Evening star., 1936-10-18
Columbia Chain Blames
Mix-Up for Break, but
Senator, lrked, Hints at
"Censorship."
CONFUSION ATTRIBUTED
TO BAN ON RECORDINGS
Atlass Refused to Permit Use OF
Photograph, Carrying Presl'
dents Words, Then Changed
Mind Too Late to Countermand
Cutoff Order.
Ey the Associated Press.

Ev the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. October IA Nation
wide radio address by Senator Arthur
H. Vandenberg. Republican, of Michi-
gan was cut off the Eastern DIVISION
of the Columbia broadcasting system
chain tonight in the midst OF
speech directed against President
Roosevelt.
H. Leslie Atlass. vice president OF
Columbia, said the address was cut
off stations in the East by the chaln
New York officials because the pro-
gram included photographic record
ines in violation of the company's
rules"
Leslie said the address. interSpersed
with recordings of speeches made by
President Roosevelt in 1882 and 1888,
was broadcast by the major portion OF
the Columbia chains member sta
tions.
The chain official said he had been
assured by Hill Blackett, public rela-
tions director for the Republican Ma
tional Committee, sponsors of VAN
denberg's address, that recordings
we're not to be used in connection with
the broadcast.
Fifteen minutes before the broad
east was scheduled to be delivered,
Atlass said. Blackett admitted the ao-
dress called for the use of records.
Announced Violation.
Atlass said he then announced per-
senally TO listeners that it was vlo-
lation of the company's rules 10
broadcast recordings and that the
Senator's address would have to be
delivered minus the recorded effects.
Shortly after Senator Vandenberg
had begun his speech Atlass said ne
reconsidered his action and ordered
the recordings cut in.
although part of the Senator's
address was cut in New York" Atlass
said. "other stations carried the en-
tire program. Although an excep-
tion was made in this case there will
he no further exceptions during
which electrical transcriptions or re-
cordings will be played on the Colum-
bia network"
yandenberg Comments.
After the broadcast Vandenberg
said:
IT know nothing about radio rules.
I only know competent and conclu-
sive experts said we complied with
the rules. But rules or no rules,
we have come to pretty pass in
the United States when radio censors
or other overlords can tell us we dare
not faithfully confront candidates for
high office with their own words,
their own voice, their own broken
promises.
1--WE evidently have a new issue
in this campaign, and in the jeopardy
of legitimate freedom"
Blackett charged that "it was an
other example of intimidation of radio
stations by the Federal Radio Com
mission"
This is within the technical rul-
ings of the network" he said, but
because of the voice of President
Roosevelt the Columbia Broadcasting
System refused to put it on. 1t is
on a six months basis and can have
its stations taken away from it with
out jury trial. 1t is something that
has been done by networks before.
Reversed Decision.
Two hours after the interrupted
broadcast, the Columbia Broadcasting
Co. issued the following formal state
ment:
III. Leslie Atlass, vice president in
charge of the Columbia Broadcasting
Co. Chicago Office. learned 10 minutes
before Senator Vandenberg was due
to go on the air from Chicago, that
Columbia's policy against broadcasting
phonograph records or electrical tran
scriptions over the network was to be
violated.
unable to dissuade those in charge
(See VANDENBURG, Page A-3)