Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-22
Justice Bureau
DislIdims Radio
Group|tBdlked
BY COLE Il. MORGAN
Special To THE DETROIT TINES

special 10 The DEthOtI IioiEs
WASHINGTON, April 22.-Th,
Department of Justice today dis
claimed responsibility for the
character of radio plays beinl
broadcast over the Column | {
Broadcasting System by TIE Free
Company, composed of group ol
writer's, actors and radio per.
formers.
This disclaimer was made by ar
authorized spokesman for the de-
partment after il had been brought
to the departments attention that
the California department of the
American Legion and other Legion
groups in the Midwest and Fal
West had officially condemned the
character of the Free Company
broadcasts as un-American anc
subversive.
NO CENSORSHIP
At the same time il was ad.
mitted that these programs were
the outgrowth of a movement
initiated by the justice depart.
ment last year in connection with
the nationwide registration OF
aliens, and that the Free Company
was organized as a result of con-
ferences held at the department
The justice spokesman. how
ever, stated emohatically that the
department had not seen the
scripts of any of the programs IN
advance of their presentation
knew nothing of the context OF
the scripts until they were pre-
sented over the air. and in no wise
had exercised any censorship over
them.
After the alien registration law
was passed by Congress last June.
delegating to the Department Of
Justice the task of fingerprinting
and registering all aliens over IA
years of age in the United States,
the spokesman explained, certain
officials of the department, includ-
ing Solicitor Gen. Francis Biddle.
conceived the idea that something
should be done to counterfeit I'M
American propaganda so prevalent
in this country and to which
Congress was devoting consider
able discussion.
James Boyd, New York and
Southern Pines. N. c., author. was
requested TO come TO Washington
for consultation with Biddle and
other justice officials. The propa-
ganda problem was laid before
him at series Of conferences.
DEMOCRACY'S PRINCIPLES
Out of these conferenc S
evolved the idea of bringing to-
gether, under Boyd's leadership, a
group of authors, actors and radio
performers to prepare and present
a series of radio plays advocating
the four freedoms-freedom of
speech. freedom o. the press. free
dom Of the right of petition and
freedom of the right of assembly
since defined by President Roose-
welt as cardinal principles of
american democracy.
This was Boyd's idea TO meet
the justice departments propa-
ganda problem, the spokesman
said. Boyd suggested that he and
the associates he would enlist in
the project would organize a COM
pany to donate their services. I'M
sponsored and free of any censor
ship or other restrictions.
AS the names Boyd suggested
were all well known in the literary
and entertainment field. the de-
partment heads regarded them as
sufficiently responsible in their
own right to be given the free
hand Boyd proposed, and ap-
proved the plan.
The organization OF the Free
Company with Boyd at the head
was the result. That is as far as
the justice department has taken
a hand. according to the depart
ment spokesman.