Evening star., 1950-02-15
House Unit Gets Plan
To Bar U. 5. Agencies
From Press Galleries

The House Appropriations Com
mittee today was reported to be
considering a move to keep Gov
ernment newsgatherers out of the
congressional press galleries by
amendment to the omnibus ap-
preparation bill. which will cover
all departments.
This development is the latest
sign of growing opposition to the
application of the State Depart
ment to have two representatives
of the Overseas Information Serv-
ice admitted to the press galleries.
With new hearing on the issue
put off at the State Departments
request. the directors of the Amer
lean Society of Newspaper Editors
recorded its opposition in a letter
from B. M McKelway, society
president. The new hearing prob
ably will be held early in March.
Byrd Voices Protest.
Senator Byrd. Democrat, of Vir-
ginia took the floor in the Senate
late yesterday to protest against
the State Department move.
Representative Taber of New
York, ranking Republican on the
Appropriations Committee, said
that the committee could write
into the appropriation bill pro-
vision cutting off the salary of any
Government press representative
who becomes accredited to the
press galleries.
Most of the opposition to the
State Department application is
based on fear that an influx of
Government news gatherers into
the press galleries would be al
step away from a free press.
Opposes Salary Approach.
Representative Cannon, Demo-
crat. of Missouri, chairman of
the Appropriations Committee,
said he does not favor the salary
withholding approach, but be-
lieves the issue should be settled
finally by the Standing Commit
tee of Correspondents in charge
OF the galleries.
The Standing Committee re-
tected the application last fall, but
the State Department has renewed
It's request. If the Standing Com
mittee again says no." it could
be overruled by the Senate Rules
Committee and the Speaker of |
the House. who exercise ultimate
gallery control. The proposed ap-
preparation salary ban, however,
would bring the issue to the floor
of the House and Senate for set
tlement.
Representative Cannon said he
hopes the Standing Committee
will be backed up" in whatever
action is takes, and added that
he does not see why the State De-
partment should be in the press
galleries.
The stand of the directors of
the American Society of News
paper Editors was made known to
the Standing Committee in let
ter from Mr.. McKelway. He wrote
Il have been instructed, by the
unanimous vote of the board of |
directors of the American Society /
of Newspaper Editors. to request
an opportunity. if a hearing is
later to be held. to place the So
ciety on record as opposing the
request of State Department
news gathering representatives /
for admfttar1ce to the press gallery.
Important Principle. T
when q date for the post
poned hearing is set, I shall appre-
ciate it II you will notify me in
advance. The society's board feels /
that an issue has been presented I
which involves an important prin-
ciple. The ramifications of the
State Departments proposal
should be fully explored and un-
derstood before anything is done
which might place that principle |
in Jeopardy" #st
The State Department contends
Its representatives need member
ship in the press galleries to facil-
itate their collection of news for
the departments overseas fnfor-
nation service, which is made
available to publications in all
parts of the, world.
Senator Byrd told the Senate
their admittance would establish
o precedent for the entry of