Evening star., 1949-08-07
New Pentagon Ruling
Requires Advance OK
On News Interviews
Bv John A..Giles

public information division has
set up a system requiring that
all interviews with officials be for
mally approved in advance, but
Director William Frye denied yes
terday that. there was any at
tempt to control the flow OF
news.
Rather, the system has been
instituted so that Defense Secre-
tary Johnson can know what the
officials are discussing publicly
since he is responsible for opera
ton of the entire establishment,
Mr.. Frye said. The system. he
said, also enables the divisions
press branch, once interviews are
published, to answer quickly
queries from other publications
about them.
1T is not an attempt to gag
officials but an attempt to set
up enough of system so that at
lease we know what Is being said
and by whom" he declared.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
q new security regulation to cover
the public utterances of all mil
itary and civilian personnel is
being drafted for issuance after
President Truman signs the uni
fication act creating the overall
Department of Defense.
Earlier Regulation Called Gag"
This regulation prescribes what
the security review section shall
do. Early drafts state that reserve
and retired officers may use the
counsel of the group if they desire
but does not require them to do so.
On June 8 Mr.. johnson ordered
that poposed articles, speeches and
other material by military per-
sonnel be reviewed only on the
grounds of military security. He
made no reference to review for
policy and propriety" reasons.
leaving that up to the individual
officer himself to decide whether
his statements are in accord with
policy. This came after cancella-
tion of an earlier directive. which
was interpreted in some quarters
as gag order"
Before the Army, Navy and Air
Force public information divisions
were merged by order of the de-
tense secretary, interviews could
be arranged through the separate
divisions but the operation was
not on the formal basis now in
effect. The present system is more
like that in effect during the war.
A form, which must be approved
by Lee Hargus, chief of the press
branch, is entitled Request for
Interview" and it states specific
ally that q all interviews must be
approved In advance by the chief
of the press branch"
, Lists Names. Times.
1t lists the reporters name and
organization, the person he wishes
to see, the subject to be discussed
requested time, approved time and
the. name of the Army. Navy or AK
Force representative in the com
.bined setup who made the ar
rangements.
{ MIR. Frye said that he had not
issued any order to the three de-
partments requiring them to have
interviews approved in advance.
but he added II have told the
various people in all three depart !!
ments that if requests come to
them from reporters for inter-
views they must be cleared through
the press branch"
He said that If officials set up
interviews with reporters they
know and have been in the habit
of seeing I would like for them to
tell us of the fact of the interview
and the subject discussed-but we
are not trying to cut off access to
the individuals.
Mr.. Frye said "the formal inter-
view in which the individual Is to
be quoted by name" should be
cleared by his Office. However.
he pointed out that newsmen
more frequently see officials to
get guidance and information
which is mt for attriblltiOn.