SHAEF AND JOURNALIST

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 May 1945, Page 8

SHAEF AND JOURNALIST

EISENHOWER’S EXPLANATION.

NEW. YORK, May 8. General Eisenhower has sent a message to the Executive Director of the Associated Press of America (Kent Cooper) saying that Kennedy was suspended because of a selfadmitted deliberate violation of SHAEF regulations and a breach of confidence. He added that the investigation was continuing. The Associated Press says that since General Eisenhower gave no report of Kennedy’s side of the story and in the absence of any direct first person report from Kennedy, Coopeihas forwarded General Eisenhower’s reply to Associated Press headquarters in Paris, adding: “Kennedy: The message received from General Eisenhower does not contain your reply, for which I asked in the interests of fair play. If you are permitted to give your reply please rush it.” < BREACH OFCONFIDENCE (Recd. Noon). LONDON, May 9. Brigadier-General Frank Allen, Director of Public Relations at SHAEF, in a statement on the “incident in which the Associated Press allegedly obtained a scoop in anticipation of some offer by the German High- Command to surrender its forces,” said that the negotiations were of the utmost secrecy, because of the great difficulty due to the distance of exactly co-ordinating action with the Russian Army, so that unconditional surrender could be simultaneous on the eastern and western fronts. ' The fact that the Germans were desperately trying to create misunderstanding between the Russians and the Allies intensified the need for secrecy. They as late as May 6, broadcast their intention to negotiate with the Allies in order to gain time and strength for a battle against the Russians. General Eisenhower accordingly gained from the Russian High Command authority to act in accepting unconditional surrender on all fronts. The understanding was he was to observe the greatest secrecy and make no announcement of any kind until the • Russians were satisfied through later' more formal contact with the German Command that the surrender was genuine and did not represent merely an additional attempt to gain advantages at their expense. Because of these considerations and the saving of American lives General .Eisenhower was. doubtful of the propriety of admitting any individual ai tha meetings except those officially connected with them, but on earnest representations, that no newspapermen would release information concerning the proceedings until authorised, he allowed seventeen Pressmen to witness the proceedings.” Brigadier Allen added he personally pledged every correspondent on his honour not to communicate the result of the conleretfice or its existence before the respective governments announced the fact.” All observed this pledge except Kennedy, of the Associated Press, who used unauthorised channels in order to commit a deliberate violation. General Eisenhower was placed in the position of having broken an understanding with his Russian Allies, for which he feared the entire chain of negotiations, involving a later meeting between the Russian and German Allied Commands, might break down, prolonging the war. General Eisenhower asked me to express to al! other newspapermen his great gratification that, with this exception, his confidence in the Press had not once ; been violated in the three years m ■ his command.” PRESSMAN'S DEFENCE.

U.S.A. PICTURES POOL. (Rec. 12.15 Py^. w y ORK) May 9. Edward Kennedy issued a statement saying: “I saw the representative of the existing German Government sign the agreement of unconditional surrender, I was informed by the representative of SHA.EF Public Relations, that although no military security was involved, the bllAEr Public Relations intended to suppress this news from the public until later. I informed the representative 01 SHAEF Public Relations I couldn’t accept this view since it had been conceded no military security was involved and that I intended, to send the story. I sent the story.” The Associated Press points out that Kennedy distributed the statement to SHAEF’ and correspondents of the Paris Press. 'Phe Press’s previous efforts to contact Kennedy failed. Kennedy is still not permitted to communicate, directly with his home office. Kennedy, earlier through a Paris office message denied he had admitted any breach"of confidence. The President of the ACME Newspictures, Fred Ferguson, sent a telegram to Kent Cooper asking the Associated Press to state publicly its official attitude on the future military .secrets and other confidences. Mr.Ferguson said unless a statement were forthcoming, ACME would propose the dissolution of the news picture pool, under which American , news picture- services combine their resources in war zones. Mr. Ferguson added that otherwise ACME couldn’t share any responsibility for the action of any Associated Press photographers in the war zone through the pool. Ferguson’s telegram added: “It is inconceivable to me that you as one of the leaders in demanding the freedom of the Press, in the conduct of international affairs would fail also to recognise to the fullest degree the

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS

To my mind, no scoop is worth undermining'the'very foundation of honest journalism. If individual correspondents are to be permitted to decide for themselves on the spot whether they will or won’t observe confidence then the entire journalistic structure which has-been so carefully built up for coverage of national and international affairs is destroyed. I don’t see how there can be held any further White House conference, nor how members of Cabinet, or representatives of any foreign government can speak freely before a Press conference if an Associated Press man is present.” Responding to the request from the New York “HM’ald-Tribune’s” VicePresident, Mrs. Helen Reid, that he make a statement, Mr. Kent Cooper said: “The observance of all obligations voluntarily assumed is, always has been, and will continue to be the cardinal principle of the Associated Press and its employees, but there will be no prejudgment of Edward Kennedy by me. I have not yet had the advantage of a personal meeting with him or military authorities to obtain the detailed information I should like to have. That any implication and any prejudice whatever is indicated, by this statement, would be entirely unfair.”