Evening star., 1951-04-22

dangerous notion that individuals
in Government can Judge what
the people should know.
Agencies cited as examples in
cluded the Commerce and Defense
Departments. Federal Security
Agency, Internal Revenue Bureau
and Reconstruction Finance Corp.
In the latter case. it was said,
there exists a definite connec-
ton" between the recent RFC
scandals and "the barriers to in
formation in the bureaus and de-
partments affected"
The committee also called at
tention to the habit of the Dis
trict Commissioners of holding
closed meetings, and called this
an inspiring example of news
control" to other Washington Of
| ficialS.
The committees report was de-
scribed as tentative by the chair
man, James S. Pope, editor of the
Louisville Courier-Journal, because
the study begun year ago is still
in progress.
District Government Criticized
Mr.. Pope departed from his pre-
pared text to say: Outside the
Iron Curtain. Washington probably
has the most secret city Govern
ment in the world"
In other parts of the country
the report stated, access to i'm
portant Government information
is being blocked off now by more
camouflage, more barbed wire and
red tape entanglements than any
of freedom ever encountered in
the trenches. 80"
Clever screens" it was charged
"are being raised between the
public information" with the
result that the country's news
papers are being forced into a
"cold war which we are losing on
many fronts"
With regard to the suppression
Of La Prensa in Argentina, the
editors declared in resolution
that this action "erects another
barrier between Argentina and the
United States"
The action marks the govern
ment of that country. it was said,
as being "callous to one of the
supreme principles of 10th century
civilization"
Gainza Paz Commended.
The 400 editors commended the
courage of DR.. Gainza. Paz in re-
fusing to yield to tyranny"
It was revealed that John II
Knight of the knight newspapers
has offered to print 400, 900 copies
a day of La Prensa in Miami il
the editor could suggest a way
for having the copies distributed
in Argentina.
Mr.. knight said DR.. Gainza Pa
received the offer with thanks
but said it would be impossible
to halt government conf1scatior
or some other stoppage should ths
attempt be made.
i The editors approved a propose
to urge DR.. Gainza Paz to visi
Chicago this June to receive publ,
tribute. The Medill School O
Journalism at Northwestern Uni
versity already had invited the edi
.. tor to receive a degree. Chicago
editors agreed this should be tn,
Occasion for a public ceremony. i
was announced.
Regarding censorship in event O
war, the editors heard a repor
from another committee sayinl
that their recommendations ap
parently are in agreement with ;
tentative plan formulated by th'
National Security Resource
: Board.
3 Main Principles.
J This plan embodies three mail
principles:
!. The office Of censorship Woull
be an independent agency of Gov
! ernment. responsible directly t
. the President.
2. The Office would be headet
;, by a civilian, with the recommen
:. dation that the civilian be ap
pointed from one of the fields o
public media.
: 3. Censorship of the press woul
be voluntary.
= 1t was pointed out, however
that this plan is not a final "com
e mitment by the Government" al
i. though it has been accepted b
: the Department of Defense, Stats
: Treasury, Justice and Post Offic,
: and the Federal Communication
Il Commission
Q At yesterday afternoons ses
: sion, A. j. Liebling, the Waywar
j, Press author of The New Yorke
:, magazine, brought up to dat
J. his recent article on what h
. called the expansive and con
~