Official Secrets; AT HOME ABROAD
Date: 19 February 1973
By Anthony Lewis
Anthony Lewis
A Lewis comment on Pentagon papers trial holds that if US Govt is able to prosecute defendants D Ellsberg and A J Russo for releasing papers to public, it will have created its own replica of GB's Official Secrets Act, making it a crime to publish even trivial facts of official life without permission; holds that Amer press has been generally complacent about prosecution of Ellsberg and Russo because it has not understood implications involved
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Only Few Memorable Moments Enliven Pattern of Tedium at the Ellsberg Trial
Date: 20 February 1973
By MARTIN ARNOLDSpecial to The New York Times
Comment on pattern of tedium which seems to have developed during 32 trial days of Pentagon papers case; there are so far 12,670 pages of official trial transcript, few of which chronicle memorable events; Mrs P Ellsberg, wife of defendant D Ellsberg, and K Barkley, wife of defendant A J Russo, appear in ct each day; Barkley sells sandwiches she has made during ct recess to earn money since money Russo earns by writing and speaking goes into defense fund; appearance and courtroom manner of chief prosecutor D R Nissen and defense atty C R Nesson noted
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Editor Urges Shield Law, Calls for Government Noninterference; Panelist Disagrees Other Three Listed 16 Cases Cited
Date: 19 February 1973
By PETER KIHSS
Peter KIHSS
M S Hayden, editor of Detroit News, says that US Sup Ct ruling last June requiring reporter E Caldwell (NY Times) to disclose confidential information made him believe in 'the necessity of a Federal shield law', speech, C Edison Memorial Youth Fund conf for young journalists, NYC, Feb 18; says in gen he wants to have all legislatures 'keep their noses out of our business'; J G Campaigne (Open Ct Publishing Co) argues that passing law might create worse problems, citing Freedom of Information Act which he says has resulted in formally closing off access to some information; favors relying on 1st Amendment free-speech guarantees; Caldwell charges that there is move by Govt to 'stop the flow of information'; reporter W Farr (Los Angeles Herald-Examiner) says of his jailing for refusing to disclose source of story to Superior Ct Judge C Older, that he had relied on statement by Older that Califs shield law would give him immunity even if he published his planned story; says he found himself jailed by 'loophole' in law, when Older decided he was no longer protected after leaving Herald-Examiner; reporter J Nelson (Los Angeles Times), whose article on Watergate bugging led to brief jailing of his Washington bur chief until recordings involved were released, charges Nixon Adm has 'used the Federal Courts to undermine the First Amendment'; J D Ehrlichman, Nixon's chief domestic-affairs advisor, in int published in US News and World Rept, says members of press tend to think of themselves as 'an estate set apart from society, with overriding rights'
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Newsman, a Critic of Police' Is Arrested in Newark
Date: 19 February 1973
TV newsman R Porambo (WNET) is arrested on Feb 18 after he allegedly refused to obey police order not to intervene in investigation of rept of sick woman in front of tavern in Newark, NJ; denies police repts that he had become disorderly and was drunk; is released on $250 bail pending hearing on Feb 20; Porambo is under indictment for allegedly trying to bribe police officer to obtain photographs for his book, which is critical of Newark police
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Managing the P.O.W.'s; Military Public Relations Men Filter Prisoner Story in a Careful Program Joyous and Emotional Officers in a Key Role 'Sounds Great to Me' Specific Data Refused officer Was Reprimanded Clark Personnel Warned
Date: 20 February 1973
By JAMES P. STERBASpecial to The New York Times
James STERBASpecial
J P Sterba article on careful planning developed by mil pub relations men to have return of POWs from Vietnam take place in atmosphere of unchallenged patriotism and to restore status of mil men to their honored place; notes careful programming and control of repatriation effort to insure that all POWs would be retrieved without a hitch, and that nothing was said or done to tarnish the POWs' image and that everything was said and done to enhance it; efforts require keeping a safe distance between POWs and newsmen; distrust of press among the mil made these efforts relatively easy; directives have gone to 26,000 airmen and their families against expressing opinions to newsmen on the war, the cease-fire or the POWs; article says Vietnam war had neither heroes nor a sympathetic press until now
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