The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-21
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
THE VANDENBERG SPEECH


Tho CONTROVERSY arising out Of the action of Co
r,,obfa Rroadcasting officials Saturday night
,,bor the 'frcside chat" of Senator Arthur Van
dorb.rp. g. o. p. campaign orator, was cut on the
-; -, = number of eastern stations, is one which
;ryoIyrs an issue of far-reaehing Importance
Tb. Columbia Broadcasting system officials con
tend that they are justified in their decision that
Senator Vandenbergs speech violated the rule OF
the blue network which does not permit the selling
~, Giving of time to a program in which any othet
yerson's voice is reproduced on phonograph rec
ord or simulated by actor. lnasmuch as the
Michigan senator was using monograph records
for reproducing excerpts from speeches of Frank
lin D. Roosevelt in 1882, the broadcaSting system
officials contend that the speech should be barred
IN q signed statement Edward Klaubcr eXecu-
tive yice-presidcnt Of the Columbia system eN-
planned:
columbia has always refused 70 broadcast pho-
,ograph records or electrical prescriptions over
is network II gives its audiences only living per-
rotmanceS This is standard network practice. we
bal;.ye Mr. Backett is mistaken when ne says ne
r,ovs Of exceptions Columbia has made to this
,uI. Certainly, if there ever has been an excep-
tior. We do not know about it, and it has not been
executive.
There is no issue of free speech here. Through
,,, tb. campaign we have sold time freely to both
p.,,bIicans and Democrats and allowed their
.poakers TO say anything they pleased-to quote
ut,erances of others--to read from aiildaVNS VI
articles. We have never sought to edit one syllable
of any of it on any side.
Senator Vandenberg may quote from rreSiueil'
Roosevelt's speeches or writings as much rs nc
pleases. He may make any comments or cfiticiSf"S
he pleaseS So may any speaker or any party 10
long as the speaker and the party refrain from
,,romatzation or stimulation which, IN the case Oh
poitical discussion, we believe would inJure radio
usefulness to the public"
Tho Record is far from convinced that the stand
taken by the broadcasting system is tenabIe'
Statements of the Republican publicity director
which infer that fear of the national admihiS'f"-
ton dominated the radio officials in their action
are. of course, silly and absurd.
However the cancelling Of the charges made oy
The broadcastng company for the service does no.
settle the question so far as certain iundam MAJ
rights of the American people are concerned.
The right of free speech has always served I"
hermit campaign orators or writers to quote freely
from the speeches or public utteranceS Of anyone
living or dead.
Certainly, if Senator Nandenberg had been az"
Iivering his speech from any auditorium stage OF
stand in the nation nobody would have mad me
temerity to question his use of phonograph rec
ord to reproduce any public utterance of President
Roosevelt he might wish to bring forward IN at
tempting to confront the executive with alleged
broken campaign promises.
Why, then should there be limitations placed
upon the free use of broadcastng facilities so long
as the unseen audience is made to understand th"'
il is recorded utterance which is being repro
duced?
From a purely political standpoint, The RECORD
is of the opinion that the controversy Will assist
the Republicans, inasmuch as the G. o. z. strate-
gists will naturally make it appear that they are
in position to confront the President with some
previous speeches which would prove very emoar-
RAISING to him in the light of his subsequent off
cial acts.
The American way to conduct campaigns Is by
permitting both sides to use every legitimate ana
public opportunity to present their best arguments
so that the people may be in position to make then
decision intelligenty.
So far as this newspaper is concerned, we "o
not believe there is any reason why any broadcas'
ing system should attempt to limit either part!
from reproducing such speeches they desire'-i" e
Hickory Record.