Evening star., 1938-02-22
Roosevelt
Continued From First Page.)

publication rights to the state papers
and footnotes, it is easy to suppose that
Liberty Magazine paid princely sum.
Seventy-f1ve thousand dollars is one
sum that has been mentioned. 1t must
be explained, however, that the Liberty
contract calls for two other articles
besides the one dealing with the press
conferences. These other two will have
to do with what is described as
"prefaces' and descriptions" prelim-
mary to the volume of state papers.
The stenographic records of the
Presidents press conferences have
previously never been available to
members of the press. Throuehout
the Roosevelt administration none of
the newspaper men has had the
privilege of consulting these records
after a conference. Frequently, news
paper men have sought this means
OF checking up or of refreshing their
minds as to some fact or accuracy
Of the Presidents answers so as to
reassure themselves before writing
their stories, but always they have
been denied the privilege Of reading
Mr. Kannee's stenographic notes.
There have been occasions when per-
mission has been given reporters to
consult Mr.. Kannee as to certain
portions OF the stenographic record.
but in no case is he permitted to
read the report or to show the record
itself.
Records Regarded Personal Property.
This policy has been based on the
assumption that the press conferences
and the stenographic record of them
are the Presidents personal property.
The conferences are held by the
Presidents permission and are not
provided for by law. Moreover. the
record Of them is kept for the Presi-
dents own personal interest and
therefore the records are not public
property. Whenever the President
insists he has been misquoted, he
has the records as evidence. but the
reporter who is accused of misquoting
has no record to fall back on and
eAASA AVA A2oo AAO appeal.
There is no questioning the fact
that the printing of a selected num-
Der OF these Roosevelt press confer
ences will be interesting reading to
the general public. 1t has been learned
that the White House will have a
summary Of what is to appear in the
Liberty press conference article sent
to the press in advance of the publi-
cation of the latter. In other words
the President intends to see to it
that the newspapers get some kind
OF a break ahead of the magazine.
The press conferences are attended
by never less than hundred news
papermen. The President is never
to be quoted unless he gives permis-
sion to do so, and he frequently talks
"off the record" which means that
even what he says is not to be at
tributed to him in any way. Mr.. KAN
nee sits at the Presidents left at these
conferences. He takes down in short
hand the questions and answers. Until
the time came for a compilation of
the press conferences for the maga-
zine article these press conference
notes Wers not Transcribed.
Presidential Comment Likely.
Some Of the speculation regarding
the Presidents publication of a Sc
lection of press conferences includes
the possibility that the President may
inject some comment to show that he
Is frequently misquoted, or that his
comment of these conferences is mis-
interpreted. For instance, it is pos
slble that the President NAV inject
comment alongside the stenoeraphic
record showing what he said on this
occasion and at the same time show
ing what some writer reported him as
saying.
1t Is not known just what prompted
Mr.. Roosevelt to decide to put his
state papers and other memoranda
IN book form and to follow this up
with advance syndicate and magazine
publication. 1t is known that the
work of going through the files and
collecting the necessary data for pub
lication has been under way for some
time. 1t was first announced by the
President last June that his papers
would be compiled and edited and
printed in five volumes under the
direction Of Judge Samuel I. Rosen-
mann Of the Supreme Court of New
York, formerly counselor to Mr..
Roosevelt when he was Governor of
that State and who has been urged
frequently by the President to accept
a Federal office, but who has stead
fastly refused. The first understand
ing what that this set of i've volumes
was to sell for IS and that the edition
was to be limited. The understanding
was that the President would write
prefaces and include certain foot
notes. But nothing was said at that
time about selling the advance print
ing rights to a newspaper syndicate
or the press conference records to a
magazine.
There has been some criticism Of
the Presidents use of his private
papers for profit, but there are those
who insist that the papers Of the
President are not public property,