The Press: Fade-Out

Six top newsmen, assigned to cover President-elect Eisenhower’s trip to Korea on a pool basis, were instructed last week to “fade from the public view” in preparation for the secret flight. The six: U.P.’s Merriman Smith; A.P.’s Don Whitehead; I.N.S.’s Bob Considine; Mutual Broadcasting’s Everett Holies, representing the combined radio networks; International News Photos’ Frank Jurkoski, pool photographer; Pathe News’s David Oliver, who will take pictures for newsreels and TV. Best guess was that they would travel on Ike’s plane. The newsmen have agreed to turn all copy, pictures and wire-recordings over to the military every day. They have not been told when their stories will be released or even what the itinerary is for the trip. Said A.P. Correspondent Whitehead: “I suppose I’ll file at least one a day, but I won’t know for sure until we get there. We’ll have to play it by ear.”