The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-07
Smear America
IN. Y. Herald.Trib,lne

Smear America
IN. Y. Herald Tribune)
The Presidents extraordinary Ian
guage In approving, with conditions,
the newspaper code accords, in our
judgment. neither with the dignity Of
his office nor with principles Of ordi-
nary fairness. It cannot hurt the
press Of the country, which has long
and courageous record of public serv-
ice behind it, lasting far beyond the
span Of any one mans life, to say
nothing of any one administration.
II only an attack upon the newspaper
industry, were involved, it would be
fitting to pass by the outburst in ST.
lence.
Here is, however, the first tirne that
the President has publicly given sup
port to the Smear American cam
paign in which so many of his aids
have participated. America has been
made familiar with government by
edict. Is it now to be subjected to
government by insult?" The episode
is OF importance in relation to the
constantly growing tendencies Of the
Roosevelt administration to resent
criticism, however fair, and to SLAM
der all who dare cross the path Of its
policies.
| The air-mail edict is still fresh in
mind. The development of aviation
was the outstanding recent achieve-
ment OF American imagination and
American courage and American skill
IN organization. To compare either
the intelligence or the ideals of It's
personnel-whether directing officials
or flyers-with the equipment Of q
very practical politician like Mr.. Far
ley would be to commit q gross insult
to the former. Yet this politically
minded Postmaster General Is per-
mitted to accuse this entire industry
OF fraud and corruption, to cancel
Its contracts and to debar It's major
companies from bidding on govern
ment contracts for five years.
The Administration, using all the
vast power of its official position
sought to smear" this great industry
precisely as other large groups Of
Americans have been attacked. It did
50 without offering any opportunity
for defense and without attempting t1
discriminate between the few male
factors and the general run OF honest
upright American business men. :.
The Presidents fling at the news.
papers Of America presents an exact
parallel. That the newspapers of the
country, by general consent, lead the
world in enterprise, in public spirit
n fairness, In decency-that they us<
their constitutional freedom with 8
high sense Of loyalty and integrity
IS passed by. BY making no distinc.
ton between the few exceptions ane
the many that prove the rule, tn.
President slurs the whole institution
We hope that Mr.. Roosevelt will Sc,
ut to apologize to the press Of the ma
ton for this gross insult. It make.
no great difference to any one that al
egregious obstacle to progress like
Mr.. Ickes takes the rostrum, assumes
a holier -than-thou attitude an,
damns most of America for its be.
nightedness. The millennium is Mr.
1ckcs's private property, and he /.
welcome to keep anybody out Of i
that he likes. But when the Presiden
OF the United states-the executiv,
head not OF any party or section bu
OF the whole nation-ioins in such at
tacks. the situation Is far different.
It is 50 different that the Who'll,
problem Of the freedom OF the pres
takes on new and unexpected aspect
The lip service that an Admtnistra.
tion pays to this fundamental secur,
lty OF democracy recedes into tn,
background when It Is offset by high
handed attacks upon whole industrie.
Such actions speak far more loud,
than any words.
We hope that Mr.. Roosevelt will ex
pand and explain his unfortun ate an
regrettable utterance. He has per
mitted Mr.. Farley with stroke Of tn
pen to wreck one great industry. TIL
arplane industry has its constitution
al rights-whatever they may b.
worth In . difficult. uphill bushes
struggle. The newspaper industry
u . far better position, thanks to II
old establishment and it, pleferre,
status under the Constitution. Blu
the threat Is Observation-Disclosures 8
much to the large and strong news
papers - 70 the small and pr9testin
organs. The question u plainl
raised whether under such IN Ad
ministrAtion any code-with it, con
] notation Of . compulsory Ncensin
system to which the President make
an unlmistakable reference In b.
citation Of the obligations" Of th
'non-consentor" under the nations
industrial recovery act-does not
effect destroy that freedom Of, speec
, guaranteed BY the Bill Of Rights
the first amendments to the Const
tuition.