The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-10-11
By CARTER FIELD

tReleased by Western Newspaper Union)
WASHINGTON.- This idea of his
being too busy for politics-having
to devote his every energy to the
national preparedness programs
working out pretty well for Presi-
dent Roosevelt so far as publicity is
concerned This goes for the news
papers, for radio news and COM
ment, and for the newsreels. 1t is
perhaps better for the Roosevelt
candidacy in the newsreels, proper
tionately, than in other mediums Of
reaching the public.
All over the country opponents Of
the third term, whether Democrats
or Republicans, are complaining
that when they 60 to the movies
they are treated to too high per-
centage OF Roosevelt propaganda
which they have no way of avoid
ing unless they want to miss the
rest of the show. They complain
further that the New Dealers in the
audience get plenty of chance to ap-
plaud their hero, but very frequently
there Is no showing of Wendell Will
kie at ALL
Presidents Haze 8.
Many Advantages
Apparently this is just one of the
little perquisites which modern in
vention has given to the man who
happens to be in the White House.
Obviously 1t might be true no mat
ter whether he were a Democrat or
a Republican, man seeking merely
his second term or a man seeking
his fifth.
Whatever the President of the
United States does Is news. There
Is no getting away from that. II
he dedicates new dam, or park, or
II he talks to q group Of friends who
visit him at his country estate, II Il
still news. But when Wendell Will
kie talks, he NOT being the Presi-
dent but merely candidate for the
office, that-to the minds Of the gen.
tlemen who decide what goes out in
the newsreels-is just politics.
This is manifestly unfair, but II Is
difficult to see what could possibly
be done about it. Mere existence of
the situation might be a good point
against third term, though II would
exist il the race were merely for q
second term.
1t is interesting to note that every
modern development with respect to
publicity has increased the advan-
tage of the man IN office as against
the man trying to get in In the
good old days the sitting President
was sometimes thought to be at
slight disadvantage. 1t was consid-
cred undignified for him to 60 barn.
storming, and that was the only way
he could reach the people.
Man in Office
GiVen Publicity
Press conferences, in which the
President, twice a week, pours out
through the Washington newspaper
correspondents just what he wants
the country TO read that afternoon
or next morning, were unknown.
Virtually no President until Theo-
dore Roosevelt had the gift Of pub
licity. Presidents did not have
press agents, either on the public or
national committee pay rolls.
That day has gone forever. Now
the government at Washington has
corps of publicity men running
well up into the hundreds, all Of
them on the government pay roll
In addition, the national committee
has staff OF publicity experts. In
the case Of the present administra-
ton, 1t has the advantage OF having
perhaps the greatest political pub
licity man of all time. Charles
Nicholson
II Wendell Willkic is elected, HE
will have tremendous advantage
over his opponent four years hence,
even il he should decide to eliminate
the government press agents. Then
what HE did would be news, while
what his opponent said would mere
ly be politics.