Henderson daily dispatch., 1943-01-14
Solons Hit
Censorship
Stewart Reports In
creasing Objection in
New Congress to Re-
strictions on News
BY CHARLES =. STEWART
Central Press Columnist

Washington. Jan. l3-Uncle Sam
wartime censorship is coming in FIR
terrific lipc of panning in the new
Congress. The charge is that the
government is keeping its news eli
tirrly too tightly bottled up. with the
public, realizing that it's uniform
ed, has little confidence in anything
il hears. Unofficial reports do leak
out. But, if they are favorable. they
are discounted. If they are slightly
adverse. its assumed that nothing
like the worst has been revealed.
The situations ruinous of popular
morale. the critics say.
It's u fact that the Yankee press
doesn't tell the history of the pend
ing conflict very UNDERSTANDABLE
-" .'"3nccs are mentioned but
pooh-pooh'ed.
"""s Il constant suggestion that
Nations progress is lover-
played.
|; isn't the fault uf American re-
nOrtcrS. editors or radiomcn. They
take and broadcast what they can
oct and are permitted To use. The
cen nrGhiu is what mrrZZlcS 'em. It's
- Good deal tighter here than Eng
land'S j.. The BritonS are fairly
liberal. \ comparison of their peri
udicalS with ours proves il conclu-
sivclv. If you want bad news. read
the London dailieS. not our own.
II started with Pearl Harbor.
That event was huShcd for about
u year.
4 BOtchcd Job
This doesn't appear Ia have been
done bccau'c il was a mean lab into
Uncle SamuerS ribs as because il
sisnilicd Il botchrd Job between our
Army and Navy IIarbor comman-
dcrS. they didn't like. either of en-.
10 admit il. and their homcstayinG
commanders baked AT cnnleSSing re-
sDunSibility for bad selections of bel
ligerent leaders.
However. il isn't the formal ac-
credited ccnSorShips that raise hades.
Byron Price is the censor He's Il
trained newspaperman. Stuff would
yet by him with small difficulty if
he had the last word 10 say con-
corning il. He's got news sense.
And Elmer Davis is head of the
office of war information.
He's Il ncwspapcrman. too-or was
before he broke into the radio game.
Dis. cminatiun. not only of news, but
of gossip. good. bad or Indifferent.
is a passion with him. or always
has been hitherto.
These boys, though, have to sub
nit their dope largely to the War
and Navy departments.
They have to submit their re-
leases. though, to the cabinet de
partments. The latter are unintel-
Iigent. from professional stand
point. They need editing.
Advance planners for the next
peace era are hoping to make peace
last forever this time. Their inteh-
tons are the best. of course.
However. they overlook one mn
portant consideration.
Til. preliminary doping is beng
dorc by nld>tcrS. now on the jon
III Washington and on diplomatic
missions abroad The program they
hit q" will have To- bC developed by
an incoming generation. al present
III Uniform. and il may be genera
ton that won't be III entire agree
mcni with the reasoning u! today.
Disagreement"
In fact. they may not agree at all.
Our current generation is some
what bugs. II remembers the last
war. II thinks ii knows 1t all.
Possibly il does. partly. in the final
analysis. but will the incoming crew
pay any attention to II?
There's little verse on the subject:
He had a gem of wondrouS light
It's ray would pierce the deepest
night-cXpcricncc. his jewel.
Before Iii mortal race was run, he
tried to give il to his son.
Twas scorniully rejected.
He tried to give it To the world. and
every lip diSdainiul curied. and
none the gift respected.
49,. ,.,a m