The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-09-24

Il. Z4+aNn AMIAN a-ANMN eNAANe@s
UNITED BTATESl
Deadly Parallel: IN the page adj
vertisonient aiibiing the Columbia
Rroadcasting Systems ban on
opinions, CHS exec Paul White says
IA part: each Of you (CBS news
reporters and analysts) has been
chosen by Us because Of your back.
aruund and knowledge We feel
we have faced and met q consid-
cradle responsibility in your selec.
ton. We now feel that you must
meet and face much the same re-
sponsihiIity In writing your analyses.
F'or we have said TO ourselves: I'VE
Will not choose men who will tell
The public what they themselves
think and what the public should
think And we ask that you say
to yourselves: we are not privileged
to crusade, to harangue the people
or attempt to sway public opinion +"
That is part Of Mr.. Whites
ariemic explanation in September,
le4S His memorandum to his
news men In December, l94l, how
ever, was somewhat different.
american democracy" memo'd
Mr.. White eloquently, has func-
toned always in a spirit OF free
speech which has involved free AND
OPEN CRITICISM. This function
must be preserved lest any serious
mistake 60 undecided and uncor-
rected and lest the people lose con-
tidence In their leaders because they
feel they are being told TOO
LITTLE Any mechanism OF
SUPPRESSION for other than i'm
mediate military motives almost GER
tainly will eventually fail and then
great damage will have been done
and ground lost when 1t will be
Glow and difficult to retain In
forming the radio audience means,
without hysteria and with all due
and proper restraint, keeping vivid
", colorfully, and honestly ALL
THAT Is GOING ON IN THE
WORLD, including both the things
that touch the MINDS and all the
things that touch the hearts OF
men,"
"Doar Mr.. Winchell," writes dear
MIR. White. During the past few
days you have commented critically
on OBS news broadcaSting policies.
There are at least three points, not
thus far mentioned in your column,
which we think your readers should
, have In order to understand the real
issue involved. In view Of your own
( interest In freedom Of expression
and journalistic fairness, we urge
that you publish this letter explain
ing why we feel that freedom OF
expression on the air Is protected,
not 'lnuzzled', by CHS policies OF
non-editorial news reporting and
Y and news analysis. You have not
mentioned the fact that, while keep
ing opinion out Of news broadcast
ing 6 such, we invite the freest
expression Of opinion elsewhere in
our broadcasting schedule.
I'm other words, our air Is wide
open to the most partisan speakers
4 on every major issue In the news.
y Proponents and opponents Of Lend
Lease. postwar collaboration, price
control, tax policies, ETC., have
championed their respective sides OF
public arguments in q constant bat
tie Of public opinion over the Obs
network. But 1t Is presented as
opinion and not as news. This
Is most important because 1t elm
mates the camouflaged propaganda
that opinionated reporters could in
sinuate into q field we think should
remain stmon-pure, honestly objec-
tive, and utterly non-editortal."
| Mr.. Whites next two points are
Nsimilar. He concludes: ". thus
o small group Of news commentators
commanding preferred positions and
established audiences on nationwide
networks, could, If they 'opinionated'
their news broadcasting, exert a
/ dangerous and dominating power
ever public opinion. Such power,
in the hands OF few, would de-
stroy all fairness on the air, and IN
q democratic world, there Is no
freedom without fairness"
Some Of us wonder how CHS
would feel about freedom Of ex-
preston II the newspapers had
refused to take their page ads,
on the grounds that CHS had per-
sonal opinions on q controversial
subject CHS, 1t seems, doesn't
approve Of censorship. 1t merely
wants each commentator to stand
before q parole board .. Does Mr..
White deny the following fact? {.
That very recently at the Union
League Club q gathering OF wealthy
business men and Republican Ma
tional Commute members invited
some Columbia B'casting radio
voices These anti-Administra-
ton people made on bones about
matters They spoke frankly
and bluntly I'VE spend lot OF
money with CBS," one said in ef-
feet, money that Is used to pay
the sAsaries Of commentators, who
voice opinions with which we dis
agree. Now, We do not say your
commentators should agree with us,
but we think CHS should hire re-
porters and analysts who give our
aide o break, too" Then. to
one famous radio voice, an outspok-
en- Republican business man said:
-Do you believe IN free enterprise?
What are your politics?" The
famous commentator barked back:
MY politics are none Of your
damned busineSsl"
Then, by strange coincidence,
came the CHS announcements Of
aopinionated reporters" And
CHS soon after hired a commen-
tat0r never heard In the East be-
fore, who works for coast news
paper well known for its anti
Administrator attitude. He was
hired, IL Is said, ito neutralize CHS"
Now everyone has q right to
free speech and that right includes
being anti-Administration And