Evening star., 1942-09-06
Uneasiness Rises in Nation
At War News Freezing Here
People Feel They Are Not Being Told Whole
Truth While Facing Prospect of
Large.Scale Casualties
Bv Constantine Brovn

In the 18th century King Louis XI oi
France, distrustful of his courtiers and
their reports about the state of the coun-
try, left his palace attired as burghel
and spent some time incognito among
his people. According to some accounts,
during his little Summing tour he even
managed to get himself elected leader
of the Paris guild of thieves. When he
returned to his court he knew more
about what his people we're thinking
and saying than he ever could have
learned from the reports of his minis
ters.
If President Roosevelt could follow the
example of the French King, disguise
himself and travel up and down the
country, from Florida to Oregon. through
the Middle West and the Southwest, he
would learn things he will never learn
from either the Government intelligence
Offices or the numerous popular polls
which are supposed to sample public
opinion.
Mr.. Roosevelt would discover uncer-
tainty and uneasiness among the people
of the United States, owing to their lack
of information on the war effort, both at
home and abroad He would also find
lack of confidence which, mistaken as it
may be, is growing.
The war will begin in earnest for us
soon, and that makes this question of
confidence vital Within q short time
our forces may be engaged on more than
one front. American soldiers, airmen
and sailors will be measuring their skill
and strength against the enemy in every
part of the world.
Delusion Is Dangerous.
Our factories are expected to do their
bit to provide these men with all the
weapons they need to defeat the enemy.
From now on it will be rank treason
for employers and employees to bicker
over the trivialities which in the past
have so often set back our production.
1t is dangerous to delude ourselves.
We are meeting desperate and efficient
enemies, across both the Atlantic and
the Pacific, and our men are going to die
by scores of thousands. Any hesitation
delay or priority for selfish personal in
terests will mean the deaths of so many
more tens of thousands of American
lighters.
Washington knows what is coming
shortly. The tests have been completed
and after eight months of intensive
training our forces are good enough to
engage the enemy wherever he is found
We may have some shocks, for there. is
no mathematical certainty about any
military operation. Our first attempts to
defeat the enemy may be frustrated. We
may suffer setbacks and bloody losses,
but this is all part of the game
The fighting men and their leaders are
willing to take their chances, but there
Is one question which the high con-
n1and has obviously overlooked: How
the country will take these losses. There
Is feeling throughout the country that
the people of the United States are not
being told the whole truth of what is
going on. News is dished out in bits and
there is much confusion on the news
front, which may have heavy conse-
quences. One reader in Texas expressed
feelings which are probably shared by
many. THE country is ignortant but
anxious"
Rumors Hamper Confidence.
We hear many things. Rumors fly
back and forth, rumors about inefficiency
In administration of the wal effort,
rumors about inefficiency of the men at
the head of many key services, rumors
about personal interests being placed
above national interests
These, of course, are mostly rumors
and should be disposed of without diff
Guilty. If, however, any are true, those
responsible for inefficiency or selfish
ness should be unceremoniously removed
from Office. Individuals find their sus-
capabilities cannot matter in the present
life and death struggle.
Nothing much is being done about it
however, but If drastic steps are not
taken to remedy this situation, popular
lack of confidence in the administratio
and of the administration in the people
will have damaging effects. No human
relationships, in the family, business O,
Nation, can be satisfactory without nlu-
tual confidence. A commanding officer
cannot inspire confidence in his mer
unless he himself has confidence ir
them.
This incipient lack of popular conf
dence in the Government is due to g
misconception of the administration ir
the handling of news connected with the
war effort Today the news reporter ir
Washington is considered almost al
enemy. Censorship is not severe ant
the censors are handling their jobs IL
praiseworthy fashion, but news is beint
frozen at the source by executive order
Press Agents Are Bottle-Fe
Whatever news the Governmcns give
out emanates from the public relation
Offices The official press agent vht
dispatches news is a servant of the Gov
ernment and owes loyalty to his chic
rather than to the public. In order t,
avoid leaks public relations men them
selves are kept almost as muCn in tn
dark as are newspapermen. They ar
bottle-fed as are the rest of the news
gatherers in the Capital Press confer
enceS are held, as in the past, by ever
high Government official from the Presi
dent down, but they deal mostly wit
generalities and attempt to coat In
thorny war picture with a rosy veneer
even though most newsmen know ho,
black it is.
In this attempt to freeze news at th
source, many officials are warned agains
having even social intercourse with news
rapermen. Being seen with q newsma