The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-09-15

q { II INNDStNt cit
turned the idea
down when they put it up to him
some time ago.
Now, though, the propositions
being tackled from a new angle.
The present approach appears to
have been suggested by some of
the ingenious chaps in civilian
department or emergency agency
or two-more tactful individuals
than our less diplomatic military
professionals. When the latter
sought a censorship. that was what
they asked fora censorship"
The civilian functionaries aren't as
Grass as that Their schemes to
get control Of the news under an
other name, thatn smell sweeter.
No. L isn't their notion to call
the desired organization bureau
Of public information. Too many
people already know that that des-
igratieHa,s purpose really Is TO dis
guise a censor's Office.
This plans an adaptation OF
rationing to fit the press situation.
That Interior Secretary Harold
Ickes evolved it isn't clearly estab-
lished, but II sounds very much as
II its promoters got their inspira-
ton from his move to limit gaso-
lines availability to the consuming
public.
The question is:
II gasoline supplies can be lin
tied, why can't supplies Of news
pulp, printpaper. inks and engrav-
ing materials be similarly limited?
Discrimination?
Secretary Ickes, though, didn't
undertake TO limit any particular
automobilist His order limited EN-
all, impartially. These censorial
schemers figure on discriminating
among Notwithstanding some OF
'em have all the supplies they re-
quire, but cutting others down or
cutting EN- off altogether.
Nominally it won't be done on
the basis Of the former class CEN
serial manageability and the latter
class UN-manageability.
But actually?
During earlier talk Of the crea-
ton Of a censorship, as a so-called
Bureau Of Public Information. Dr.
rector Lowell Mellett Of the Office
OF Government Reports was most
frequently mentioned as a suit
ability 70! the public informers'
chieftainship. Lowell wouldn't be
so bad, even as an outright censor.
He's a newspaperman himself, all
his sympathies are journalistic,
and he'd be fair, anyway. In fact,
I'd trust him to strain a point in
the press favor.
But Lowell wouldn't ct into this
newest program. A discrimina-
tory rationing outfit would operate
on the theory that supplies must
be allowed, here and there, with
military necessities in mind. or the
availability Of transportation IA
cilities.
Lowell isn't a military or trans
portation expert.
The likeliest aggregation for this
latest job, If it's started on. is the
recently appointed Supply Priori-
ties and ALLEGATION Board, which is
liberal in the sense that it's New
Dealerish but which has a good bit
Of anti free press ingredients
mixed into it.
Rather oddly. Washingtons cor
respondential corps wasn't the first
group to take alarm over the CEN
serial folks scheme to restrict its
liberties.
National Director Catherine
Curtis Of an Incorporated group
known as Women Investors in
America broadcast the initial news
release on the subject It's pretty
strenuous.
Fears Henderson
GATHERINGS surmise that Ma
tional Price Fixer Leon Henderson
would be given charge Of newspa-
per rationing has proved correct.
And he's antipathetic toward
newspapers and advertising, &C
cording to Catherine. Hes even
gone so far" she asserts, "as to
recommend to some manufacturers
that they discontinue advertising"
And. discontinue a newspapers