Evening star., 1943-06-24
New owl Domestic Unit Chief
Hits Delay in Releasing News
Cites Jap Invasion
Of AIeutiun Islands
As an Example
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Publisher Palmer Hoyt. new direc-
tor of the Office Of War Informa-
tons domestic branch, believes mill
tary authorities exercised too much
caution in holding up for so long
announcements of the Toxic bomb
ing and the japanese occupation of
the Aleutians.
Furthermore, Mr.. Hoyt said, many
military, naval and civilian author
tiles are unfamiliar with the war;
time censorship code and some
never heard of it,"
His views were given as publisher
of the Portland Oregonian in an
article written for Journalism for
Wartime survey to be published
soon by the American Council on
Public Affairs in cooperation with
the University of Missouri's School
of Journalism. 1t was written before
Mr.. Hoyt became an Owl official.
CteS Owl Censorship.
He said American newspapers
would like to have Byron Price,
director Of censorship and his as
slstant. N. r. Howard, pass on all
censorship questions. but conceded
this was a physical impossibility.
Despite the statements of owl
Director Elmer Davis, Mr.. Hoyt said,
the Owl branches throughout the
country do usurp some functions of
censorship"
He mentioned a recent case In
Los. Angeles where. he said, an at
tempt was made by the owl to
establish a dictatorship over all
war agencies" This "abortive at
tempt he said, was niped by Gard
ner CoWles. Jr.. Mr.. Hoyt's prede-.
cessor as Owls domestic director.
However" he added, "OWI officers
are still clearing matters which
would seem to be peculiarly the
function of the Office of Censor
ship"
Hits Censorship Practices.
An example, he said, was the case
of an Office of Civilian Denfense
radio program which he said was
barred on the authority Of Dean
Jennings, West Coast regional direc-
tor of OWL
The public can take bad news.
Mr.. Hoyt said, and withholding it
too long reflects directly on the
reliability Of our Governments re-
ports
asserting that wartime censorship.
II applied unwisely. can destroy the
very purpose it seeks to serve" Mr.
Hoyt wrote:
Proper censorship which covers
both the sins of omission and COM
mission is buckler in time of ma
tlonal peril. 1t should be kept bright
ly polished and the tarnished spots
OF improper application should be
rubbed away as quickly as they are
seen"
Says Confusion Exists.
Reviewing his experiences and
those OF his associates on the Ore
gonlan with stories OF a possible
censorable nature, Mr. Hoyt said
one OF the practical difficulties of
actual censorship procedure from
the newspaper standpoint lis the
confusion that exists as to who
should be contacted to clear a par
ticular story"
Military and naval commanders
in the field have demonstrated a
most understandable reticence about
clearing stories,' he said. Asserting
that newspaper must move quickly
to publish facts while they are news,
he said that Frequently the un-
winding of departmental red tape
is most distressing to the trained
newspaper worker" who is inclined
to feel that officers err on the side
of extreme caution and unneces-
sarily So"
Mr.. Hoyt recalled that in broad
cast last August he had said that
Americans could take bad news, but
the Government has repeatedly
failed properly to report unfavor-
able war news. Often the first
word of disaster has come from
enemy broadcasts which, in turn,
have helped to authenticate poten-
tally dangerous propaganda-and.
more important, it has reflected di-
rectly on the reliability of our own
Governments reports
Specifically, he said, the handling
of the occupation of the Aleutians
by the Japanese would seem to
require lot of explanation.
AT time when Americans def
nitely needed fortnight appraisals
so that as a Nation it might gear
!.