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Dispatch News Service International Records
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Held at: Swarthmore College Peace Collection [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore 19081-1399
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Dispatch News Service International (DNSI), was formed as a writers' cooperative in Saigon in 1968 by Michael Morrow and other freelance writers with the intention "to give Western people a truer and deeper understanding of the people, problems, and cultures of Asia" (Dispatch, vol. 1, no. 1). Dispatch was incorporated in 1968 in Manila, the Philippines. The Washington, D.C. office opened in 1969 and was managed by Richard A. Berliner, and later Joe Gatins. Dispatch's early focus was on news from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, but later also distributed stories from elsewhere in Asia, from Latin America, and a few from Africa.
Michael Morrow, along with Richard Dudman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Elizabeth Pond of the Christian Science Monitor, were captured by the Khmer United National Front near Svay Rieng, Cambodia on May 7, 1970 and held for five weeks before being released. Morrow's story of captivity was published as a series in the Washington Post in June 1970. Seymour Hersh, with DNSI as distributor, won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1970 for his story on the massacre at My Lai, Vietnam. (Material by and about Hersh in the collection is limited.) Don Luce, an aid worker with International Voluntary Services and reporter for DNSI, broke the story of the "tiger cage" prison cells on Con Son Island in Vietnam. Several members of Dispatch were connected with peace/anti-war organizations or involved with progressive politics.
In addition to the work of selling articles for publication, Dispatch produced several versions of newsletters or news packets for distribution and had many alternative and mainstream news outlets, college libraries, and individuals as subscribers. Dispatch endeavored to branch out into radio and video production, with some success in producing recorded reports covering the trials of Angela Y. Davis and the Harrisburg Seven, both in 1972.
For financial reasons, DNSI suspended operations in March 1973.
Some of the others who worked for DNSI were:
Len Ackland, senior editor.
Susan Anderson, production and accounting.
Marcie Berman, editor.
Faith Berry, editor.
Fred Branfman, writer.
Crystal Eastin Erhart, Saigon Bureau Chief.
John Everingham, writer.
Thomas C. (Tom) Fox, writer.
Joseph Gatins, editor.
Lorraine Gray, dark room manager.
Emerson Manawis, co-founder.
Desmond McAllister, writer.
Stephen Nichols, dark room manager.
Yvonne Pearson, editorial assistant, production manager, typist.
J. Lawrence (Larry) Robinson, Director of Educational and Promotional Programs, and business manager.
Donald E. Ronk, writer.
John Steinbeck IV, writer.
Jonathan Unger, writer, promoter in Washington office.
Primarily the records of the Washington office from 1970 to 1973, consisting of original articles (many with pages of editorial comments attached), news releases, correspondence, financial records, memos to staff, fundraising appeals, and photographs. A smaller amount of publications and records from Dispatch's founding in 1968 through 1969 are also present.
Articles by and correspondence from Michael Morrow form a significant portion of the collection. There are also multiple articles from writers John Everingham, Tom Fox, Alfred Hopkins, Don Luce, and D.E. Ronk.
Records of the agency's fundraising efforts reflect its struggle to remain viable, and document the projects undertaken and contacts made to secure funds.
Guide to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, 2nd ed., p. 24.
This collection was a gift of Richard Berliner, Dispatch News Service, 1977.
Finding aid created by Andrew Ciampo, August 2009. Collection processed and finding aid revised by Megan Hahn Fraser, April 2025.
Photos and negatives were removed to the Photograph Collection. Some of the negatives have been scanned and may be viewed online.
Organization
Subject
- News agencies -- United States -- History -- Sources
- News agencies -- Washington (D.C.) -- History -- Sources
- News agencies -- Vietnam -- History -- Sources
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Public Opinion -- Sources
- Southeast Asia -- Newspapers
- Journalism -- Southeast Asia
Place
- Publisher
- Swarthmore College Peace Collection
- Access Restrictions
- Copyright to the Dispatch International administrative records created by the organization has been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Copyright to all other materials is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Collection Inventory
Photocopies of articles created by staff of the news service.
Arranged in numerical order. Although the articles from the beginning of 1971 do not have a day and month recorded, the rest of the numbered articles correspond to chronological order.
Copies of articles 102, 105-106, 109-115, 118-119, 121-124, 128-129.
