Evening star., 1937-10-02

1Oro COulO not ehIenO ll1tIn 10 Any
other individual for the purpose of
making a reply.
The Black episode opens up an in
teresting question on the use of radio
facilities. Mr.. Black himself said
he wanted to use the radio so the
people could hear him and so that
there would be no danger Of being
misquoted This is a rather surpris-
ing statement coming from man
who is supposed to have had expert
ence in public life. No man holding
public office here ever gave out the
text of prepared statement for pub
lication that was misquoted. And
Mr.. Black surely underestimated the
news interest of the public in his
Klan connections when he assumed
that the newspapers generally wouldn't
print the whole of his statement
Is Radio Method Fair.
But is the radio fair? This is
query that will be raised now that
Mr.. Black himself raises a question
about the unfairness of the press.
In the first place, the press today
prints the Black speech and with it
comments from other persons. Over
the radio, Mr. Black had an audience
TO which no reply was addressed
There was no chance for a rebuttal
speech, no opportunity given to any
Senator or Representative to an
swer the former Senator from Ala
bama.
There will be given, to be sure,
facilities next week at odd intervals
for Senators or Representatives TO
reply To Mr.. Blacks address, but the
audience will not be the same The
broadcasting companies will not unite
simultaneous hook-ups and joint IA
cilities to any one making a reply.
Mr.. Black knows, of course. that
there are many millions of persons
IN the United States without suffi-
cient intelligence TO read newspapers.
Then there are others with plenty
OF intelligence who can understand
English but cannot read it. Others
have poor eyesight and so there is
. certain part of the audience who
will hear only one side of the Black
controversy.
The radio broadcastine companies
did the right thing in granting Mr..
Black all their facilities. He deserved
every opportunity to answer all the
criticism leveled at him. But why
do the radio broadcasting companies
refuse to grant the other side OF the
ease equal advantage?
Wheeler Denied Facilities.
Thus when Attorney General Cum
mings made a broadcast in support of
the Presidents court-packing proposal
last Spring, he had three networks
simultaneously. but Senator Wheeler
OF Montana, Democrat, leader of the
opposition, was denied a similar hook
up. Also the broadcasting companies
have insisted that they could tie up
news sources and get what they call
exclusive rights to certain broadcasts
II the man making the speech entered
into an agreement to bar their COM
petitors. No public official has the
ethical right to give his formally pre-
pared speeches or statements TO any
single newspaper or group of news
papers or to any single broadcasting
system. To do so is to use public
offlce in discriminatory way. Mr..
Black very properly refused to grant
any one brosdcasting company ex-
elusive rights to broadcast his address
and that's why all the companies were
permitted TO broadcast it on equal
terms.
But what about the reply? What
about the other side? What about the
American desire for fair debate? viii
the broadcasting companies some day
present both sides on the same night
by arranging in advance for an answer
from some one of prominence, espe-
ciaiiy when controversial subject of
vital Importance to the American
people is at stake? That's the only
effective way to reach the same au-
dience through the same stations.
Over 3I4 Stations.
About 3l4 stations tuned in on the
Black speech-the biggest number
ever hooked together. The broadcast
ing companies will very rightly say
that the precedent they established
In the case Of former Senator Black
WAS based on extraordinary news in
terest. That's true. But there would
have been equally extraordinary in
terest II the broadcasting companies
had asked Senator Burke of Nebraska
Democrat, author OF the original
charges made in the Senate. whether
ne cared to speak in reply for a half
hour or so Immediately after Mr.. Black
had concluded. II the radio is to be a
form for fair debate, it can be useful
II IT Is TO be the vehicle of demapoe-
Nary for the ma jor use OF the admin
e'rauon In power and It's appointees,
Hnen freedom OF the radio" will soon
% recognized as a hollow mockery.
Copyright 1872