The Nome nugget., 1942-08-21
THE ARMY AND ITS
 PRESS SETUP

Secretary Stimson's shakeup of the Armys public tv staff will be most advantageous if he does it right
 Judging by dispatches out of Washington recently he is proceeding in a most dubious direction
 The shakeup was brought about because the army's publicity staff released news pictures later found to be ridiculous hoaXes The pictures displayed supposed huge arrows on the ground pointing to arports and defense plants.
 As soon as the pictures were published 1t found that the "arrowso were wholly innocent and conci- dental This has put the army publicity staff in a ridiculous light
 It is safe to say that experienced newspaper man would ever have fallen for such hoax and would not have released the pictures without proper investigation in advance.
 Therefore it would to us that Secretary Stim- sons best bet is to place his army publicity staff un- der the direction of a seasoned neWSpaperman and to dispose of the officers of that staff who do not have the proper background of experience
 It might be well for Secretary Stimson to start with the head of his publicity staff, Major General Surles The general has been army officer for many years and if he had any actual experience in a newspaper operation, has has long since forgotten it.
 We are particularly concerned over the suggestion contained in the dispatches from Washington to the effect that the authority of public relations offices out sde Washington to issue news releases will be greatly narrowed"
 If this means that press relations officers of the army in the field will be required to clear all their re- leases through General Swles office before they can l less state of confusion and delay will result and that the armys press relations will bog down in mire of bureaucracy such as we have rarely witnessed.
 Again we say that the first solution is to get an eX- perienced neWspaperman at the top of the army $ press staff. The next move would be to reVamp the entire army publicity organization and place season ed neWspapermen in positions of authority throughout the field of important army operations.
 The American people are entitled to have of the effort so long it's publication does not give aid and comfort to the enemy. It is ridiculous in our view to take the position that qualified men cannot be found sufficient to man all important army outposts with capabilities and powers of judgement which will enable them to issue legitimate of army activities without making stupid blunders and certainly without giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
 From experience generally, but much more par hculary experience in this war we are convinced that the purposes of the army will be best served if qualified and experienced officers in the field given full authority to issue news, all of course within the bounds of regulations to be established by the head of the armys publicity staff.
 The army needs the support of the public at all tines. and certainly it needs it in time of war
 It is Vtally important that its publicity program be properly organized and properly conducted.
 The men of the newspaper profession are keeny anxious to help in every way.
 We urge upon Secretary Stimson that they be given this job-Seattle Post-Intelligencer