The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1942-08-20
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS


Some of the most effective criti-
cism of the government in its hand
ling of the war effort has been based
on the theory that there has been a
definite and 1amentable lack of
frankness in telling the people what
Is going on. Many officials, this
argument runs, seems TO regard the
people as children, from whom I'M
pleasant truths must be kept. One OF
the most common sayings in Wash
ir1gton circles today is that "t1le peo-
pie aren't awake" The defenders of
the people say that the people are
more completely awake than good
many of the bigwigs in government;
and that the extent of popular be-
wilderment as to the course Of the
war is directly attributable to a STU
pid kind of censorship.
In the newspaper fraternity, a
peak of disgust was reached during
the long drawn out trial of the eight
Nazi saboterlrs. The high army Of
ficers who made up the trial court
seemed to work on the principle that
the people should be told absolutely
nothing. Not until the strongest kind
of pressure was brought to bear were
newspapermen even permitted to
view the trial chamber. And even
then they were allowed in for only a
few minutes and the presiding
General stoppedd all proceedings I'M
til they had left. ........-
That Is simply one example out
OF many that could be cited. There
has been much criticism of what
some authorities regard as the re-
fusal of the Navy to tell the whole
truth about Dutch Harbor and the
occupation of certain Aleutian Is
lands. And lately, a San Francisco
Judge brought serious charges
against the ranking Army General in
the Far West. Defenders of this Cen
eral say that, in truth, he has done
a first-class job, and they have much
evidence TO sl1bstantiate that. But
again, as Time phrased it, 1.-THE
trouble seemed to lie in the Army's
tell-the-people- othing attitude"
There are obvious difficulties in |
the way of deciding precisely what
information would be of benefit to |
the enemy, and so must be suppress
ed, and what can be told the public /
fully and frankly. But it seems vir-
tually certain that in a long series
of incidents the military authorities
have leaned over backward to an
extraordinary extent in refusing to
release news which, according to the
American tradition, should and must |
be told. And the fault is by no means
confined to Army and Navy auth
critics. Time and time again, var
jols non-mi1itary officials of the
government have made completely
conflicting statements about the
same sr1bject-as, for instance, in
news releases on the oil, rubber and
automobile problems. Under those
circumstances, its no wonder that a
very considerable part of the popula- Ii
ton Is lost in a welter of confusion.
The main hope for ironing out this
unfortunate business lies in Elmer
Davis, the cool and canny head of
the Office of War Information. Mr.. !
Davis, it will he recalled, was given
his appointment some months ago !
after the other governmental irfor-
nation bureaus had made an almost
complete failure of the job So far,
Mr.. Davis doesn't seem to have been =
able TO make great deal of head
way. But, according TO reliable re-
ports, he is working stubbornly, and :
is determined that eventually the ,
American people shall be promptly !
and truthfully told everything it is {
possible to tell them. He is said to .
have the confidence of the Presi-
dent, and he isn't frightened by
either the military or the civil brass ,
hats. ..' " II
In the meantime, Mr.. Davis OWL I
Is apparently doing the best job pos
sible under the circumstances. On
August 8, it issued a statement on 4
the war situation which is hearten-
ingly different from the usual FEEDER I
al publicity releases. The statement Ie
Is not glowingly optimistic. It isn't 4
full of Understanding phrases. In
stood II .ic ciy,on1o foot,yoI apd i,,o c