Evening star., 1938-05-07
ATTACK ON PRESS
DENIED BY GREEN
Lobby Committee Member
Declares Charge Is 'Arrant
Nonsense
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
Senator Green. Democrat. of Rhode
Island. said today that charges the
Senate Lobby Committee has attacked
the freedom Of the press were "arrant
nonsense
He replied to statement in which
Or. Glenn Frank, chairman of the
Republican party Policy Committee,
said the Lobby Committees inveStiga-
ton Of the magazine Rural Progress
was part of a campaign of terror and
intimidation against publications
which have criticized administration
measures
Also noting DR.. Franks statement,
Chairman Minton said the possibility
that the committee might call Dr.
Frank as witness was mot fore
closed"
Whether We call him depends on
developments in our investigation of
the Rural Progress" Senator Minton
said His charge that the committee
Is attempting to intimidate the press
is the usual squawk of people who are
~ Aikill BIdSt-tildt SoIIlCutuy S
trying to take away their rights"
The magazine, distributed free to
farmers in seven States around Chi
caeo. has lately been edited by Dr.
Frank. Senator Green said it had
been published simply to spread
propaganda against the New Deal"
Operates At Loss.
The committees investigation has
shown Senator Green said. 'tnat
this publication, which pretends to be
the organ of the farmers and which
claims to be supported by its adver-
tisers. received a million dollars in
subscriptions from capitalists
The committee developed yester-
day in questioning its publisher,
Maurice Reynolds, that advertising
duction cost and that it had been
operated at loss Of approximately
5000 600 in the three and one half
years Of its existence
The committee thought that the
readers of this publication ought to
know the facts about it," Senator
Green said, and that should go for
any newspaper. We are not attempt
ing to attack or intimidate the press.
This is merely a purihcation Of the
press which the press ought to well
come"
Termed Bad Example"
The Rhode Island Senator said ne
thought the Rulal Progress was a
particularly bad example" Of what
he termed propaganda organ
The committee is investigating the
publication as a part of its effort to
ascertain the ramifications of anti
administration lobbying
DR.. Frank told reporters after the
session that he would have explained
tn the committee that few magazines
make money from the start. that some
Of national circulation had not made
any profit in their first five years
The former Wisconsin University
president added at press conference
that men who said they were from the
Bureau of Internal Revenue came In
and looked over the books" of the
magazine company about two or three
weeks ago.
He said he presumed this was one
Of the regular Investigations which are
made from time to time for income tax
purposes. but that he believed the Lob
by Committee had access to the in
vestigators' reports.
In his statement Dr. Frank declared
Chairman Minton was so determined
to silence criticism of the New
Deal and of himself. that he now
apparently intends to use the blanket
authority conferred on the Lobby Com
r1ttee to harass and intimidate the
press
The American people had better
awaken" he continued. for as the Su-
rrene Court said two years ago a free
press stands as one Of the great in |
terpreters between the Government |
snd the people adding: To allow it to |
be fettered Is to fetter ourselves"
Glonn C,1ppjpohop, IIp;varcitv ~