Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-09

American shipping circles that
the Queen Mary had been sunk
with 10000 American troops on
board.
The Rome radio did not hear
this in shipping circles any
where. Ii was concocted by the
Axis propagandists in Rome 10
find out where the Queen Mary
was. They knew Washington did
not know where she was. and.
therefore, could not deny the
story.
pUT the rumor involved a
~ matter Of such Importance
that some one in this govern
ment might have been suffi-
GENTLY foolish TO try to contact
the Queen Mary by radio. Lis
tening NaZi subs could thus de-
tect her whereabouts.
The Queen Mary was not
sunk. of course. but lot OF
mothers whose boys in service
had not been writing hope from
camps around the country as
often as they should, wrote the
war department asking if their
sons were on the Queen Mary.
Any one should be able To
classify offhand a rumor from
an Axis radio. but anxious
mothers may be inclined to
read hastily and jump to unwar-
ranted conclusions.
1t is not likely, however, that
Rome. Toxic or Berlin will be
able to play trick like that one
on us again.
TIiE only other real complaint
being remedied within
the government. Some of the
Allied capitals, particularly Lon
don, have been letting out mat
tiers of strictly American war
business. which we considered
secret. They will do so no
more.
THESE are the only realistic
Il objections heard here. and
if any government officials are
planning Stricter censorship,
their plans lack the virtue of
necessity.
Certain politically inclined Of
ficialS, worrying about their
own prestige or the coming cleo
tionS, have been complaining
about criticism in the press.
Much has been made of an off
the-record speech by one gov
eminent publicist asking how
long the administration will
tolerate what he called Sub
versive criticism -,
There have been rumors that
the MacLeiSh office of facts
and figures would be combined
with the Mellett office of gov
eminent reports, to the eleva-
ton of MIR. Mellett and the de-
cline Of Mr.. MacLeish.
There have been rumors that
an overall government censor
ship would he established to
screw down the lid on news. and
even,a conversational suggestion
that every published news story
be submitted to consorS before
publication.
These rumors are not imagi-
native speculations of persons
outside the government. but they
may he the result of inter-office
competition in the government
and, therefore, are not neces-
sarily a forerunner of action.
THE Jap radio is just as bad
Il as Rome and Berlin. The
Jap broadcasters have sunk the
Lexington three or four times
by radio but not any other way.
They captured Port Morcsby
and Akyab last week. and re-
duced' Corregidor half a dozen
times.
Tho records Of all the Axis
stations clearly demonstrate
they are not entitled TO any con-
Slderation. Their Job is not 10
dispense truth, but TO 60 70 any
lengths necessary TO achieve VIC
tory over us.
CHREWD judges of sentiment
- within Congress suggest a
majority would vote 10 increase
the baSe-pay week (before over
time) from 40 to as hours. How
ever, even some of the strongest
critics of labor there are not
anxious for action. Certainly,
Congress is doubtful.
But his and related eco-
nOmic issues Of prices and wages
now seem only TO be in state
of preliminary fermentation. The
Pepper plan to freeze everything
except the Capitol dome must
be considered in the light Of his
established position as front
runner and tryout advance agent
Tor the administrator. Raising
the base pay in the army has
also helped 10 quiet some critics
of the 40-hour week, and delay
action.
The latest tendency, both In
the executive and congressional
branch. thus seems inclined 10
wait until the labor shortage de-
velopS in the months ahead, or
economic necessity arises for
drastic economic steps
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