Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-19
Censorship :.
Of Right Kind
Is Welcome
People Want Me Facts,
MOT Fiery Speeches

| Fe0ple Wenf me dctS,
MOT Fiery Speeches ,
BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON, Dtc. 10
w President RooSevelts blunt
move ward some kind of
mandatory as well as voluntary
censorship "a word he termed
"abhorrent'-iS apparently
causing some adherence at the
outset.
Mandatory censorship could
mean blue-pencillng OF copy,
blank Spdtes in newspapers but
u won't France had that kind
before II fell.
Tho idea has never been tried
IN This country and never VIII be.
The confusion will be straight
ened out, and any loose abhor-
renee should subside. when de-
tails are worked out by the new
censor, Byron Price, a conScien-
tiOuS. nonpolitical, experienced
news executive with the back
ground OF Associated Press eX-
pericnce.
{ CENSORSHIP is negative
" thing No nation ever Won a
-tt-5rr through censorship. Civilian
enthusiasm has never been rail-
lied 10 giving the utmost energy
for victory by the suppression
of facts.
Censorship might even injure
m orale by encouraging SuS-
plcions and allowing rumors and
gossip to fly UNDECIDED.
ID n & pr may arise here of
the government getting the
horse behind the cart What is
rFPUCd most Is an affirmative
policy Of news dispensing.
The best propaganda in the
world for us is factual truth. We
do not need radios preaching
h a te. encouraging bitterness,
like the Nazis.
Events Of the recent past
speak enough of that. Pearl
Harbor spoke enough.
Nothing sly or deceptive char
acterizeS our cause. Our people
are united.
/ EFT The government censor
"A anything il wants, but also
let ii provide news.
A civilian reporter should be
with every fighting division of
the fleet. with every active army.
--+42l4ey+-sifottfd be given the freest
rein TO tell the people daily how
things are going, within the
bounds of military necessity.
People these days do not re-
spond to flag waving and fiery
speeches, but they respond TO
facts. They want 10 know. Bad
news may be better than good
news, to keep their heads up.
Here seems 10 me to lie the
Job that must be done by the
American press and government
IN cooperation and with equal
responsibility.
The only possible danger could
develop from individual govern
ment officials oVereXercising
their fear that the JapS may find
out something, and denying the
stimulating SustenanCe upon
which enlightened people feed
their enthusiasts.
GONE folks are shifting at the
~ painful extremity of the new
draft age scope, saying the New
Dealers always seek broad pow
erS, pretending they do not in
tend TO use them-then do.
This proposal did not come
from the New Dealers. The age
scope originated with Grenville
Clark, New York lawyer con-
nected with veterans organi-
Iatlon.
The war department is backing
1t because our military planners
think this country needs an
army of 100000 men 10 start.
Drafting is being handled strictly
as a military problem.
THEY say the Jap diplomats
Il here did not know war was
coming that Sunday morning Il at
Pearl Harbor.
The night before, however. a
group of l3 from the japanese
embassy held a special dinner
party at the only Chinese res
taurant in town where service
regularly was provided for them.
They had a s. dinner. brought
their own wine and when they
left they significantly tipped
each waiter s.. shook hands
with the proprietor and badesall
good-hy
WE Senate committee was
mostly favorable 80 Senator
LANCER until 10 days back
81 that time a North Dakota
delegation of Republicans and
representative of the Democratic
governor came I'M 10 ICfUtc Lam
gers claim that the people Of
his state knew the evidence