Imperial Valley press., 1941-03-09
A MAN WHO KNOWS
SPEAKS HIS MIND


Frank Bowles co-owner of Radio Sta
ton KXO until its sale last week to a
San Diego concern, told a group of FL
Centre business men that radio is al
most completely dominated and censored
by the federal government in this coun-
try through the radio licensing system.
The rest of Bowles' remarks at the serv-
ice club meeting were "off the record
that is, they were made in the understand
ing they were not for publication. His
ION the record remarks, however, were
enough-coming from a man who has
been on the firing line as he has-to point
out one of today's greatest dangers.
1t is primarily danger against which
Americans must be on the alert. That is
TO say, it is not yet a matter of crisis,
but it is a matter which might at any
time precipitate a crisis. To avoid such
a thing, it is necessary for the average
American to understand the situation
thoroughly.
In the first place, there is the mean
ing of censorship As applied today in
Europe, it is complete It extends to
radio, newspapers, magazines and every
other form OF public communication. 1t
allows the people to hear only what their
dictators want them to hear 1t is the
tool Of dictatorship. Without it, no die
tatorship can exist. On the other hand,
any strong politician can make himself
a dictator once he succeeds i'm establish
ing complete censorship.
The only censorship in America today
is censorship Of the radio, and even that
is not complete. You can still hear poll
ticians using the radio to criticize the
administration, even though the admin
istration will not allow the owners or
operators of radio stations to voice their
own opinions on political matters, and
even though every radio speech on a con
troversial subject must be submitted I'm
writing before it is made.
The safety Of this country lies in the
fact that no censorship has been estab-
lished over newspapers, magazines and
other printed communications. The safe
ty of radio from complete censorship
lies in the same fact, for as long as news
papers and magazines are free to print
facts of government doings, the govern
ment will not dare set up COMPLETE
censorship of radio or any other COM
munication.
Even under incomplete censorship,
however, the radio is unable to fulfill the
duty it should have of presenting both
sides of every question without interfer-
ence from selfishly interested parties.
1t has boone vehicle for lop-sided prop
aganda-as WPA programs bear witness.
HOW WAS THIS
CENSORSHIP ESTABLISHED?
The thing to bear in mind is that the
tools for establishing complete censor
ship Of radio are already nodded and
ready to use. The only thing that pre-
vents their use today is the freedom of
newspapers and other such mediums.
And already one attempt has been made
during the days of NRA-to forge the
same tools for use against newspapers.
The attempt was not successful then; it
must never be successful. Else freedom
will perish, for censorship is the tool of
dictators.
Radio was brought under federal dom
ination by a very simple device. The
licensing system. No radio station can
operate without a license from the fed
eral government. The license can be can
called at any time the government wishes,
in very few days. Radio lives under the
threat, you be good, or we'll wipe you
out" And the government can do so
simply by cancelling the license.
NRA attempted to license newspapers
in exactly the same way. The newspapers
and others who realized the danger
fought the attempt, and won. There is
no government censorship of newspapers
today.