Evening star., 1951-01-21
Attempt 10 Infringe
On Freedom Of Press
Denied by Kefauver
By Cecil HoIIond

Tennessee, said yesterday he hao
no intention of ordering the In
dianapolis News to cease publish
ing a series of articles based on
"a confidential and unconfirmed'
report of the Senate Crime Com
mittee's investigation of gambling
in indianapolis.
Senator Kefauver, who heads
the committee, said he should
have used the words urgently re-
quested" in place of directed" in
telegram to Eugene c. Pulliam
publisher Of the News, asking the
paper to stop publishing the series
"Of course, have no authority
to direct a paper to cease publish
ing anything" Senator Kefauver
said.
Only Wanted Information.
He also said subpoenas issued
by the committee to Mr.. Pulliam
and Eugene S. Pulliam, managing
editor, were for the purpose of
obtaining information in the in
terest of protecting the security
of the committee and its confiden-
tial reports.
He said the report on which
the News was basing it's series of
articles was Improperly secured
and that the original and copies
were under lock and key" in
the committee Offices. He added
he had no idea of how the report
came into the possession of the
newspaper and for this reason
wanted to question the Pulliams
Senator Kefauver. said the News
dropped the series of articles
after the first installment when
the committee advised them the
matter had not been verified and
might involve SANDER and libel
of innocent persons.
Explains Position to Editor.
Senator Kefauver gave the COM
ments after returning to Wash
ington yesterday from Cleveland
where he has been conducting
"a committee investigation into
gambling and racketeering in
that area.
He also said he was sending a
telegram explaining his position
to James S. Pope, managing edi-
tor of the Louisville Courier
Journal and chairman of the
American Society of Newspaper
Editors Committee on Freedom of
Information.
Mr.. Pope had asked Senator
Kefauver for an explanation Of
his telegram to the Indianapolis
News and whether the subpoenas
to the papers publisher and man
aging editor was to get informa-
ton or to put pressure on edit
ing their newspaper"
Senator Kefauver's telegram to
Mr.. Pope said:
"Supplementing my telegram of
yesterday. I agree fully use of
words urgently request discon-
tinuance of publication by Indian
apolis News of unconflrmed and
confidential report should have
been used instead of the word
directed Subpoena to Mr.. Pull
liam was for purpose of obtaining
such information he could give
us in the interest of protecting
the security of the committee and
it's confidential reports"
Called Defender of Freedom.
Upon receipt of the telegram,
Mr.. Pope said: II felt sure that
when Senator Kefauver under
stood the exact basis of our pro-
test he would join us in recog-
mixing the Importance of keeping
our basic freedoms absolutely
clear. He is certainly one of the
strongest defenders of those free
doms in the Senate"
In his earlier telegram to Mr..
Pope the Senator had emphasized
the confidential and unconfirmed
nature of the report and his de-
sire to protect "the integrity and
function" of the committee and
ito prevent the possibility of in
nocent citizens being irresponsibly
libeled or slandered."
Senator Kefauver said the series
in the News was brought to his
attention while he was conducting
the Cleveland inquiry. His tele-
gram to Mr.. Pulliam, he added,
was sent off in the heat of the
hearings" after the committee
staff had verified that the series
was based on a confidential COM
mittee report.
Il certainly don't want to in