Copies of articles numbered 114-115, 118-119, 121-124, 128-129, 131-135, 137-142, 145-146, 148-149, 151-152, 154-157, 159, 161-167, 169. Article 148 "Forgotten Troops at the DMZ" includes photograph and caption.
Copies of articles numbered 170-176, 179, 181-182, 184-198.
Copies of articles 230-238, 241-244, 247-259.
Copies of articles numbered 260-264, 265-267, 269-303.
Article 278, February 29, 1972 "Monkeys Find New Home," includes photo and caption.
Copies of articles 426-438, 440-449.
Article number 475 is misprinted as 435.
Typescripts of articles, some with pages glued together or evidence of other signs of editing.
Contains drafts of articles by reporters, most with a page of editorial comments attached. Some correspondence, records of payment, clippings, or notes also present. Letters from journalists to Richard Beliner and Joe Gatins, editors at the Washington office, often include additional information related to the articles they submitted and their personal lives. Many of the writers knew each other or worked together, and shared (or asked for) updates about their locations, financial situations, families, morale, and disputes.
In order to facilitate access and conserve space, some records pertaining to news correspondents that were previously in multiple folders were consolidated into one folder. For example, if there were only a few pages, such as one article and one financial statement, for a writer, those items were placed together in one folder, rather than two. Articles and correspondence are most often in different folders to retain the intention of the organization's original filing system.
Mostly reporting from Vietnam, but also includes an article on the jury selection process in the case U.S. vs. Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo re: leak of the Pentagon Papers, July 16, 1972.
Reporting from Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Bahrain and elsewhere.
Physical Description2 folders
Reporting from Cambodia, including article titled, "CIA Operations Unveiled in Cambodia" copyright 1971.
Includes photographs.
Reporting from Japan.
Reporting from Chile.
Reporting from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Reporting on agriculture in the U. S.
Reporting from Thailand (especially regarding the explosion of Cathay Pacific Airlines flight 700Z on June 15, 1972) and Vietnam.
Physical Description2 folders
Reporting from India.
Includes photographs.
Reporting from South Africa and Gambia.
Includes report from Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in Newry on February 6, 1972, and a press pass with photograph.
See also "Press cards" file for a photograph of Davis.
Report from Chile, January 1973.
Reporting from Cambodia, South Vietnam, Maylasia, and Laos (with photographs).
Also known as Crystal Erhart and Crystal Steinbeck.
Includes articles about journalists gone missing during the Vietnam War.
Drafts of articles by Everingham, an Australian journalist, about being captured by Pathet Lao forces on February 7, 1972 and held for 29 days before being released.
Reporting on the CIA's involvement in the heroin trade in Southeast Asia. Includes articles, maps, and drawings.
Reporting from Laos. Articles titled "CIA Mercenaries in Laos" found in folder 17. Includes photographs.
Physical Description3 folders
2 folders
Folders 10 and 11 includes photographs.
Physical Description3 folders
Includes photograph.
Articles and correspondence re: Nguyen Thai Binh, who attempted to hijack an American airplane on July 2, 1972 and was killed by a passenger when the plane laned in Saigon.
Reporting from Uruguay.
Dr. Arthur Galston was a botanist at Yale when he worked with Dr. Ethan Signer on a story about acupuncture used as an anesthetic during surgery in China. They were the first American scientists in more than 20 years to visit the People's Republic of China (Cleveland Press, July 16, 1971.)
Reporting from Japan. Includes strip of three portrait photographs of Gorman.
Author signs his name Pedro Gutierrez Lima, but this material was filed under the name Pedro Gutierrez.
Reporting from Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico. Includes photographs.
Physical Description3 folders
Reporting from the Philippines.
Reporting from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Includes photographs.
Reporting from Chile and Uruguay. Includes graphic photographs captioned "Mineirinho, Jose de Miranda Rosa," showing his body surrounded by onlookers. (Prints are dated 1968 and 1970; Mineirinho was executed in 1962.)
Reporting from Guatemala, Panama, and Venezuela.
2 folders
Includes Ludwig's account (original in German, plus an English translation) of accompanying a Cambodian army patrol that committed atrocities against North Vietnamese soldiers (1970-71). DNSI distributed the photographs, which were featured in Time magazine. Correspondence between Richard Berliner and Ludwig indicates that most news outlets that were offered the photographs declined to purchase and print them due to the graphic nature of the images. The photographs of this event are housed in the 5x7 photograph box.
