Evening star., 1951-10-02
Bricker Denounces
Security News Curb
As '|nsu|tto Congress
BY the Assoeiated Press

I'D m9uHIVVVHylCSS
BY the Assoeiofed Press
President Truman's order on
security information was de-
nounced by Senator Bricker, Re-
publican, of Ohio today as Sub
versive" and IAN insult to Con-
gress. the worlds best press, and
q free people"
Il In a speech prepared for the
Senate. Senator Bricker declared: !:
IS "A free people will demand the
Erepeal of this disgusting iron cur
tain order of the President"
II The Ohio lawmaker urged
speedy enactment of his bill to
wipe the order off the books. He
says there is no doubt Congress
has authority to do so. Other
sponsors of the repeal measure
are Senators Capehart, Repub-
lican, of Indiana, and Ferguson,
Republican, of Michigan.
Bill Referred to Committee.
The bill was introduced. last
Friday. and was refsr.ed tnsthe
Senate Executive. ExpenAhres
Committee. That group has mot
met since. - 10
.Tis:ntesidentiai ordsf.. issued a
week ago. provides for Tightening
and standardizing the handlius OIL
some security information. Mkl1-l
SthosiaRSSEederal ciEiase1sSeNcies iesl
Ato data ff6Kk=ss sseap public
Ii. they [dssaa such action Is uecessf
sary for national security. The
Defense and State Departments
have had such authority all along
Mr. Truman has said there is no
direct or implied element of CEN
sorship about the order. He stated
1t should not be used to stifle the
free flow Of news to the public.
Presidential Secretary Joseph H.
Short said yesterday Mr.. Truman
has no intention of resembling the
order. There's nothing wrong
with the order" Mr.. Short said.
Senator Bricker, however, called
1t vicious" and said it parallels
steps taken in Russia, Argentina,
India and Hitler Germany.
Tale Also AssaiIs Order.
Striking a similar note, Repre-
sentative Tale, Republican, of
Iowa told the House yesterday he
thought it significant that "the lid
OF secrecy is being clamped down
even as congressional committees
are sitting charges of corruption
in the Truman administration"
He called the Presidents order
infamous" and said the charges
to which he referred had been
"unearthed by alert, enterprising
news reporters"
Senator Bricker declared:
President Truman's order has
for its precedent the controls over
information imposed by the Polit-
buro, Peron and Nehru. and by
the late unlamented Propaganda
Minister Goebbels in Nazi Ger
many"
He termed the measure 'un-
worthy of a President of the
United States whatever his mo-
tives may be-" and added:
ut is an insult to the Congress.
to the worlds best press and to
a free people. 1t is subversive in
every sense of the word"
Sweeping Nature Emphasized.
Senator Bricker said that If the
President had been concerned
exclusively with national security
his order would have been issued
"in an entirely different form"
Then he declared:
"The sweeping nature of this
executive order suggests that Mr..
Truman is more concerned with
suppressing information relative
to corruption, disloyalty and the
general incompetence which is
the trademark Of his administra-
ton"
Senator Bricker said every one
recognizes that classification of
information for security reasons
by the Defense Department and
by the Atomic Energy Commission
must be tolerated in spite of the
inevitable abuses"
But he said the new order gives
more than go Federal depart
ments and agencies "the same
power to suppress information. y.
Referring to the new measure
as "a gag order" Senator Bricker
said there are four aspects of it
which support his assertion that
the President apparently was con-
cerned mainly about "suppressing
information relative to corrup- /
ton.
Senator Bricker said the order
is ambiguous, has unlimited scope,
unlimited power to delegate au-
thority to censor" and makes mo
provision for appeal or review
a8i
Senator Moody Believes -.
Truman Should Emf oider :
DETROIT, Oct. 2 (CDN.-Sen-
ator Moody, Democrat, of Mich
igan says President Truman
should rescind his order empower