Evening star., 1941-07-19
Atlanta Council Bars
Speech by Wheeler
Al Auditorium
Committee Is Unanimous,
But Gives No Reason for
Denying Permit
q, the Associated Press.

p, the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, July 19.-The Atlanta
Municipal Auditorium is closed to
isolationist Senator Wheeler, Dem
ocrat, of Montana for an address.
A seven-man City Council COM
mittee, after a half-hour hearing,
voted unanimously yesterday against
permitting its use by the Senator.
No reason was given.
Trammell Scott, president of the
Southern Baseball Association and
World War veteran. declared at the
hearing that Senator Wheeler lis
taking advantage of his position as
a Senator to abuse his right of free
speech-and we don't want 1t down
here"
The request for use of the audi
torium was presented by Granger
Hansell, Atlanta attorney who said
he represented a group of local, un-
organized peace loving souls" He
asserted his group was not connected
with the America First Committee,
but he was sympathetic with that
organizations opposition to shoot
ing war"
Set Date as September 5.
Mr.. Hansen asked use of the audi
torium for September or a later
date Ito be mutually agreed on" He
emphasized freedom of speech" in
his plea for the building.
The big point" Mr.. Hansell de-
clared, "is that we have free coun-
try, where you and l, and Senator
Wheeler are all entitled to our sew
eral different views, and entitled to
express them if We have any one who
will listen. One of the four freedoms
for which President Roosevelt has
announced that he will fight if We
have to-and the first of the four
freedoms mentioned by the PreSi-
DENTS the freedom of speech"
Mr.. Scott asserted this was the
time for all Americans ito stand
four square behind our President"
and added that as for those who
did not, Il think there should be
some more sailings of ships like the
West Point to take them away
He said that while American SOL
occupation of Iceland, Senator
Wheeler disclosed the move in
radio speech.
Gives Council Resolution.
Joseph B. Sitton. commander of
the Marcus w. Beck Post. Veterans
of Foreign Wars. said during his
military experience disclosing mill
tarv secrets was called treaSon-1
don't know what they call it now. ="
He gave the committee a reSolu-
ton he said his V. F. w post
adopted. expressing opposition ito
any speaker, or speakers, who ruth
lessly gives away military secrets
and thereby endangers the lives of
our brave young men in the armed
forces of the United States"
Mr.. HanSell told the committee
the auditorium has been used for
every sort of gathering, from cat TO
cattle shows, Cab Galloway to grand
opera. President Taft to wrestling
matches and added he was con-
fident Senator Wheeler, "a Demo-
crat and a great liberal, will not
be denied the use of that building"
First Formal Request.
Raleigh Drennon, chairman of
the City Council Committee. said
Mr.. Hansell's was the first formal
request for the auditorium for an
address by Senator Wheeler. Mr.
Drennon said o. x. Armstrong, field
representative for the America First
Committee, had caused an erroneous
impression that there had been an
attempt to run around previous
dates.
Mr.. Armstrong previously an
nounced dates in June and early
July for an address by the Senator,
and then announced postponements.
He was not present at the meeting