Evening star., 1951-04-20
Police Accused
OF Han1periing
Newson General
Refusal to Recognize
Passes, Threats and
Bullying Charged

Bullying charged
Police yesterday ignored many
|of the advance arrangements
made for coverage of the Mac
Arthur homecoming and ham,
Ipered the efforts of news, radio
land television men attempting to
tell the public all about the great
day.
In some cases, Metropolitan
police refused to recognize spe-
cial passes issued for the event
or demanded credentials that
didn't exist. There were reports
|of threats, bullying and manhan-
ding.
Complaints against police ac-
|tivities centered around the Stat
Ter Hotel, but there were other
incidents along the line of march
and outside Constitution Hall.
An executive committee meet
ing Of the Radio Correspondents
Association will be called to pro-
test police efforts to oust tele-
vision cameras from the vicinity
of the Statler. William r. Nc
Andrew of NBC, said.
The people who gathered
around the Statler for Gen. Mac
Arthur's arrival complained Bit
terly that they never saw the gen.
eral. News and television men at
tempting to record the event for
a much wider audience found
themselves in the same position.
The trouble actually began
Tuesday when Police Chief Robert
]. Barrett announced he would
issue special police passes good
for "25 feet laterally in each
direction from the location speci-
fled on the pass" That meant
that reporter or photographer
with a pass marked 10th and
Pennsylvania avenue" could not
move to Eleventh and Pennsyl-
vania avenue if something hap
pened there.
Mai. Barrett was adamant de-
spite the protests.
The instructions also specified
that a newsman holding a special
pass would be permitted to oper-
ate 3 feet in front of the Gordon
of troops along the line of march.
At Delaware and Constitution
avenue, however, when a reporter
showed his pass for that location,
he was told his pass was mot
special enough" and was ordered
to get back in the crowd.
At the Statler, no special passes
had been issued for Gen. Mac
Arthur's arrival. but the hotel had
arranged to set up a press room
on the mezzanine floor at loca-
ton where newsmen could re-
port the arrival and departure Of
the Macarthur party. The press
room and ali other arrangements
made in advance with the hotel
had to be abandoned, however,
when hotel officials said Maj.
Barrett had forbidden any one to
get on the mezzanine floor.
Newsmen were forced behind
ropes guarded by nine broad
police so that neither
the newsmen nor the public could
get a good view of the general
when he arrived at the hotel.
When reporters and photogra-
pliers met with the generals ad-
visor, Maj. Gen. Courtney Whit
ney, at 2 am, he said the arrange
ments were made by the local
police but that the general would
like to have the press near if it
could be arranged.
Apparently Maj. Barrett had a
different impression because when
two photographers took up a van
tage point outside Constitution
Hall to catch the departure of the
general from his visit to the
Daughters of the American Revo-
luton, the police chief personally
ordered them away. He said the
general didn't want any more pic
lures made.
Newsmen were issued passes
marked "Statler" to cover Gen.
MacArthurs' visit to the Amer
ican Society of Newspaper Editors.
These passes came out many
hours after his arrival.
The passes were recognized
during the afternoon but when
ASNE members were herded into
the congressional room of the
Statler to await the general, Maj.
Barrett stationed himself in the
doorway and refused to admit the
newsmen carrying the "Statler"
passes issued by police. Dwight
Young, the ASNE president, finally
prevailed on the major to honor
the passes and admit the working
press by that door.
The handling of television ar
rangements at the Statler prompt
ed at least two commentators to
broadcast attacks on the police
last night.
Mr.. McAndrew said the four
television networks here notified
the District at one point that if
police laid hands on the property
of NBC. the policeman who
touched it and Maj. Barrett would
be sued. NBC was to transmit the
Statler phase Of the visit for the
network pool arrangement.
TV Crews Ousted From Hotel.
The ta1eviSion official aYn1a ioed