Evening star., 1943-11-28
owl Says VINO
Confuses Public
ByHiding News
16 Incidents Cited
By Davis; Short Of
Help, McNutt Says
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG,

The Office of War Information
has accused the War Manpower
Commission of confusing the
public by withholding and con-
ceallng news.
nlne-page memorandum carry
ing the accusations came to light
yesterday Although neither owl
Director Davis nor VINO Director
McNutt made public the letter, Mr..
McNutt readily admitted he had
received it. He told reporters there
had been no desire to keep any,
thing secret" but that his informa-
ton division was understAffed.
In the memorandum Mr.. Davis
cited is incidents which, he said,
have led to public confusion, an
Itagonism of reporters, and to the
conviction that VINO is not giving
out enough news"
The Owl director declared that
WINGS attitude toward the press,
particularly noticeable" at Mr..
McNutt's own press conferences. lis
"a serious handicap to the commits
sion in carrying out it's war func-
ton"
1T has deprived the commission
OF a means of securing public un-
derstanding and support of the
manpoWer program at time when
it is most needed" Mr.. Davis added.
Complaints Listed.
Mr.. Davis complaints against
VINO included:
l. Responsibility for unnecessary
confusion about the draft of fathers.
2. The tendency of the VINO poll
icy officials to deal with newspaper
men on "a rather hostile basis"
3. Failure to issue press releases
on matters of public interest even
when requested.
4. Unwieldly clearance" proce-
dures which hold up news as much
as 10 days.
5. Failure of VINO to give re-
porters 'follow-up" information on
new programs SO they will be able
to report how the programs are
working out.
s. Failure of VINO policy officials
to keep their own information off,
cials Informed of what VINO is
doing.
7. Maintenance of an "unwork-
able policy of holding up informa-
ton until it has reached VINO field
offices.
Mr.. Davis told Mr.. McNutt his
investigation of VINO news prac-
tlces followed formal complaint
from the War Agencies Correspond
ents Association requesting that
owl take action on the "no-news-
practices of VINO.
Cites March Conference.
The examples of VINO policy cited
by Mr.. Davis went back to last
March. Then, said Mr.. Davis, Mr..
McNutt told press conference that
fathers were being called at that
tlme. When reporter asked if the
selectlVe service order then in effect
10 prohibit the draft of fathers had
been withdrawn. Mr.. McNutt said
he knew of no such order" and the
deputy chairman Fowler Harper)
denied such an order existed the
Owl chief said.
After the conference" Mr.. Davis
added, "OWI determined the truth
and suggested that a statement be
issued correcting the misunderstand-
ing before it reached the papers.
NO such statement was forthcoming
that afternoon or the next day. BY
that time conflicting stories were in
the newspapers"
! When Owl suggested in May that
VINO put out frank story on the
possibility of fathers being drafted.
arguing that failure to release the
facts was encouraging official con-
fusion in newspaper speculation"
Mr.. Davis said, Owl was informed
that Mr.. McNutt's 'nail did not in
dicate any interest in such a story.
Mr.. Davis cited another instance
where VINO officials failed to an
swer questions on point raised by
reporters.
Instead of recognizing the con-
fusion this was to cause in subse-
quent stories he commented. COM
mission officials seemed to resent the
press for pressing the point at the
press conference"
Reporters Walk Out.
! On another occasion when re-
porters tried to clarity the father
draft situation, Mr.. Davis said, the
reporters after 10 minutes of un-
answered questions" rose and walked
out of Mr.. McNutts press confer
ence
Mr.. Davis reported an instance
where Mr.. McNutt's Office ordered
a release killed" after it had been
prepared by the head of the news
room on the student deferment
policy.
THE chairman's Office" said Mr..
Davis, feared the papers would in
terpret the program as rich mans
program and thought to conceal it."
He suggested that Mr.. McNutt,
who until recently held weekly press
conferences, should refrain from
holding such conferences unless he
has news
Mr.. Davis also recommended that
VINO issue frank and specific"
monthly communique which should