Evening star., 1941-09-17
President Uses Bible
and Star Cartoon 10
Deride Movie Probe
Suppression Of Scripture
As Wor-Mongerine'
Book Is Suggested

An Evening Star cartoon and the
Holy Bible were being used jointly
today as mildly rldiculing answers
to charges that the moving picture
industry has been subjecting its
public to pro-war propaganda.
This combination was invoked
yesterday by President Roosevelt
as he disclaimed to a press confer
ence that his administration has
brought any influence on the in
dustry to include such propaganda
in its pictures.
Questioned about the present
Senate committee investigation OF
the propaganda charges, the Presl-
dents first reply was to refer to a
Star cartoon of yesterday. drawn
by Jim Bergman. He then read a
telegram received by an unnamed
Senator suggesting facetiously that
the Bible be suppressed as war
mongering" document.
The Star Cartoon.
The cartoon showed Charlie
Chaplin in comic garb with sub
poena in his hand, asking what he
could teach those past masters
about comedy.
The telegram read:
Have just been reading book
called Holy Bible Has large cir
culation in this country. Was writ
ten entirely by foreign-born, mostly
Jews. First part full of dangerous
war-mongering propaganda. Sec
ond condemns isolationists with fake
story about Samaritan. Dangerous.
Should be added to your list and
suppressed"
Promptly, Senator Nye, Repubh-
can, of North Dakota, co-author OF
the resolution for the movie inquiry,
retorted that he was surprised that
the President has not injected HIM
self earlier in the efforts being made
to discontinue and stop the investl-
CATION"
"I am sure" Senator Nye said,
that these efforts are going to be
unavailing."
Looking Into Question.
Meanwhile, it was learned today
that Senate leaders are looking into
the question of how far the Inter-
state Commerce Subcommittee can
90 with it's investigation without
specific Senate authorization.
Chairman Lucas of the Commit
tee on Audit and Control of the
Senates contingent fund, said he Is
giving some thought to the subject
Emphasizing that he has no de-
sire to stifle any inquiry, he said:
LAS chairman of the Committee
on Audit and Control I have a re-
sponsibility in connection with the
expenditure of funds that cannot
overlook and which I intend to ex-
ercise at the proper time
The subcommittee. which was
named by Chairman Wheeler of the
Interstate Commerce Committee,
began the current hearings to deter
mine whether to recommend that
tIlc 0clldIC pass q lCSOlutlOll duthAOl
izing a specific investigation.
Subcommittee Authority.
The subcommittee is proceeding
under a general resolution which the
Senate passes for each standing
committee at the opening Of a new
Congress, authorizing the holdings
Of hearings, and the calling of per-
sons and papers. These general res
olutions, however, do not allocate
any fixed sum of money to a COM
mittee.
Senator Lucas said today it is fol-
the subcommittee members to decide
how far they should 60 under this
general authority, but he said that
to his mind there is sharp distinc-
ton between holding hearings or
bills that are awaiting Legislative
action and entering on an extensive
investigation without passage of 9
special resolution of inquiry.
Meanwhile. Senator Clark. Demo.
crat, of Idaho, chairman of the sub.
committee, announced the hearing,
would not be resumed until Tues
day. Nicholas echenok. peealdent d