Office of the Historian

811.91261/3–3046: Telegram

The Appointed Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Smith)69 to the Secretary of State

restricted
Moscow, March 30, 1946—2 p.m.
[Received March 30—9:42 a.m.]

998. ReEmbtel 870, March 19. Experience correspondents in Moscow during past 2 days would seem to indicate a slight relaxation in censorship procedure. Correspondents have been called by telephone from Censorship Bureau and told either that their stories have been cancelled or that certain changes have been made in the text.

British Chargé70 saw Vyshinski yesterday on question of press censorship and Vyshinski admitted that new procedure had not been satisfactory. He indicated that correspondents would in the future be able to see copies of their censored despatches before they were actually sent. We have therefore informed correspondents that they should request to see copies of despatches and to inform us in the course of next week whether in fact they will be able to check on censored despatches before sending.

We do not view indications of relaxation in censorship as final and believe that before informing home offices of correspondents in Washington, results of next week’s experience should be awaited.

Smith
  1. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith had arrived in Moscow March 28 and assumed charge of the Embassy. He presented his credentials on April 3.↩
  2. Frank Kenyon Roberts, Acting Counselor with local rank of Minister Plenipotentiary.↩