Evening star., 1952-06-29

q. n. Declaration of Human Rights.
"lnas the right to leave any country,
including his own. and to return to
his country" When this declaration
was ratified by the United Nations
General Assembly in 1948. the United
States was one Of its chief hackers.
In past months. however. it has
become increasingly clear that few
Of our leaders. II any. take this pas
sage Of the declaration at its face
value. The Owen baltimore pass
port fiaSco. the recent denial Of a
passport to q California professor,
and the trouble Paul Robson has
had in getting out Of the country
none Of these incidents drew any
stalwart, sweeping defense Of mans
right" to leave his own country.
Only the Communists want us to let
anybody and everybody out. But
even they aren't mentioning the
U. N. declaration, because the
article has such a hollow ring for
the people sealed of behind the
iron curtain.
The fact is that America-1ike al
most all other countrieS-haS been
preventing certain of its citizens from
going abroad since the turn Of the
century. Up to World War I, how
ever, few Americans went abroad.
Those who did simply climbed on a
boat. If they wanted to be special,
they got passport from a Govern
ment official, but this was not re-
quired procedure.
325, 600 Passports
With the First World War, how
ever, all that changed. We started
protecting our citizens more, and kept
them out Of countries where they
were likely to get into trouble. Peo-
pie had to get passports. They also
had to get permits or visaS from the
countries they visited. The passport
system has been growing ever since.
More and more people have been
going abroad. In the II months
since last July, 325, 900 passports
have been issued. Secretary Of State
Acheson reported few days ago.
But 95 persons who requested pass
ports were turned down in that same
period. Another 95, who already had
passports, were required to give them
up. Among this tiny percentage were
some persons whom the State De-
partment judged to be subversive.
Others barred from travelling abroad
were criminals, fugitives from justice,
the mentally Ill or persons who
might become public charges.
Since as far back as 1901 the Sec
fetary Of State has been using his
own discretion in saying who may
become public charge. who Is mem
tally Ill or who Is subversive. His
actions, and his powers, have been
challenged from time to time in the
courts, but his discretionary powers
have always come out unscathed.
Tightening Up
In this postwar period, the State
Department has frightened up on its
attitude toward American Commu-
nists who want to leave the country.
Congress usually has supported Sec
retary AcheSon's stricter policy. There
seems to be general agreement that
Reds should not be allowed to come
and go as they please. Last month
the Secretary said his department
was refusing passports to persons If
he had information that gave him
reason" to believe the applicant was
knowingly q member Of o Commu-
mist organization or that his con-
duct abroad "iS likely to be con-
trary to the best interests Of the
United States"
When passports are denied, the
State Department makes no public
announcement. It gives general rea-
sons to applicants, where security
considerations do not stand in the
way. Usually the rest Of US hear about
travel bans from the unsuccessful
passport applicants themselves. Some
of the recent and most celebrated
persons turned down have been Paul
Robson, the Negro singer; Prof.
Linus Pauling Of the California In
stitute Of Technology and the Rev.
Henry Carpenter, Brooklyn clergy
man and civic leader.
1t was the case Of Prof. Pauling
which set the passport issue sizzling
this month. Senator Morse Of Ore
gon. o peculiar breed Of Republican
who usually Is found voting with the
liberal Democrats. touched things
Oh. He had received an indignant
protest on the Pauling travel ban
from - faculty members at Reed
College In Oregon. The Senator
wrote Secretary Acheson, asking the
reason for the ban. Senator Morse
explained he would have NO obiec-