The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-02-21

thing TO that general effect, like
George CreeVs COMPUTE during
the period of our participation in
the last world conflict.
1t won't be as bad as the Rus
sian. German and Italian censor
ships or even as bad as Engiand'si
but it may be bad enough to be
pretty provoking to American
newspapermen, with the freer ideas
that we have here.
The fact is that there's consid-
cradle interference with news gath
ering in Washington right now.
The governmental departments
and scores of executive boards all
have their publicity men or whole
stats Of them. Heaven knows that
they hand out stuff enough as TO
quantity, but it's advertising rather
than straight news. Advertisings
all right in its way, but It's apt to
be one-sided. Moscow's, Berlin's
and Rome's Official agencies are
free as air also, with the dope they
want to get into print or on the
radio, but in heir cases we refer to
1t as propaganda.
A competent reporter likes to
get, all by himself, the low-down
on things. II he gets and circulates
II he isn't penalized, as he would be
in the Soviet. Nazi or Fascist
realms. He has trouble in getting
It, though. There are plenty Of
questions he asks the governments
publicity chaps that they can't an
swer. I believe that they honestly
don't know; their bosses don't tip
'em of.
There Are Secrets
For instance, war and navy de:
partmental offcialdom is as secre.
tive as a cemetery, on the ground
that the slightest peep it emits Is
likely to be informative to prospec-
tive enemies Of the United States
state Secretary Hull likewise is
known to feel that a lot of hi:
suborbinates have been unduly
chatty concerning diplomatic mat
tiers and has clamped an effective
husher on 'eni.
It's the rule all up and down the
line.
Ill say in passing that Selective
Service is an exception. From that
outfit you can get whatever you
ask for. Major Ernest NJ. Culligan,
its public relations chief, makes an
argument that no newspaperman
could beat in favor Of keeping the
lid entirely off from every item
folk are interested in.
I'll get back to the major in
Chapter 2. At the moment I'm pre-
occupied with the censorship prop
osition-that is, the chance Of the
creation Of such a system in
modified form, as public informa-
ton bureau.
II ones established it's a dead
cinch that Lowell Mellett will be
its director, as George Creel was
the last time. That's no news.
Lowells been widely mentioned al
ready as an absolute certainty.
/ wouldn't have thought Of him
for a censorial job. He's dyed-in-
the-wool newspaperman himself,
and newspapermen don't generally
like the censorship idea
But he was a New Dealer years
before the New Deal was christ
ened. He's one by heredity. His ia
Their. as an Indiana newspaper pub
Usher, raised Cain, in his commu-
nifty, by the New Dealerishness OF
his sheet. He had brother, ar
Ohio editor, who was assassinated
for his crusade against crime.
A Liberal Reporter
FIRST knew Lowell as an Indian.
apolls reporter. He was pro-NeW
Deal then, though there was nc
such thing at that time. Next hC
vas a New Deal reporter for the
st. Louis Post Dispatch when
was telegraph editor. After that
for awhile, I lost track Of him
Some years later l contacted hin
again, editing a Washington daily
II was fairly liberal. He was lo
more so. Presently the sure-enougf
New Deal came in. His paper''
ownership turned sour on it. Lowell
couldn't stand it and resigned hi
editorial job.