Evening star., 1942-06-15

radio commen- :%><
tator, in charge David Lawrence
of the newly created Office of War
Information. The delay was due
to the consideration given some
times to the sensibilities of officials
when they must be superseded in
authority or separated from re-
tponsibility altogether.
Mr.. Roosevelt just doesn't like to
wound the feelings of any of his
appointees He would rather re-
arrange, consolidate and often Gre
ate agencies just to avoid making
some of his subordinates feel badly
about it. There's tenderness in
this which is understandable even
if regrettable. Mr.. Roosevelt now
has cleared the air, however, and
given the country a splendid setup
that must inevitably win the conf
6ence of the people.
For there is something more than
q mere paper setup of functions and
duties outlined in the executive Or
der. The President has, indeed,
selected a man who symbolizes truth
and integrity. This does not mean
that the publicity men who have
hitherto handled these matters in
various agencies were lacking in
either of those characteristics. but
1t does mean that some of them
didn't know where their allegiance
really should rest-in trying to de-
fend the administration against op-
position attack because of acts OF
commission or omission in national
policy or in giving the people the
facts irrespective of the natural
repercussions of criticism that come
when the unhappy truth is barred.
To Make Truth Accessible.
Also some of the officials charged
with the duty of making informa-
ton available inadvertently cast
doubt on the validity of their out
sivings by making public speeches
attacking opponents of the admins
tration. Others made the mistake
of supposing that they were charged
with the duty of prejudicing the
public mind for or against certain
alleged outcroppings of hostile opin-
ion inside our own country.
There is only one legitimate func-
ton for an Office of War 1nforma-
ton. 1t is to make sure that the
truth is accessible to the established
channels of publication. There Is
no need for governmentally Op-
Grated newspapers or magazines or
radio or motion picture companies.
The privately organized agencies
will all cooperate in bringing the
facts of the war to the people. They
will go further-they will stimulate
patriotism and strive for national
unity in thousands of ways that
will carry conviction to the public
because the latter knows how to
evaluate sincerity and devotion to
America of these same newspapers,
magazines, radio system and motion
picture institutions.
What has been needed and will be
certainly brought into being under
Elmer Davis is clearing house of
data and especially reconciliation
of the viewpoint Of the bureaucrat
who instinctively wants to hide the
adverse developments and the de-
mands of the press for the truth
so that the public shall not lose
confidence in their regular institu-
tions of information.
Confidence in Appointee.
The job which the Committee on
Information did under the leader
ship of George Creel in the last
war was a very creditable one. He
made one or two mistakes at the
outset when he permitted bit of
exaggeration in a story OF sub
marine attack at sea, but he learned
his lesson and thereafter the press
found in the Creel Committee a
helpful auxiliary in getting the
truth about the war.
Mr.. Davis has a tremendous re-
eponsibility. He takes Office with
the complete confidence of the press,
radio and screen. He will be SUBJ
ject to the temptations, the wiles
and the charms of off1cialdom. He
will hear the customary rational
izations in defense of suppression
and he will be urged to help in this
or that right or left wing maneuver
so characteristic of the intrigue of
our class war which goes on here
irrespective of our foreign war. But
II Mr.. Davis sticks to one funda-
mental fact-that he is not the en-
ploye of an administration or of
any single official, but the employe
of the American people-and if he is
ready to resign at any time that he
Is asked to compromise with his
conscience, he will emerge with
credit for having done more than
any other man in the maintenance
of our war morale at high pitch and
IN causing our information to be
accepted as truth throughout the
whole world.
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