Evening star., 1943-04-25
Senator'S May Seek
To Sif in on More
Press Conferences
O'Mohoney Suggests Study
Of Methods of Other
Agencies Besides owl
BY J. A. O'LEARY.


Heads of other Federal agen-
cies, including the Army and
Navy, may be asked to let men,
bers of the Senate Judiciary
Committee sit in on one of their
press conferences, as the Sena-
tors did last week with Elmer
Davis, director of war informa-
ton, to find out how Government
news is handled.
Senator OMahoney. Democrat,
Of Wyoming, who started the study
of war information. said last night
he would make this suggestion to
the Judiciary Committee when it
meets tomorrow
Among the things that ought to
be developed by hearing of this
kind" the Senator continued, lis
not only the conflict of authority
between agencies and with Owl, but
the policies which govern the dis
semination of facts and information
by radio. The plugging of ideas on
commercial programs. how this is
brought about and the degree of
cooperation between commercial
broadcasters and the Government.
Interested in Speech CIearances.
The committee is interested in
the manner in which the speeches
of Government officials are cleared
by Owl. It will be interested in the
reld force of Owl. what it's func-
tlons and duties are. The procedure
by which stories are written and
cleared, by which radio scripts or
campaigns are undertaken. The
responsibility for decisions, the re-
lationship between Owl and the
Co-ordinator of Inter American
Affairs in the dissemination of facts
and opinion in Latin America by
way Of press release, radio and mo-
ton picture films"
The Wyoming Senator emphasized
that the purpose of the study is
constructive and not critical" EX-
pressing his belief the Government
has been doing "a particularly ef-
fectlve job" in organizing the coun-
try for war, he said deficiencies and
conflicts are pointed out merely be-
cause We feel the American people
are entitled to an even better joo
and that cooperation between Con-
gress and the executive branch will
inevitably produce better co-ordi-
nation among all the agencies of
Government"
Meanwhile, Senator Ferguson,
Republican of Michigan, struck
again at the plan to restrict news
paper coverage of the international
food conference at Hot Springs, Va,
starting May 18. He called the
plan "a direct blow by the admin
istration against the Bill of Rights"
and urged action by the Senate on
his resolution, which would permit
a delegation from both houses to
dltcIiu tll6 conference,
Assurance for People.
The presence of a congressional
group, he said, would be an as
surance to the American people
that they would not be bound by
commitments or entangled by prom
ises in obligations which they might
find 1t arduous or impossible to
fulfill" His resolution also would
express the sense of Congress that
the press associations be admitted
to the meetings.
Discussing his broader study of
Government news dispensing. Sen
ator OMahoney predicted it would
make for more effective unity
among all the people when it is
clearly understood that the pur-
pose of the whole information serv-
ice is to inform the people OF the
facts. and not to promote par
tlcular point of view upon which
division of opinion may exist"
Declaring that the Importance of
providing facts for the public can
not be overestimated Senator
OMahoney said. L am certain that
Mr.. Davis is endeavoring to pro-
vide the facts The session the
committee had with Mr.. Davis last
week has already been productive
OF good results Senator O'Mahoney