Evening star., 1951-09-30
BY III. As.oeios.d Press

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2s.-
Three resolutions-one on news
censorship at it's source, one on
news suppression, and the third
dealing with the Czech imprison-
lment of Correspondent William
lOatis-Were approved unanimous
lily today by the Associated Press
Managing Editors Association.
The texts of the resolutions
follow:
CENSORSHIP AT THE SOURCE.
The Associated Press Managing
Editors Association opposes as a
dangerous instrument of news
suppression the Presidents execu-
tive order Of September Is. 1851.
extending the cloak of military
secrecy to the civilian establish
ments Of the Government.
Free people have. the right to
the fullest information about con-
duct Of their own Government.
They can safely consent to its
|abridgement only on the plainest
demonstration Of national peril.
Even then, any curtailment of this
right to which they do consent
must be so plainly prescribed and
SO narrowly limited that safety
from external aggression is not
bought at the internal risk of
secret government.
That this is a time of national
peril none would dispute. It is.
however, a peril that can be met
las 1t was met in World War II,
without the sacrifice OF essential
freedoms. Information useful to
the enemy can be withheld with
Iout depriving the American people
of the information about their
Government that they must have
to preserve intact the Democratic
process.
Deficiencies Pointed Out.
The September Is executive
order and memorandum relating
to minimum standards for classi-
flying and handling security in
formation in the executive branch
of the Government" whatever
motive may have inspired it. is
mot drawn with sufficient precision
to avoid risks of secrecy to which
no free government ought to ex-
pose its people. Among deficiencies
instantly apparent are these:
| /. The order purposes to set up
standards of security to guide the
Civilian agencies of government.
but it falls to define closely the
classification terms that it en-
Iploys and it furnishes to unframed
Government personnel, to which it
Ientrusts the largest responsibility,
no clear guide by which they may
govern their official acts.
2. Agencies. according to the
Presidents statement, must "show
Iafflrmatively' that disclosure of
the information would harm Ma
Itional security. but no authority
to which this showing must be
made. in advance Of classification,
is prescribed.
3. The National Security Coun-
ell Is given broad review powers,
but the machinery and method by
which this review is to be accom-
lplished is not prescribed and no
means is set forth by which an
immediate review of classification
decisions can be obtained.
| Citizens Have No Voice.
4. Citizens are enjoined to sup
port the classifications decided
upon. They do not participate
directly, or through any represen-
tatives. In the making of the
initial classif1cations. They have
no authority to which they car
appeal. but the authority which
made the classification in the first
Iplace. They have no means OF
discovering for themselves or
Through proper representative
'lagencies, what information is be-
ing withheld or If decisions to
withhold information have been
wisely made. At no stage In the
operation of the classification sys-
! tenn is there provision by which a
Ihearing may be given to those who
desire to have the interests of in
formation weighed against the in
terests of security.
5. Heads of the civilian depart
mentS, agencies and bureaus are