Evening star., 1936-09-24
Chief Executive Stresses
Value of Press in
Campaign.
Ix the AsSn .iated Press.

Following is the text Of President
Roosevelt's address last night in the
New York Herald Tribune's Radio
Forum.
Anything that makes for tolerance
Of opinion and contributes to the
general education of our people in the
issues of governmental policy Is Of vast
value. Therefore like the forum
idea. May we have more Of them and
cover the country with them.
1t is not Likely that such a brief ex-
preston of a point Of view as Is pos
sible on such an occasion as this will
persuade the convinced political parti-
san to change his or her position, but
it may start such people to thinking
and convey the idea that prejudice Is
rather weak substitute for logic In
determining the questions that are OF
such vital consequence to our country
as a whole and to each individual
citizen thereof.
1t is natural, I suppose, in a CAM
paign year for advocates and adver-
saries of any policy, or process OF
government to relapse into exagger-
alton and invsctive, and so becloud
the controversy as to make it possible
for the future of the country to be
determined in rancor and temper in
stead of by calm deliberation and clear
thinking.
Sees Press As An Aid.
don't know that there is any
actual remedy for this state of affairs.
but I believe it Is within the power
and the province of the press to make
whatever improvement is possible.
do not think that anybody objects to
a statement of opinion or an argu-
ment, either pro or con, being put
forth in the editorial pages, provided
the editorials do not contain mis-
statements of fact. That, unless
entirely misunderstood newspaper
psychology is what the newspaper
editorial columns are for.
! do not believe-and I do not think
any disagreement is possible on this
subject-that a journals news COL
umns ought to be tampered with
either by coloring the news or by
leaving out news. The news Is the
commodity that is marketed to tht
whole people.
may be accused of idealism when
suggest that Republican reader Of
a Democratic newspaper is entitled
to all the news that appertains to his
eaop,apt of tho ro1iticol lopdeco ne q ,r
that Democratic reader of a Re-
publican newspaper should not be fec
exclusively on a Republican diet. Ano
I would apply the same idealism te
| the headlines.
Forbidden in Some Countries.
The forum idea, conducted i'm.
partially, is an indication of the OBJ
jective which most fair-minded peo'
pie seek. I cannot help but contras
a nation which more and more Il
encouraging any friendly discussion
on all manner of public problem!
with those countries which unfortu'
nately have made public discussion
difficult If not impossible.
In the welter of passion which /!
apparently still inseparable from oul
political campaigns. you and heal
about the liberty of the press-regi'
mentation of the press against thu
| Government and RECOMMENDATION of th'
! press by the Government.
1t is doubtful If the United State
| ever had an administration since
xr-l,a Uo
cuSed of despotism and aspiration!
to kingship that had the slightest de.
sire to muzzle anybody. The un-
checked virulence Of assaults on al.
most every administration since the
beginning of our history in itself i
best proof of that statement.
An old friend of mine who. al
though a successful man Of affairs ir
New York. has led a somewhat mar.
row existence, asked me the othel
day if it was true, as many Of hi!
friends had told him. that three.
quarters of all the money spent fol
relief of the needy unemployed In
these past few years had gone fol
overhead and only one-quarter to the
needy unemployed themselves.
Urges Personal Discovery.
He asked me further if it was true
as he had been told by his friends
that all our bank deposits were inse-
cure and our insurance policies worth
less. l wrote him that 1t would be
best for him to look up the answer
himself. I suggested that he attend
your forum yesterday and today.
hope he has been with you.
The time may come when the poll
cies of the Nation will be determined
with a serenity and logic that any
serious business problem is decided
among the directors of the business
but I must reluctantly confess that
we have not reached that day