Threat Executed

Threat Executed

Almost a decade ago the Chicago Tribune, self-styled "World's Greatest Newspaper," ordered its correspondent in Moscow to present the following ultimatum to Soviet Foreign Minister Georg Tchitcherin: "You must abandon your censorship and guarantee freedom of expression, otherwise our correspondent will be withdrawn and so will the correspondents of other American newspapers, so that Russia will find herself without means of communication with the outer world." The rage into which Comrade Tchitcherin flew when he read these words was towering, to say the least. "The newspaper speaks to me," he stormed, "as if it were a government of equal power!" His reply was to expel the Tribune's correspondent, George Seldes,* thus preventing potent, four-fisted, he-publishers Robert Rutherford McCormick and Joseph Medill Patterson from executing their threat. In due time the "World's Greatest Newspaper" calmed down and sent other representatives to Moscow who have submitted tamely to the Red censorship for several years. Last week, however, the dander of Chicago's McCormick was again up.

"In order that our readers may have at least a measure of news from Russia accurately and impartially presented," the Tribune editorialed, "we have abandoned our bureau in Soviet Russia." Most of the news that American correspondents can obtain in Russia is contemptuously, and rightfully so, described as "handouts." The Soviet news agency edits the news and fabricates information to conform with Communist policies.

"If an American correspondent expects any privileges from the government he must cable thousands of words of Soviet propaganda to his paper, and he must be cautious with the news he obtains from other sources.

"The correspondent is treated as a guest of the government and just so long as he acts as an agent for the Soviet Regime he is tolerated. When he presumes to act as an agent for the paper which employs him, maintains his office, pays his expenses and pays his cable charges, when he attempts to be faithful with his readers, he is persona non grata. If he does not correct his course at official suggestion he is invited to leave the country. In the future all our reports from Russia will come from agents sent to the country on special assignments."

Seasoned observers sympathized with the Tribune's irate editor, but pointed out that Soviet Russia is too big to be bluffed, even by the "World's Greatest Newspaper." The only practicable means of getting out Soviet news is that employed by Walter Duranty of the New York Times. Day after day, with infinite patience and good humor, he files despatches which cost his paper a great deal, and only occasionally contain really big news. By carrying something every day and ingratiating himself after long years with the Soviet government, patient Walter Duranty is able to get past the censor all the news of Russia that really matters.

The situation is far worse in Italy. There all the correspondents bootlick Prime Minister Mussolini or are thrown out. In Spain the censorship of Dictator Primo de Rivera is theoretically absolute, but the indolent Spanish temperament allows correspondents to smuggle out pretty much what they please.

In China, Occidental correspondents have a free hand. The vernacular newspapers are ruthlessly censored as to political news. On personal news, the sky is the limit. Thus all the vernacular newspapers of Nanking reported the other day, as a matter of course, that Chairman Hu Hanming of the legislative Yuan (council) "owing to unusual pains of hemorrhoids, did not go out on Sunday. . . ."

See You Can't Print That!--George Seldes-- Tayson & Clarke ($4).