidictatorships of
Col. Sanchez Cerro and Gen. Oscar
Benevides in Peru. and more re-
Gently the 15-year rule of Gethelio
Vargas in Brazil and others, all
have left their imprint on the at
titude Of the ruling groups in all
these countries toward unrestrict-
ed news and information.
Extreme leftist regimes are, OF
course, just as prone to restrict
or control news and information
as the outright relationships, un-
less it conforms to their views
and wishes. Even in some OF
those countries which now have
constitutionally elected. middle
of-the-road governments, there is
still q tendency to restrain the
press and especially to discourage
the transmission Of any critical
news abroad.
Press Had Difficulties
In Mexico. during the presidency
OF Gen. Lazaro Cardenas, in the
period when the oil industry was
under fire. United States corre-
Spondents were often in hot water
with the authorities. Just before
the Cardenas regime appropriated
the Oil companies, Frank H
kluckhohn Of the New York Times
was forced to leave the country
because his dispatches seemed too
critical Of the government.
Until the bloody uprising In
April OF last year. Columbia had
had no revolution or serious DO
litical upset In nearly half a GEN.
tury. Each President had passed
on his Office to his duly elected
successor without question or hes
ttancy. Locally, the Colombian
press had been among the freest
in South America. Yet gettine
political news out Of Bogota has