Evening star., 1943-06-30
tions otherwise imputing immoral
ity to members of such corps"


ity to members of such corps"
Asked whether he differentiated
between reporters and columnists,
the Chief Executive said he thought
they did 1t themselves in their daily
writings. Reporters, he said, are
suppose to give news, but some have
to color it or else are likely to lose
their jobs. He knew of lot OF cases
right in the room. he said, where
reporters had to write in accord
ance with orders
He described this as tough stu
alton and intolerable to many
people, but he said the livelihood of
some OF them depends on taking
orders.
A reporter, coming back to the
question OF controversies, remarked
that Mr.. Wallace's statement criti-
cizing Mr.. Jones had been distrib-
uted to the press and had not been
sought out by any one. Mr. Roose-
welt then remarked that 1t took him
by surprise. too.
The whole discussion was touched
OF when a reporter asked the Presi-
dent for philosophical talk or
background Information on the
thought that I'VE are doing okay on
the foreign front, but not too well
on the domestic front"
On the point of progress on the
home front, the President suggested
that reporters get out around the
country and get their illustrations
He asked whether they did not think
the war was running pretty we'll at
home and whether we were not get
ting the stun out pretty we'll.
His questioner said he was Won
dering about other things. such as
controversies Mr.. Roosevelt asked
who was encouraging them.
Everybody" some one piped up in
the rear of the room.
Nearly everybody in this room, the
President added, and went on to his
general discussion of the press.
Mr.. Wallace, chairman of the
Board OF Economic Warfare, issued
28-page statement accusing Mr.
Jones of obstructlng the agency 5
efforts to acquire much-neeGed ma
terials from abroad Mr. Jones fired
back that Mr. Wsllaces statement
was full of malice and misstate-
ment'
Danaher Seeks Clarification.
Senator Danaher said: Il have no
doubt of the urgent necessity for
the acquisition of critical and
strategic materials required in the
war effort. but it has become ap-
parent that there has been over
tapping of agency functions, with
resulting conflicts. Clearly the whole
situation requires clarification with
a prescription of functions and duties
which will leave no room for doubt
and give rise to no obstacle to the
effective prosecution Of the war.
1T may we'll be that an appro-
pirate solution will derive from &C.
ton by Congress to set up a statu-
tory and emergency agency. prob.
! ably best to be allocated to the
State Department. to the end that
operations in foreign countries par.
ticularly be carried on under the
authority of standing Government
department long trained in foreign
usages and customs.
L have already worked out the
basis of proposed legislation to ac-
complish this end and hearings or
such a measure might we'll afford
a proper backdrop against which
all the characters may be seen and
heard"
President Banned Public Quarrels.
Instructions to all Government
administrators to settle their dis
putes quietly and to avoid public
quarreling went out from the White
House August .21, 1912.
The President said in a general
letter to department and agency
heads at that time, after clashing
views had been expressed on such
subjects as the rubber shortage and
Nationwide gasoline rationing:
Where honest differences of opin-
ion exist, no one would propose to
suppress them. Nor would any one
interfere with the free use by every
public official of the normal proc
esses of information to the public
and press.
But 1t is no solution to a con-
troverted question to argue it out
in public. If the agencies would
refrain from resorting to public
debate Of this kind, they would have
a good deal more time to attend
to their business, and the Nation
would have a good deal more assur-
ance that that business was being
done right"
Ordered Submitted to President.
The President mentioned no spe-
cif1c incidents, but said divergent
official opinions, given circulation
through the press, had been seized
on and exploited by enemy nations.
He stated:
"Disagreements either ay to fact
or policy should not be publicly
aired, but are to be submitted to me
by the appropriate heads of the
conflicting agencies
The policy of the Government
should be announced by me, as the
responsible head thereof. Disagree
ments as to facts can be resolved,
If necessary, by investigations and
surveys directed by me-"