The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-06-30


be a miracle.
AS said earlier observers here are
convinced that Mr.. Roosevelt can
check malfeasance in
Rely on any of the numer-
Roosevelt GUS directions If he
acts in time and
with firmness His loyal supporters
insist he can and will sense any ten
denotes of that kind as they develop,
but his opponents, or rather opponents
of his programs, claim he will be I'M
able to discover them until the infec.
ton has become a fostering sore. /
do not propose to set down conclu-
sion respecting these arguments, nor
the probability or possibility that any
of the conditions may eventuate. My
purpose solely is to suggest what can
happen and where we would be headed
should the dangers become real rather
than theoretical.
called attention above to the fact
that congress had somewhat disrupted
the Presidents program but that, all
in all, it had given the President the
widest powers ever accorded in peace
time. The reason there was break
ing of party lines in congress was be-
cause some senators and representa-
tives awakened toward the end of the
extra session to the fact that they had
voted away almost all of the powers
they were supposed to exercise. They
grew fearful of what would happen.
The feelings of the doubtful ones
were not becalmed either by the prod
ding they were receiving from Hobbies
of powerful groups such as the vet
Grams.
Mr.. Roosevelt was not entirely vic
torious in this battle. He succeeded
far beyond expectations of many
Washington analysts. but sore spots
were created that are going to be hard
to heal. So it probably is just as well
that there will not be any meeting of
congress again until January, 1884.
The President can proceed to carry
out the program he has in mind under
authority which congress gave him,
upon his own responsibility.
The Roosevelt administration, being
now about four months old, has dis
closed strong procliv.
Keep Public tiles in the direction
Informed OF publicity for It.
self. 1t seems to have
adopted the title of well-known show
"Of Thee Sing" and the pee-pul are
going to be told in considerable detail
of what is being done. Nearly all of
the important branches of the govern
ment have taken capable newspaper
men into their organizations that the
proper supply of information may be
made available to those writer's who
continue at their regular means of
livelihood. 1t has helped the unem-
ployment situation among the writer's,
anyway, for where the government has
hired men, their places have been
filled from among others whose salary
checks have been small or have been
missing altogether as result of slack
business for the newspapers.
Administration leaders justify the
policy on the ground that correspond
ents cannot be familiar with every
phase of government and particularly
now that we have so many new laws
and new activities resulting from the
new deal. The public is entitled to
have the facts, the leaders explain,
and the use of high-class newspaper
men in publicity jobs in the govern
ment, therefore, constitutes service
to the public.
This attitude, of course, has basis
in fact and there is merit in the argu-
ment But there is another side to
the proposition. 1t has been the rec
ord of other administrations that en-
ployed an array of writing talent that
a considerable amount of plain, I'M
adulterated propaganda somehow man.
aged to creep into official statements
and information released through
these channels. 1t is the average
writer's function to report the news.
He or she cannot openly question the
truth or the accuracy of an official
statement. Consequently, if the state
ment be of the propaganda sort, there
Is little the writer can do about 1t.
The decision has to be left to the ed
itor of the paper.
g. 1888. Western Newspaper Union.