The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-12-26
THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE PRESS

In the December issue of The Cosmopolitan, Mac
Arhurs Intelligence Chief Major General Charles a w"
oughby complains that number OF the nation top news
men appeared go of their way to create de-
featst thought patterns in their readers and to oete te
eountry's armed services
Gen Wiloughbys bitter accusation of giving aid ana
comfort enemy hurled at Hanson Baldwin OF the
New York Times Joe Asop of the New York Herald-lf-
bune Drew Pearson Hal Boyle of the Associated Press
and others Writers had been too critical OF the
ob that the General had done as MacArhurs Intelligence
Chief drew the bouquet being balanced and accurate in
their writings
Without going into the merits of what these writers
have written about Gen WilOughby or what they have
written about armed forces are thankful that we
do have writers in this country who report the facts ano
the truths as they see them instead of shouting when they
know that isn't true that all generals are the best
that all our equipment is the best that all our training
the best, and forth.
1t is true as Cen Wiloughby indicates, that it hurts
the morale of the fighting soldier to learn that has genera
or his equipment the best Realizing this then
should a writer who has information which indicates
someone in the services asleep at the switch re-
veal this information public in the hope that public
opinion will generate action should ne remain silent
for his attempting to give the public the truth
will cause some the front lose confidence in his
weapon and result become less effective soldier?
Actually what is written in a newspaper has very
little effect on the average soldier in giving him conf
dence in or causing him to lose confidence in particular
weapon or particular leader. A soldier gains lose:
confidence in a weapon leader by personally observ
ing the effectiveness of the weapon leader IN combat
During World War II, the average frontline nfan-
tryman realized that the German automatic weapons
were better The infantryman also knew that
tank tank tanks not good as the German
tanks i'm support of the infantry The combat nfantrman
was very interested getting this arBlatipn back to
the people the United States that every effort could
be made to provide better weapons. -
Suppose that newspaper man in Korea should find
that after this country has fought in Korea for about
year and half, automatic weapons were still IN
ferior those used by the German Army in 1914 and
1915? Should he remain silent fearing that if he speaks
soldier will lose confidence in his machine gun?
Or should he bring this matter to the attention of the
American public the hope that public opinion could get
better machine gun for this soldier which would in
turn boost his morale?
In country where the press is free, reporters often
bring the truth when the public would otherwise
main uniformed This advantage and safeguard has been
found outweigh the disadvantages sometimes encoun-
tered in critical reporting. such General Wiloughby
complains Of Whether the Generals appraisal is right or
wrong there no way shackle the press little bit
once controlled partially the free no longer
free