Evening star., 1935-02-10
White House News Conferences
Are Now Meeting With Criticism

do so on their own responsibility.
Third. there is of the record"
material. When Mr.. Roosevelt says
that he is talking of the record. those
listening are pledged not even to
mention the subject matter outsids
the Presidents of1ce.
n Il X
Those who criticize the "off the
record" rule assert that 1t opens the
way to censorship. They argue that
Mr.. Roosevelt, should he decide to
tie up a piece Of news. simply could
say in a conference, This is of the
record" and then could outline the
story. Those present would be bound
thereafter not to mention or write
about the subject.
Then there is the matter Of locked
doors. The doors to the Presidents
Office have been closed and kept
closed on a few occasions when big
news was breaking. That step was
taken to prevent correspondents for
certain news agencies from making
dash for the exits before Mr. Roose-
welt had outlined what he had to say
At other times the doors may have
been closed, but no one was prevented
from leaving. Since the locked door
criticism was made, those barriers
have been left ajar.
Finally, President Roosevelt is ac-
cused Of making subtle use of these
conferences to get his story to the
people.
There is no doubt about the skill
with which the President puts over
his points. He reveals a grasp Of
the whole range Of governmental ac-
tivities that frequently surprises
newspaper men, and he knows how
to make out the best case for the
point of view he adopts.
But Mr.. Roosevelt is the leader Of
the most powerful Nation in the world.
His attitude on subjects affecting the
| people Is all-important because Of the
influence he wields on all govern
mental activities. The press con-
ference affords newspaper men an op-
portunity to gauge presidential re-
| actions and to understand the view
point taken by the President in meet
| ing problems that arise
There is nothing like the White
House conference In other nations.
If the people Of England want to
| know how the heads of their govern
ment feel about a particular problem,
they are likely to wait until an inter-
pellation in Parliament discloSeS it.
Even then the ministers make their
replies in writing and frequently
evade the question. In Germany and
Italy and Russia, the people learn
what they are told.
In Washington today the newspaper
correspondent is not compelled to con-
fine himself to the views expressed by
Mr. Roosevelt. But the President lets
him have those views so that he can
get clearer grasp of the policy to
be followed.
There is another side Of the news
picture in Washington. 1t concerns
the propaganda activities Of individual
departments and the newspaper rela-
| tions of heads Of those departments.
The Federal Housing Administration
has the most extensive publicity or
ganization and probably has the few
est results to show. The Agricultural
Adjustment Administration has a big
staff Of writer's and turns out a huge
amount Of copy, but at the same time
Is the most accessible to newspaper
men seeking individual stories. The
N. r. A. and the various organizations
headed by Harold Ickes, Secretary OF
the Interior, are strongest on at
tempted censorship and news control,
but they have served only to embar-
| rass their creators.
The volume of propaganda pouring
from Federal Government mimeo-
graphing machines Is tremendous.
Yet the newspaper man seeking in
formation, or digging for facts that
may not prove favorable to the New
Deal, can get what he is looking for
without great difficulty. So far as
one working newspaper man can tell,
there is no real censorship or exten-
sive news suppression in washington.