Evening star., 1953-11-02

But, Wnen IL was cOnIlrmeQ Dy
a reliable source in Seoul, the
confirming story was held up.
Some cases of suppression are
long standing. Last January an
Allied jet plane bombed and
strafed an American artillery
unit accidentally and killed IA
men.
All evidence pointed to the
First Marine Air Wing, flying un-
der 5th Air Force command. But
to this day, despite the deaths of
IA American soldiers. the full
facts have never been released
and responsibility has never been
fixed publicly.
Withdrawal of the 9th Army
command from the press has in
creased steadily in the recent
months. Gen. Taylor has seemed
to disappear behind a maze of
staff officers. Correspondents
protests against hampering de-
velopments have been ignored.
Former friendly relations with
the 9th Army public information
section have largely evaporated.
Perhaps most annoying per-
sonally to newsmen are growing
physical restrictions on direct
coverage at airports, ceremonies,
headquarters, and so forth.
Restrictions for the Ridgway
arrival was not an isolated case.
Recently, when Presidential En-
voy Walter Robertson left the
airport after his conference with
President Syngman Rhee. air po-
lice roughly showed aside news
men who tried to interview him
on a sweeping last-minute de-
velopment.
One correspondent was told
privately by Army telephone
operators that they had received
instructions to delay" outgoing
service calls by correspondents.
Accredited Korean, japanese
and Chinese correspondents
theoretically equal in all privi-
leges to American and European
newSmen-have found they actu-
ally have a second class" &C
creditation.
The group of Far Eastern
newsmen usually finds it is the
last to get places. rides. accom-
modations and other treatment
by the Army. They say the stu
alton has worsened since the
ceaSeflre.
At the armistice signing July
n. the chief correspondent for
the Asahi. Japan's biggest paper
and, with six million, the biggest
circulation in the world, argued
nearly half an hour with MP
officers before being admitted to
the ceremony.
Other Incidents Recently.
Recent incidents which corre-
spondents believe are a result of
an anti-press attitude on the
part of the military include:
When American troops took
positions south of the Indian
custodial camp in the demilitar-
lied Zone-and set up guns
pointing south-to protect Indian
troops from a. South Korean
threat to "liberate" the anti
Communist North Korean and
Chinese prisoners in their Gus
tOdy, newsmen had difficulty
clearing the story.
2 When % American prison.
ers whom the Communists
classed as opposing repatriation
arrived in the demilitarized zone
IT, await explanations according
to the armistice, Communist
sources released the names OF
the Americans to neWSmen and
Peiping Radio broadcast them to
the world. But censors would
net pass the lst of names, even
though they we're clearly labeled
AS coming from Red sources and
dlo not violate security in any
way
3. When one of the % Ameri-
cans, Corpl. Edward S. Dicken-
son of Big Stone Gap, Va.
changed his mind about coming
home and was repatriated, the
9Th Army attempted to rush him
through the repatriation process
ing at Panmunjom, so that pho
tographers would not have a
chance to take his picture. The
Army wanted to take him inside
a tent for the processing. But
at the request of American pho
tographers an Indian colonel in
sisted that the processing be
held in the open. so the photog-
raphers would be able to portray
it.
4. When North Korean and
Chinese prisoners held in the
anti Communist camp change
their minds and are repatriated,
the Communists allow newsmen
to interview them Immediately,
on-the spot. But when American
and South Korean prisoners are
repatriated, news conferences
with the men are held several
hours later in Seoul. Newsmen
have a strong suspicion that al
lied officers speak to the repat-
rated prisoners before their
news conferences. perhaps hint