The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-02-12
PITTENGER
SAYS
BY Rep. william A. Pittenger.

american nlStory.
And yet, at this date, many of our
people do not realize these implica-
tions. The life of the Republic is at
stake. No one can draw any other
conclusion.
ARMY AND NAVY.
Under our democratic system of
government, the President of the United
States, NOT CONGRESS, is the Com
mander in Chief of the Army and
Navy. The responsibility for carrying
on the war rests upon these executive
agencies under the direction of the
President. Likewise every other agency
of government is at his command AS
your duly elected representative, it is
my duty and my purpose to aid and
support our government against the
common enemies of liberty and democ-
racy That shall do.
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CENSORSHIP.
In war time censorship is necessary
if the enemy is to be prevented from
obtaining information of value. was
|
was appointed Director of Censorship.
We were college class mates back in
1908 and 1909 He comes to Washington
with a rich background of experience
from the Associated Press.
Speaking of censorship, it applies to
your representative as well as to other
individuals. Frankly, you know as
much as I do While on the subject,
1 want to say that the War and Navy
Departments have their own rigid
censorship.
I get many inquiries from families
in the District about relatives at
Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and
elsewhere, and the government author
titles uniformly refuse to divulge any
facts, because such information might
have military value to the enemy.
Only in the event Of casualties is in
formation given direct to the relatives.
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD.
One of the latest war agencies IS
this new board, headed by Donald M.
Nelson. This Board succeeds the Of
flee of Production Management which,
after a few short months, died among
its worshippers. It was failure. Hence,
the change. Nelson is rated as an
able business man. None but the best
should be in key pisitions in our gov
eminent, If World War No. is to be
carried to successful completion.
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| STATE DEPARTMENT.
Since time immemorial, We have
always understood that contact with
foreign nations by people of the
United States, and this includes Men,
brs of Congress, should be made
through our Department Of State,
which represents the Government in
, its diplomatic concerns with other
nations with which we are at peace.
We were under the impression that
this was a constitutional requirement,
but an investigation shows that Con-
gress in 1889, in the first session, (and
this was the first Congress that ever
aSsembled enacted statute Great
|, ing the Department of Foreign At
fairs. This statute provided that that
Department should conduct all matters
involving foreign countries. The bill
was approved July 9th, 1889. BY an
Act passed September 18th, 1889,
Chapter IA, the name Of the Depart
ment was changed to Department of
happen if 435 Congressman and Sc
Senators undertook to deal directly
with foreign countries.
An illustration of what would hap
pen took place recently when United
States Senator made comment on the
conference between Representatives Of
our Government and Latin American
Republics recently at the conference
held at Rio de Janeiro.
MISLEADING PROPAGANDA.
There is nothing that can do more
damage in connection with our world
war problems than false information
which, of course, is no information
at all. It was in Washington when
President Roosevelt delivered his adj
dress to Congress on December 9th.
His audience was serious minded. Most
of the things that am now going to
eIluIIcTdLS never LOOK pldEc. all gu
ing to let an editorial from recent
issue of the Christian Science Mont
tor tell its own story. I consider it of
sufficient importance to quote it in
full:
Reporters are strange people.
Rumors are strange things. Extra
ordinary examples Of both come to
hand today. They deserve to be re-
corded as object lessons to the news
paper profession and to the public.
For the newspapers first. The Wash
ington correspondent of a great and
powerful London newspaper cab1ed the
following description, as quoted in
Newsweek Of the scene when Presi-
dent Roosevelt addressed Congress on
December 9th (Which most readers
heard over their radios:
"a great cry for vengeance went up
In the tapestried chamber of the House
of Representatives Where I was
standing, on the Floor of the House,
behind the back row of congressman,
| people clambored up on the rails and