The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-04-29

Maybe this shouldn't be told, but
the temptation is great and here goes
In certain city, which shall, for
now, be nameleSs, a defense council
radio program series has been
launched
One of these programs was sub
mitted to the local representative OF
the Office of War Information.
The radio station submitted the pro-
gram to this local jefe.
He took look through the pages
and he said "NiX!''
He didn't challenge the truth of the
script. He simply said it was too
| exciting.
The program dealt with a phase of
civilian defense 1T was dramatic, to be
sure, with some guntire-but its thesis
was true to the life.
Those who agree that such a power
should exist will please raise their
right hand.
Anyway, the script was forwarded
along to Washington, to Mr.. Elmer
Davis, chief of OWL and the chiefs of
the civilian defense organization in the
nameless city wait for their answer.
| The chairman of the defense council
| the commander of the Defense Corps
and several other local defense officials
approved the script. They WANTED
| it broadcast as an essential part or
the promotion of their local defense
program-but local OWL official who
| never saw any of them and whose
name they do not even know, said
Nix - and unless Washington rules
differently, there stands old man Cen
sorship, unashamed if not naked.
Now the point seems to be-or one
point does at least-that the OWL is
an office for the spreading of informa-
ton; NOT for the prevention of such
spreading.
X X X
For censorship we have an Office Of
Censorship under Mr.. Byron Price, in
Washington
Censorship is a necessary thing. But
| it CAN become Il hideOuS thing.
Mr.. Davis bright young man in this
case seems, at least to some, to be
vergng on the hideOuS.
No military information was inyolv-
ed in this proposed broadcast.
| The purpose was the education of
civilians i'm processes which they ought
to understand and which they should
understand for their own protection.
The bright young manor maybe he
isn't seems to have missed the point.
TOO exciting seems to be a peculiar
reason for just saying mix"
| X x X
The American people have accepted
censorship gladly. Our newspapers
have played the fabe in such a manner
as to make the nation proud of them.
The thing to worry about is that just
Il few breaks by supernumerarieS,
whipperSnapper or pathological cases
can undo great deal of the eager ac-
ceptance Of censorship which has been
noted from coast to coast.
| Radio stations are mostly inclined
not to argue overly much. Their prec-
ious licenses may be called into ques-
ton That's one of the evils of a syS-
| TEN that licenses channel of express
sion. But that's how it is.
Our newspapers will fight harder for
| fair expression, for freedom that
safeguards freedom. They will live
under a fair censorship; but they will
battle hell out of an unfair one, or
one tortured to suit an individuals
purpose.
1t may be that this banned broad
cast will come to be something of an
issue. From where this writer sits at
! this moment it would look as if that is
what ought to happen.
| Censorship ought to stop at its
proper boundarieS.--CNlW.s
81. !. ...t < 4 ). !: ! .:.4.