Evening star., 1943-04-22
Elimination Of owl
Editorial Pamphlets
Seen Probe SEQUEL
O'Mohoney Convinced
Davis Is Trying to Do
Job Assigned Him
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

EllIllilldtlOIl lIOIl OW1 puDllCd-
tions Of editorial opinion on con-
troversial domestic issues appeared
likely today to be the first result of
the Senate inquiry into the policies
and methods of handling Govern
ment information during the war.
That was indicated by the COM
ments Of Senators on the Judiciary
Committee after they had quizzed
Elmer Davis, director of war in
formation, for nearly two hours in
a closed session late yesterday.
In an unusual press conference.
the Senators first played the role
of interested bystanders and
watched about 100 news gatherers
60 through press conference with
Mr. Davis.
Then they closed the doors and
held conference of their own with
the director, much of which is re-
ported to have revolved around
pamphlets issued by Owl, as dis
tinguished from news releases.
Discussion Planned Later.
When the conferees emerged late
IN the evening, to continue the dis
cusslon at a later date, Senator
OMahoney, Democrat. of Wyom-
ing, sponsor of the inquiry, made it
clear Mr.. Davis had convinced him
he is trying to do the job assigned
him as it should be done. but that
Owl is still in a formative state +"
Senator OMahoney also expressed
belief the committee study should
go on. with view to clearing up
news-dispensing policies. and that
1t should take in other Government
agencies that distribute information
to the public.
Uppermost in the minds of most
committeeman after the meeting
was the pamphlet, Battle Stations
For AL" issued by Owl in Feb1u-
ary. Senator O'Mahoney said he did
not wish to speak for Mr. Davis, but
he believed it was made clear that
pamphlets OF that kind probably
will be abandoned
Owl Held Necessary Agency.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada and Senator O'Mahoney
both said this pamphlet contained
arguments on domestic contro-
versies, some of which Congress had
already debated and settled. These
included the $25 900 limit on salaries,
the question of community property
tax returns and the allowance to be
made in the tax laws to mining
companies for depletion of their re-
serve to physical assets in the
ground.
Il think" said Senator O'Mahoney,
"the agency (OWD is very neces-
sary, but apparently it is still in
the formative state. The policy to
be followed is not altogether clearly
determined yet. That is obvious
from the statement that some of
the policies followed originally are
being abandoned, especially PAM
phlets dealing with controversial
domestic issues"
Referring to Mr.. Davis as an in
dividual, Senator OMahoney said he
was a competent. able man, doing
a particularly good job" and "the
type of frank official democratic
government needs
Wheeler, Ferguson Hit Propaganda.
Senator Austin, Republican, of
Vermont joined Senator O'Mahoney
in the belief that, without an agency
like Owl, conflicting information
would be reaching the public from
different agencies.
Senator Mcfarland, Democrat, of
Arizona made this comment: He
gives a very good explanation of his
viewpoint, but there are some things
I don't agree with. I don't agree
with the publication of pamphlets,
like Battle Stations for ALI"
Senator Ferguson. Republican, of
Michigan said he got the impress
sion owl was distributing propa-
ganda both here and abroad. and
said he believed the agency should
confine itself to distributing news
through the regular channels and
not through pamphlets.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana, had this to say: He has
been using the Office of War Infor-
nation to give out propaganda, not
only on postwar issues. but on do
mestic policies, which he hasn't any
right to do