Manawis's first name is Emerson, but signature is usually "Emer."
Most correspondence is about business affairs of Dispatch, finances, relationships with journalists and other contacts.
Includes first part of series of articles on Martin Bormann, German Nazi Party official who was rumored to have escaped to South America after World War II. Also receipts for Manning's expenses to be paid by Dispatch News Service International.
Includes copies of drawings/political cartoons.
Reporting from Vietnam. Includes photographs.
Correspondence includes details about McAllister's work with Paul Manning on the Martin Bormann story.
Copies of German government offical documents regarding Martin Bormann, Nazi party leader and secretary to Adolf Hitler. This material was gathered by Desmond McAllister, who assisted Paul Manning with research on a story about Bormann and his alleged survival of World War II and escape to South America.
Includes press card with photograph.
Includes drafts and copies of Morrow's article about her work to get her husband Michael Morrow released from captivity in Cambodia in May-June, 1970.
Physical Description2 folders
Photographs in folder 3 of 3.
Physical Description3 folders
Folder 1 includes reporting on U.S. use of airbases in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Articles about the Thu Duc Women's Prison in Saigon can be found in folder 2. Folder 4 contains drafts of reports on CIA operations in Laos, arming Yao hill tribespeople and sending them into China for intelligence gathering missions, circa August 1970. In folder 7, there are copies of articles titled, "CIA and the Thai Army: Growing Influence in Laos," "U.S. Sending Mercenaries Into Cambodia From Laos," "Is Peace Breaking Out in Laos?," and "U. S. Reconnaisance Teams at Work in China."
Drafts of articles "On the Backside of a War." Copyright 1972-1973.
Includes several pages of notes by Joe Gatins re: factchecking and promotion of Morrow's interview with Air Force Sargeant Lonnie Franks, who accused General John D. Lavelle of ordering unauthorized bombing strikes against North Vietnam.
Copies of Morrow's articles reporting on his captivity with the Khmer (Cambodian) United National Front. Note on original folder "Complete set -- Morrow series."
Reporting on the U.S. bombing of Laos, and on the anti-war protest involving seven U.S. Navy sailors who jumped off the U.S.S. Nitro.
Reporting from Cambodia, Thailand, and on the U.S. peace movement, and presidential primaries. Includes photographs.
2 folders
Reporting from Laos.
Correspondence regarding Porter's work as Bureau Chief in Saigon.
Reporting on American Indian water rights and alcoholism in New Mexico. Also a report about Vietnamese art.
Reports from Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
Includes an article on American Indian Movement leader Russell Means.
Reporting from Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Brazil, and elsewhere.
Full name: William Jeffrey Radford.
Report on Winter Soldier II hearings held by Vietnam Veterans Against the War in Boston, October 1971.
Reporting from the Philippines.
Reporting from Laos, including CIA activity in Laos. Also reports on drug use among soldiers in U.S. Army in Vietnam. Photographs found in Folder 2.
Physical Description3 folders
2 folders
Reporting from Japan.
Includes 13 black and white photographs taken in Indonesia by A. A. Maytree, January 1971.
Report on Tupamaros of Uruguay.
Reporting on Puerto Rico.
Includes articles on China and Vietnam, some co-written with Arthur Galston.
Reporting from Hong Kong.
Articles on Buddhism in Vietnamese society.
Reporting from Lebanon and Yemen.
"The American Military in Thailand: Twelve Thais View the Alliance," article co-written by Thavisak Svetsreni and Peter J. Donaldson.
Reporting from Korea. Includes negatives.
Reporting from China.
Includes an article on the Harrisburg 7 conspiracy trial.
Reporting from Ireland.
Reporting from the Philippines.
Includes reporting from the Harrisburg Seven trial, and from Miami, Florida during the 1972 Democratic and Republican conventions.
Includes an article by Louise Stone (wife of Dana Stone, photographer missing in Cambodia) interviewing Clyde McKay, Jr. and Alvin Glatkowski, the hijackers of the SS Columbia Eagle.
Note on original folder "Rejected, author not yet informed." Includes articles from correspondents with separate individual folders such as Michael Morrow, Tom Fox, Pedro Gutierrez Lima, Jeffrey Radford, John Burgess, Tom Quinn, Don Ronk, and others. Includes photographs and negatives.
