The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-03-03
Bruckorts Washington Digesf
In u. S. Alone of ALI World Is
There Real Freedom Of Speech
Disturbing Signs Recently Indicate All Is Not Well Admin
istration Trades Against Press Become Frequent;
Concerted Effort to Get Rid Of Critics.
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
WNU Service. National Press Bldg, Washington d. c.


WASHINGTON.-One of .Ameri-
:a's greatest and most glorious ira
ditions is the jealousy with which its
citizens guard the right of free
speech and a free press. There is
no nation in the world now, and
there never has been one, where
such freedom for expression of opin-
ion is accorded as we have in the
United States. For proof, If proof
be needed, simply take the old atlas
and examine the countries, one by
one, and abundant evidence will be
found. Here, alone in all of the
world, can an individual or group
have its untrammeled say.
There have been some signs late
ly, however, that are disturbing. /
do not mean to over-emphasize
them by a discussion Of them, but
the greatest lesson that have
learned is that the American people
will correct conditions, or prevent
their development, if they know
what the facts are and find them
adverse.
During the last several months,
there have been frequent TRADES
against the press of the nation.
Some of the denunciations have
come from President Roosevelt in
reply to press criticism of some of
his policies. Other administration
spokesman have followed the Presi-
dents lead. Notably among them,
and certainly the most vicious, is
the secretary of the interior, Harold
L. Ickes, who seems, in this in
stance, to be the lord high chief
verbal executioner of opposition
writer's and newspapers.
Mr.. Roosevelt's recent assertion
that some newspaper owners are de-
liberately nisrepresenting the facts
and Mr.. Ickes' assertion that "our
newspapers are not as free as they
ought to be in a democracy con-
stitute serious accusations, even aft
er one forgets how constantly Mr..
Ickes gets out on limb. It seems
to me, therefore, that there ought
to be some Qualification of the situa-
ton. It might be asked, and prop
erly, I believe, why Mr.. Roosevelt
and Mr.. Ickes do not point out those
newspapers that are charged, in eff
feet, as plain liars.
Administration Seeks to
Get Rid of the Critics
Now, to turn abruptly from one
phase of the situation to another,
attention should be directed to the
recent bill introduced in the senate
by Senator Wheeler, the Montana
Democrat. The bill proposes re-
organization of the federal commu-
nications commission, the agency
that controls radio. Radio, of course,
is the ''free speech just as the
newspapers are the ''free press"
that is one Of the guarantees of the
national Constitution.
There can be no doubt that the
federal communications commission
is shot through with dissension.
There is no doubt that it has de-
veloped one of the worst messes in
government supervision of any in
dustry. It is a shameful situation,
and there appears to be no solution
except to get rid of the bulk of the
personnel, from the commissioners
on down the line, until all trouble
makers have been eliminated. I
have written frequently in these col
umns that the best law can be de-
stroyed by selection of buns to adj
minister it; and the general APP
praisal here is that the members of
the federal communications COM
mission are a pretty sickly lot of
government officials. The appoint
ments the commission has made
also do not constitute a list of mem
tai giants.
Well, you ask, how does this have
anything to do with President Roose-
velt's denunciation Of the newspa-
pers. Where does it touch free
speech that may be adverse to the
New Deal administration?
The answer lies in belief, now
held by a great many observers in
Washington, that somewhere in the
administration is a concerted effort
to get rid of the critics. There is
little political pressure that can be
exerted upon the newspapers, be-
cause they will speak their views
through their columns, but with the
radio, government supervised, L.
censed, a weighty club over its head
at all times, the situation is differ
emit.
Radio Nesvs commentators
Eliminated From Air Waves
Some things have happened lately
that bear recounting. Just as an
example, and to cite only one case,
Boake Carter is off of the air as a
news commentator. He was a se-
we're, and, at times, a vindictive
critic Of the New Deal. A former
friend of the New Deal, DR.. Stanley
High, recently wrote in the Satur-
day Evening Post that Carter was
kept out of new contracts by the
administration.