The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-03-12

lZEN Wednesday, ThaIch ~, I1ol
!, ical friends from unfavorable pub
licity .
The water incident shows how
viziiant press csa break ffroagrl
the secrecy Teil.
A reporter for the Lacrosse,
Wis, Tribune learned that rail-
road trains did not take on water
at Lacrosse. He found that the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice had reported it had high
bacterial count.
The Journal, reviewing the in
cident, said:
1.-THE reporter also found that
the first report on the per condi-
ton of the water had been filed
IS years before and repeated every
year since. The former city engi-
neer and some members of the
City Council had known albeit 1t,
bur never made it public.
1.-The ensuing clamor led TO
chlorination of the city's water. "
Bayiey reported that there is
no more, and probably less, Sc.
crecy in government in Wisconsin
than in other states.
Instances of suppression can be
found in the Meth and South, East
and West.
In North Carolina, editors found
that in some local courts pudg-
ments were changed after regular
court hours, warrants were with
held from public scrutiny and
prominent citizens were allowed
10 enter pleas without public ap
pearances.
In California, Jack Craemer,
managing editor the lndepena
ant. at San Rafael and chairman
Of an editors freedom of informa
! tian committee, said Attempts al
censorship and other restraints on
free dissemination of public infor
nation are constantly recurring"
The Providence, r.. l., journal
and the Evening Bulletin fought a
successful court battle, carried to
the United States Supreme Court,
to open up to public inspection the
tax abatement records OF the City
Of Pawtucket.
The papers took the attitude
that Everybody who pays a tax
is entitled to know whether some
one. else has been shaved off the
tax list. =
II was not contended the abate-
ments were illegal only that they
we're a matter Of public record.
But no attachments we're granted
after the colirt action was fegtm.
Local school boards have a par
ticular pcnehant for meeting in
private.
This situation was recognized by
the American Association Of School
administrators, which declared
Feb. 81 that such meetings should
be conducted openly.
II said efforts at secrecy "cah
boomerang with devastating re-
SUITS and suggested the most sen.
sible thing to do was to make
certain the newspaper gets The
facts fast and gets them straight. .
The Biddefcrd, Me-, Journal re.
D0rted the local board of educa.
tion holds public" meetings, but
The board withholds information on
when they will be held.
In Florida, v. M. Newton Jr.,
managing editor of. the Tampa
Tribune, goes 10 the speaking plat.
form as well as the editorial page
to combat news suppression.
lie has coAsended in speeches
that government agencies seek 10
control or influence news by prop.
uganda in the form of slanted
handouts, bureaucratic obstacles to
public records and direct censor.
ship. :.
Il Is the newspapers ic5, he
says, to look behind the handouts,
get the straight facts and block
attempts TO, keep news from the
public.
That Is what they are trying To
do in their fight for freedom Of
information.
Easter Island. lonely South Pa,
q. y 4.