SUSPENSION OF CORRESPONDENT

Southland Times, Issue 25669, 11 May 1945, Page 5

SUSPENSION OF CORRESPONDENT

Breach Of Confidence Alleged (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Brigadier-General Frank Allen, Director of Public Relations, SHAEF, in a statement on the “incident” in which the Associated Press of America allegedly obtained a scoop in anticipation of some offer by the German High Command to surrender its forces, said the negotiations were of the utmost secrecy because of the great difficulty, due to distance, of exactly co-ordinat-ing action with the Russian Army so that unconditional surrender could be made simultaneously on the eastern and western fronts. The fact that the Germans were desperately trying to create a 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 the battle against the Russians. General Dwight D. Eisenhower accordingly gained from the Russian High Command authority to act in accepting unconditional surrender on all fronts. The understanding was that he was to observe the greatest secrecy and make no announcement of any kind until the Russians were satisfied through a later, and 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 at meetings except those officially connected with them but, on earnest re-presentations-that no newspapermen would release information concerning the proceedings until authorized, he allowed 17 correspondents to see the proceedings. CORRESPONDENTS PLEDGED Brigadier-General Allen added that he personally pledged every correspondent on his honour not to communicate the result of the conference, or its existence, before the respective governments announced the fact. “All observed this pledge except Edward Kennedy, of the Associated Press of America, who used unauthorized channels in order to commit a deliberate violation,” he said. “General Eisenhow.ever was placed in a position of

having broken his understanding with his Russian allies, for which reason .he feared that the entire chain of negotiations, involving a later meeting between the Russian, German and Allied Commands might break down, prolonging the war. General Eisenhower risked me to express to all other journalists his great gratification that, with this exception, his confidence in the Press was not once violated in the three years of his command.”

Edward Kennedy has issued a statement saying: “I saw a representative of the existing German Government sign an agreement of unconditional surrender. I was informed by a representative of SHAEF Public Relations that, although no military security was involved, SHAEF Public Relations intended to suppress this news from the public until later. “I informed the representative of SHAEF Public Relations that I couldn’t accept this view since it had been conceded that no military security was involved and I intended to send the story. I sent the story.” The Associated Press points out that Kennedy distributed the statement to SHAEF correspondents of the Paris Press. The Associated Press’s previous efforts to communicate with Kennedy failed and Kennedy is still not permitted to communicate directly with his home office. BREACH DENIED

'The president of the ACME Newspictures, Mr F. Ferguson, sent a telegram to Mr Kent Cooper, director of the Associated Press, asking the Associated Press to state publicly its official attitude on the future of military secrets and other confidences. Mr Ferguson said that unless a statement was 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 could not share any responsibility for the action of any Associated Press photographers in the war zone through the pool. Mr 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 recognize 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 will not observe confidences, then the entire journalistic structure which has been so carefully built up for the coverage of national international affairs is destroyed. I do not see how there can be another White House conference nor how members of the Cabinet and representatives of any foreign Government can speak freely before a Press conference if Associated Press men are present.” Responding to a request from the vice-president of The New York Herald Tribune, Mrs Helen Reid, that he make a statement, Mr 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 the military authorities to obtain the detailed information I should like to have. That any implication of any prejudice whatever is indicated by this statement would be entirely unfair.” Mr Cooper announced that he had appointed Mr VV. E. Gallagher as acting chief of the Associated Press bureau in Paris- succeeding Kennedy. Mr Cooper explained that this action was taken without prejudice to Kennedy, pending a full investigation.