Evening star., 1943-03-05
COP Calls Pamphlet
On Roosevelt Issued
By owl Propaganda
Tober Says Publication
Is Designed to Promote
Fourth Term

A 16-page biography of President
Roosevelt, in cartoon style. product
of the Office of War Information.
was blasted today from Republican
quarters as political propaganda. q"
and defended by the owl as de-
signed solely for foreign consump-
ton,
The pamphlet, in red white and
black, was brought to the attention
of the House yesterday by Repre-
sentative Taber. Republican, of
New York, ranking minority men,
Der of the House Appropriations
Committee, and vigorous critic of
the administration, who told his
associates that the Owl was issu-
ing political propaganda designed
entirely to promote the fourth term
and dictatorship
In response, Elmer Davis. Owl
director, made public a copy of a
letter to Mr.. Taber in which he said
that SCI ,49l copies of the biograp ply,
THE Life of Franklin D. Roosevelt -
had been printed in II languages at
a cost of $13.951 25, and he told re-
porters that virtually the only dis
tribution of the book in this country
in the English language will be that
which Mr.. Taber seems determined
to give it"
Only 1888 Circulated Here.
OF 100000 copies in English, only
S83 were distributed in this country,
according to Mr.. Davis figures.
The Owl chief said he had writ
ten Mr.. Taber after conversation
about the publication and that the
latter was in possession of the letter
when he launched the attack in the
House.
Explaining that the publication,
put out last summer, was the last
Of its type" Mr.. Davis told Mr..
Taber that the overseas branch of
the Owl which had sponsored it had
decided that further publications of
this sort would not be useful enough
to warrant their continuance. He
said that he saw no political propa-
ganda in the pamphlet, and that
this sis also the opinion of one of
our executives who is vigorous and
active Republican"
Justifies Publication.
1T is fact, however," Mr.. Davis
wrote, much as some may regret it.
that Mr.. Roosevelt is President of
the United States and commander
In chief of our armed forces. It is
also fact that as the head of our
Government his name has become
q symbol all over the world for the
strength Of the United States and
for the principles which this coun-
try has endeavored to exemplify in
practice since 1776. From a purely
practical point of view it would be
the height of absurdity for an
agency conducting American propa-
ganda abroad not to take note of
this fact and employ it in the ma
tional interest"
The Owl chief said the cartoon
history, which Representative Taber
likened to the product of IAN artist
OF the type who gets up the Tarzan
pictures for the funny papers," in
cluded none of the material which
was improperly included in the
article on Mr.. Roosevelt in our
magazine Victory"
100000 Copies Planned.
Mr.. Davis referred to an Owl
magazine, also prepared for foreign
distribution, which Mr.. Taber and
Senator Holman, Republican, of
Oregon attacked last month as a
build up for fourth term.
Mr.. Davis said then that the
article could have been better
DONE" but that it had no political
purpose whatever" since you can't
elect President of the United
States with votes in foreign coun-
tries"
The new pamphlet was printed in
Arabic, Afrikaans, Chinese, French,
English, Hebrew, Icelandic, Persian,
Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and
Turkish.
According to Owl figures. about
100000 copies Of the publication
went abroad, and in a limited do
mestic distribution 15,OOO-the larg-
est number-went to the Common
Counsel for American Unity, in New
York, an organization working with
foreign language groups. A large
number are still on hand.
While Mr.. Taber declared that
copies of the biography had been
distributed to American soldiers
overseas, the Owl denied that,
though conceding that a few copies
may have found their way into SOL
diers' hands.