The Washington times., 1938-07-01
The Press and the President


~ tacks on the President, in effect
JHIHy . him and his son, James, of being crooks
Hot T4, and grafters of using the prestige of
the Presidency to swing big insurance
deals James way and big pre-repeal whisky permits
Joseph P. Kennedys way.
So far as we know this article has received at
tenton in the newspaper press than any magazine
article since Charles Marshas Atlantic Monthly attack
on AL Smith as Roman Catholic.
We don't suppose President Roosevelt will bring a
libel suit and go into court to prove that he is neither
crook CRATER. But the President has other ways
available to him of answering the Saturday Evening Post
and the rest of the antiNew Deal press We think he
should answer-not out of vndictveness or anger,
but for reasons which we'll state below.
Somtimes ago Senator Sherman Minton (D) of In
diana proposed an investigation of the United States
press We think the time for such investigation has
now arrived 1t should be conducted by impartial COM
mission composed of equal numbers of proNew Dealers
and antiNew Dealers, to avoid whiteWashing or mud
plastering
This newspaper, much it disikes the idea of having
its private life investigated offers itself the first
specimen to be probed There several things about
~ this newspaper which lot of
we're WHLWg people would like to have in
~ 0 WV " There is the matter of large
bonuses paid to various News executives These bonuses
an outgrowth of contracts made when The News
young under which these executives to share
in any future increased profits Goodszed profits have
been earned (knock wood and people think these
bonus contracts ought to be scaled down for the general
good of society," Let's have the facts There is the charge
that advertisers influence the policies of The News,
of other newspapers and magazines Let that be probed
The publisher of this paper throws the papers insur
business to his son-naw getting he believes good
servce-but if anybody is unjusty deprived injured
by that practice, let it go the record.
There is the talk about the relationship between the
Do0l TIL,
Cyncs sncker that this organizations plan is to work
both sides of the street. that in any event will have
friend in the White House. Let's have that gone into
The News having been thus investigated by
mission Of say three antiNew Dealers and three pro-
New Dealers, think the Saturday Evening Post might
" be investigated next Does it,
some C0HOLO0LeS directly or indirectly employ
L. AL Tx1~:.a child labor and if so, how
W WV " SO much? Does it benefit by the
fact stated often in these columns information and
belief that the Post Office Department carries
papers and magazines at about $1OOOOOOOO year be-
low cost; and if how much? What is it's financial
setup and dividend policy? And on.
We think the investigation should also include Mr.. J..
David Stern, proNew Deal publisher of the New York
Post Mr.. S. E. Thomason, pro-New Deal publisher of
the Chicago Times and other proNew Deal publishers.
Then the anti-New Deal Scripps- Howard chain might
have its turn in the wrnger its feature writer West
brook Peger being enthusiastic attacker of the Pres
dents family After that the Hearst chains financial
setup and backing should be looked nto and the find
ings published. Likewise the New York Times and the
New York Herald Tribune And down the line.
We don't say all this out of anger. We say it for this
reason:
We believe the great majority of ant-New Deal news
- papers and magazines trying to build
AUNCe OH up fanatcal hatred of President Roose-
'Ahooooo velt. We do not believe they succeed
in entirety judging from the election re-
turns to date We believe that they do succeed
partially they will stir up class divisions and class
hatreds which will have consequences the most dis
astrous not only for the newspapers but for the entire
country.
We want to the entire press-ncuding, of course
the magazinesof the United States investigated by
impartial commission a sort of boancing procedure
to let of the abscessed hate and misunderstanding
out into the fresh air. the abscess is allowed go
building without treatment nobody say what the
end results may be.
T. From New York Daily News)