Evening star., 1942-07-15

| HoW's he do
Henry McLemore. ing? Not bad,
considering the handicaps he Is
working under.
| Is that so? We thought the new
chief of the ONCE of War Infor-
nation lost his first f1ght-that one.
about giving the press some infor-
nation on what was happening In
the trial of the eight Nazi spies.
| No. he didn't. BY duckin Sec
retary of War Stimson, and appeal
ing to the President, he dug out
| the news that the court adjourned
| for lunch. That's something. It's
more than was going to be given out
to the press. If it hadn't been for.
his stand the people wouldn't have.
known whether the generals had
anything to eat or not.
Why do you suppose the military
commission trying the Nazis wants
the business to be so secret? y
That's hard to answer. One guess
Is that the testimony falls under
the head of Military Secrets, and
to make 1t public would aid the
enemy.
Magazine May Have Rights. -
Another guess-and 1t makes
quite a bit OF sense in the light of
past performances-is that soms-
magazine has arranged for the
rights of the hearing.
A magazine?
Sure. That's where most Of the
good, inside Washington stuff is
first revealed, in a magazine. Where
do you think the people found out
all the confidential stuff leading up
to the events of December 7? ,Tt
In the press? No, sir. In maga-s
zine. That's the favorite outlet for
Government white papers. High
Government authorities like to spill
what they know in magazines, too.
Maybe you're right. We remem-
Der how Harry Hopkins brushed OF
the reporters and told his ad-
ventures in Russia to a magazine.
Mr.. Ickes also has used the maya.
zines to express some of his inner
most thoughts on how the world Is
going. -
But, is that fair to the press.
What was that word you used2
Fair? Hardly. But. no one seems
to care much about that.
One-Way Cooperation.
AL Washington wants the press
to do is to cooperate with the Gov.
ernment. Apparently it isn't inter-
ested in cooperating with the press.
No one in the newspaper business
would be surprised to have the first
news Of the opening of q second
front given to The Country Gentle
man, or have the armistice an
nounced in special edition Of
Screen Romances.
But, is it right for a Government
official to make money through in
formation he has because of his
position, or to allow writers to sell
for handsome profit information
that belongs to the Government,
and thus to all Of the people?
You got us there, brother. All
we know is that it goes on all the
time. If man happens to let his
subscription to a magazine expire,
he is likely to find himself without
knowledge of the latest interna-
tional happenings.
But to get back to Mr.. Davis,
wasn't he taken to Washington to
straighten out all of this2 Wasn't
Mr.. Davis, tremendously capable
newspaper and radio man, supposed
to have the power to say what would
be told to the people?
Some With Stars Ask Halo.
Uh-huh. That was the UNDER
standing. But apparently every one
in Washington wasn't told the news
of his power. Either that, or they
didn't hear. You know, when
man gets stars on his shoulders, it
seems to make him feel that he is
entitled to a halo, too, plus sign
around his neck reading Genius at
work. Do not disturb"
Do you think Mr.. Davis was right
in asking that some facts on the
spy trial be made public2
Certainly. Well take his judg-
ment on what should be used and
what should not be used. After
all, what's the use of having him
down there if his opinion isn't going
to be respected?
If that's the sort of treatment
he is going to get, why not give him
the air and let him get back on 1t,
where he was mighty good?
Distributed by McNaught Syndicate, 1ncJ