Evening star., 1943-04-22
Senators Watch Davis
Silently as He Defends
owl al Conference
Fourth Term Talk Is
Hot Air. He Says in
Answering Reporter
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Director Elmer Davis vigorously
defended the policies of his Office
of War Information and branded
fourth-term talk "a lot Of hot air
that has not reached the news
stage yet, in a press conference yes
terday which was unprecedented as
to its locale under the watchful
eye of a congressional investigat
ing committee.
The conference, held in the Sem
ate caucus room before members
of the Senate judiciary Committee,
Smacked a little Of something that
might have been staged by P. T.
Barnum. though it failed to produce
the predicted fireworks. The dozen
or so Senators present left interrc-
CATION of Mr.. Davis entirely up
about 100 reporters who jammed the
room, presumably saving their ques-
tions for the Executive Committee
session which followed.
Discussion of a fourth term for
President Roosevelt was injected
into the conference when a re-
porter asked Mr.. Davis what Owls
policy would be toward sending news
of the forthcoming political cam
paign to foreign countries and to
American fighting men overseas.
Il presume you are referring to
the fourth term replied MI. Davis.
well. that is lot of hot air at
this time on both sides. 1t hasn't
reached the news stage yet"
Conference Largely Normal
The conference probably was as
closely akin to the normal Davis
press session as was possible
under the conditions. Nh Davis
was seated in the middle Of a long
conference table, fanked by the
Senators who, obviously, were in
tensely interested in everything he
said. Beneath the steady gaze of
the Senators. some of whom have
been highly critical of Owl activi-
ties, Mr.. Davis mopped his GROW
more frequently than usual and
nervously toyed with his horned
trimmed spectacles. Otherwise he
retained his composure and con-
Quoted himself in approved press
conference style.
Committee Chairman Van Nuys
opened proceedings by announcing:
The meeting will please come to
order" He traced the birth of this
original and unique idea which
moved the weekly Davis conference
from the Social Security Building
to Capitol Hill. He pointed out the
change was brought about by a
resolution introduced by Senator
OMahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming.
Senator Van Nuys was the only SEN
atorial voice heard in the hours
session.
Hits Japanese BarbariSm.
Mr.. Davis expressed gratitude for
the opportunity extended by the
Senators, remarked that the crowd
is somewhat bigger than usual"
and launched into his customary
review of the wars progress.
He referred to japanese execution
vi NDlllt VI tiit DoolAtbAS "a
pedition as an act of ''bafbarlsm.
adding that those responsible for
the flyers deaths should be held ac-
Countable. He declared that the
highest officers of Japan must have
known of and approved the eXecu-
tions Asked if he included the
Emperor in this group, Mr., Davis
remarked that the Emperor doesn't
have any more to do with things in
Japan than you and l..
Tracing progress of the British
9th Army in Africa, MI. Davis said
Rommefs counterattacks indicated
"he still has fight left
He described as probably true the
statements of Australian officials
that Japan has 100000 men sta
toned north of Australia, though he
added the forces were distributed
over a group of islands 1000 miles
wide. 1t would take time. he con-
tinued, to gather these forces for
attack. Our recent air victories in
the Pacific were due to superiority
in quality of planes, rather than
quantity.
= Sherwood Tells of Propaganda.
sRobert E. Sherwood, the play
wright, who is director of Owls
overseas operations, declared that
propaganda fed to enemy troops in
the form of leaflets dropped from
planes had resulted in surrender of
hundreds of Axis soldiers in Tunisia.
Just returned from North Africa,
Mr. Sherwood admitted that Owls
psychological warfare" was not as
effective as it might be. He said the
total Owl staff in the area includ-
ing writers, announcers, technicians,
numbered only 40. Propaganda is
distributed among residents of North
Africa, to people in enemy and oc-
cupied territory, to Axis troops and
those Immediately behind their lines.
With the fall of Tunisia, Mr.,
Sherwood said, all North Africa will
be used as base for propaganda,
while civilian agents of Owl will
accompany troops in any invasion
of Europe. Mr.. Sherwood said the
Axis also propagandizes Allied
troops, although it was unlikely that
any American or British soldier had
been induced to surrender.
Explains Silence on Raid.
Mr.. Davis declared complete de-
tails of the Pearl Harbor attack and
The raid by Maj. Gen. James H. Doo-