Physical Description3 folders
Issues for May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 1970; June, July, September, November-December 1971; January, March, April, June, August, September, October, December 1972; and January, February 1973.
Letters to Richard Berliner, including correspondence from Mike Morrow, Emerson Manawis, Desmond McAllister, Christine Morrow, Crystal Eastin Erhart, Don Ronk, Tom Marlowe, and others.
Letters sent by Richard Berliner.
Letters to Richard Berliner from Michael Morrow, Crystal Eastin Ellis, Don Ronk, Emer Manawis, Desmond McAllister, and others.
Copies of outgoing correspondence by Richard Berliner, Carl Nelson, Joe Gatins, Susan Anderson, and others.
Copies of outgoing correspondence by Richard Berliner, Carl Nelson, Joe Gatins, Susan Anderson, and others.
These folders include correspondence, including replies to Dispatch's letter announcing it's closure, articles that were submitted after March 1973, newsletters, and some material such as conference reports that are dated prior to 1973.
Physical Description2 folders
Correspondence between news outlets, libraries, and other organizations and DNSI regarding subscriptions.
Includes material from: Cornell Daily Sun, Daily Illini, Daily Iowan, The Highlander (UC Riverside), Cornell Library, and University of North Carolina Library.
Includes correspondence with other church-related publications.
Commonly known as "The Bird."
Includes correspondence from WRVR Radio, Pacifica Radio, KGW Radio, WJS-FM, WBAI-FM, WNCR Radio, WRUW-FM, KZEL-FM that was previously housed in separate folders.
Correspondence, film reviews, postcards re: Chinese operas.
Publications by the International Confederation for Disarmament and Peace.
Requests for subscriptions, and letters to subscribers explaining that the report has been discontinued.
Correspondence and agreements regarding collaborative publications by the College News Service, Dispatch-Pacific News Service, and the Latin America Service. Also includes copies of publications.
Collaboration agreement documents and publications.
Collaboration agreement documents.
Correspondence and notes re: financial future of DNSI.
See also Fundraising, 1972 folder.
Correspondence and copies of legal documents regarding a lawsuit brought by Dispatch News Service International, Inc. (incorporated in the Philippines 1968) against Dispatch News Service, Inc. (incorporated in Washington, D.C. 1969).
Includes correspondence re: Bloch being retained as DNSI's lawyer for its contracts with Paul Manning.
One flyer.
Brief proposal for opening a London bureau office by John Gittings.
See also Fundraising, 1972 folder.
Originals of fundraising letter, budget, and clipping to be copied.
Correspondence about financial support.
Correspondence about financial support.
Copies of letters to Tom Boyd, Stewart Mott, Philip Stern, and Betty Thompson.
Note on original folder "Morrow Exclusive, Record of Telex sent to newspapers, also story mailed."
Drafts and mock-ups of College Press Service brochure, clippings, and address list.
Original folder had note, "Return to Dick Berliner."
Mailing addresses. Original folder marked "Duplicates, do not use."
Includes photographs of Barbara Howell, Leon Howell, Mike Morrow, Debbie Davis, and unidentified others.
Mostly receipts for payment of insurance plan fees. No medical records are present in this file.
2 folders
There is evidence that many clippings were once part of scrapbooks or binders, so they were left in order as found. Therefore, the dates on some folders overlap.
2 folders
Note on original folder, "Already Xeroxed and clips sent to writers."
Includes photos by:
Jim Gerrand (Khmer Republic, August 1971); Barbara Howell (Philippines); Robert P. W. Norton (Bangkok, 1970?); Leon Howell (Dacca, Bangladesh, March 1972); John Everingham (Cambodia, 1971); Tom Fox; Charles Benoit; Hasan Bozai; John Dornbierer (Laos); Don Ronk (Laos); Abdul Hafiz; Dieter Ludwig (Cambodia, 1971); Ron Moreau (Vietnam, 1971); Michael Morrow; Carl Strock; Robert Flores. Also includes some contact sheets and negatives.
Physical Description2 boxes1 half document box (letter) of 8x10 photographs. 1 box of 4x5 and 5x7 photographs.
Two issues of Voice for Children (February and May 1970) and one issue of Head Start Perspectives (February 1971). Folder does not contain any original reporting by women's liberation writers.