Harry Truman flared up last month. To a roomful of White House reporters he bellowed: "Too many people have been criticizing the government. I don't like it." But Truman couldn't do a thing about it, and he's president of the United States.

The American government can't censor the press; it can't tell reporters what they may print and what they may not. The Radcliffe government can and does.

Pick up any newspaper--from the New York Times to the New Orleans Times-Picayune to Ultima Hora in Lima, Peru. If there's a story in it about Radcliffe, it didn't get there without an official okay from the Radcliffe administration.

Five reporters cover the Annex for the world's newspapers. They are chosen by Radcliffe, they are responsible to Radcliffe and they are told not to print a two-inch squib until they clear it with Radcliffe.

As head of the Publicity Office, Joan Projansky '49 is in charge of telling editors who their correspondents will be. She explains the process this way; "When the last girl got married, I called up the Globe and said that Mary Stokes would be their new correspondent. Mr. Merrill (the Globe's city editor) was a little angry, but in a few days he called back and said she was okay."

The Chosen Five

Miss Projansky's reportorial staff consists of Marilyn Hines '51 (assigned to the Boston Post), Mary Kahle '53 (Boston Advertiser), Mary C. Stokes '51 (Boston Globe), Ann Roberts '51 (New York Herald Tribune), and Georgianne Davis '51 (Indianapolis News). At present the Boston Herald and Traveler has no Radcliffe correspondent at Radcliffe, inasmuch as Radcliffe has just dismissed the last one.

These girls write for more than their own papers. Associated Press and United Press quickly pick up their stories, spreading them across America and the world. What the world knows about Radcliffe College is what it learns from these five chosen students. Except, of course, for stories that break in the CRIMSON, jump to the Boston papers and then to the wires. The CRIMSON picks its own correspondents.

Harvard has newspaper "stringers" too. About a half-dozen students hold the jobs; they are hired by city editors in Boston and New York; no Harvard officer holds power over them. They report rapes, riots and suicides as well as speeches and handouts.

Radcliffe Theory of News

Radcliffe has a different theory. Dean Small says: "Reporting for the Boston newspapers is a permission granted by the College." Miss Projansky says: "The student Press Board is part of the Publicity Office. There has always been a rule that everything that goes to outside papers has to be cleared through this office," -- contrary to a report in Wednesday's CRIMSON.

What stories does Miss Projansky refuse to clear? Here is the answer she told the CRIMSON earlier this week: "In cases where it would not be to the interests of Radcliffe College."

Joan Projansky herself is a friendly, good-natured woman. But her function was clear as soon as she took office this fall. The Radcliffe News reported factually: "Miss Joan Projansky, Radcliffe '49, has been appointed Director of the Publicity Office, succeeding Miss Barbara Norton. In her new position, Miss Projansky will direct all releases and information that go to the public and students must check with her office before giving their name or picture to be used in a newspaper or magazine."

This Tuesday, Miss Projansky invited the Press Board to her office for its monthly social hour. Every girl brought a sandwich, and Miss Projansky served some cookies that she had baked herself. She also bubbled coffee in an adjoining room while the Press Board gossiped about the quality of the food and the scarf of one of their members. Five minutes before the chit-chat was scheduled to end, Miss Projansky got down to business.

Lays Down the Law