Evening star., 1933-11-26
Administration Tightening the Lines on
News Distribution in All Branches

| the figures. by Mr. Refer. did not jibe
with the interpretations by other Of
ficials
That all is to be changed under the
present plan. There also is under con-
| sideration program for broadening the
scope of Federal statistics and for
/ speeding up their collection and dis
semination. The Bureau of Statistical
and Historical Research in the Depart
ment of Agriculture, under Dr. O. C.
Stine, already keeps its facts and fig
{ ureS up-to-the minute
X X
But the troubles of other departments
nave been minor compared with those
at the Treasury
There newspaper men had been free
to go and come and to pry into fnan-
cial facts pretty much according to
their fancy. Officials we're inclined to
talk and often the talk was reported
to be in conflict with the monetary
policy of the President
Then along came Mr. Morgenthau
and order No. /, which said that "AIl
statements to the press or to the public
through interviews, speeches or public
addresses by any officer or employe of
the Treasury Department shall be sub
mltted before release for approval by
Herbert E. CASTOR, assistant to the Sec
retary."
This brought an immediate reaction
from the newspaper men, many of
whom had been stationed at the Treas
ury for years. They had been accus-
toned to the old policy of unregulated
activity.
The official explanation of the order
was that formerly no central clearing
mouse Tor information existed in the
treasury Department Nearly all other
government departments maintain ex-
penSlVe publicity organizations, whose
DUTY 1t Is to prepare material for news
paper, magazine and radio use and to
answer specific inquiries
Ihe same type of service now is to
be organized for the Treasury by Mr
Castor. The newspaper men are of
the opinion that if the output of the
Treasury Department publicity staff
compares in quality with that of the
Farm Credit Administration publicity
organization, which Mr. CASTOR for
merly headed. then the public will be
treated to few thrills.
Both Mr.. Morgenthau and Steuhen
Early, secretary to the President. issued
statements saying that the present
Tightening up on Government informa-
ton did not constitute censorship.
Inc result, however, seems to be that
nearly all departments have taken the
cue and are becoming extremely eau
tlouS IN the statements they made and
IN the material submitted for publica
ton.
Few Presidents have had the quantity
or the quality of publicity for their
projects that has been enjoyed by
PRESIDENT Roosevelt Unlimited snace
In newspapers, in magazines and on the
radio have been allotted to spokesmen
1or the administration. They have been
taken advantage of fully in the past.
All three of the Presidents secretaries
are former newspaper men. Mrs. Roose
Velt and her daughter both write for
magazines. Rexford Guy Tugwell. one
OF the original brain trust" members,
writes syndicated dispatch. Louis
Howe, one of the Presidents secretaries,
has appeared on a sponsored radio
broadcast. Dr. Raymond Moley, former
mead Of the brain trust" now is
editing a magazine which vigorously
supports the administration. Members
OF the cabinet appear weekly on the
Now the newspaper men are Begin
nlng to ask whether more and more of
the news is to be released through these
paid employees of the Government. and
Whether the facts that formerly were
10 De had for the searching are to be
bottled up under a policy of "colored"
interpretations of figures and rigidlv
censored official expressions.
(Copvright, 1933)