Show I th th th- Preys Press I. I Gagging I V I THE senates senate's attempts to fasten the gag V rule on the press ought to convince the Ani Am American people that they w want nt secret rollin roll roll- calls Hs in congress completely ly y abolished The senators J are supposed to represent the vot- vot J therefore it is a bad policy to to have a system V te tem i that encourages them to vote vot one way when hen hiding behind closed dosed doors when they i would woud vote the opposite if they knew their votes otes would be published V I The present row started the other day when a senator gave Paul R. R Mallon MaHon chief hief of f the C staff of the me United Press the results of the over the con Coil firm tion V The United Press believing it important im im- news to which the public was entitled entitled en en- titled sent the vote out ut on its wires through- through out the country The senate rules committee commit- commit t i tee e struck back at Mallon anon and his association by denying the United Press representatives v access to the senate floor The senate had V no power to punish the United Press dir directly 1 that would be abrogating the freedom of the press But in this tills round-about round way it sought V to frighten and intimidate the whole army of newspaper men in iii Washington V I V Critics or the American press have long charged that Washington correspondents have a ve not shown enough independence fearlessness i arid and penetrating analysis They have said that that the administration or party in iii power has dominated the news emanating from the national national na- na capitol Here Heie is an occasion when V i representatives of the American press pres should show backbone a as disproof f of this charge Any curbing of the tile power of the 4 press or int intimidating of newspaper nt n- n J I t tives is distinctly menacing to th best int in- in f t of the public The independence lence of i Washington correspondents needs strengthening strengthen strengthen- 1 ing rather than weakening Any Auy effort to silence silence si si- si- si 1 i lence the press should be re resisted i ted bitterly on on V V behalf of the reading public which is entitled 4 to know kno knol the l efa facts t ts regardless of cowardice e or petty politics which would cause some senaI senators sena sena- r I tors rs to to want want to shroud their votes in secrecy cy |