Evening star., 1944-08-27
White House Pressure
Is Charged in Ban
On Socialist Broadcast
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
The War Departments about
face ban on Socialist party cam
paign broadcast to troops overseas
stirred up a rumpus yesterday
headlined by complaint of white
House pressure" to have President
Roosevelt's S Bremerton (Wash. }
Speccn 4I,.u AIunpU.. cal.
The Socialist party, describing the
address made by the President on
his return from tour of Pacific
fronts as political speech, de-
manded equal time for broadcast
to the armed forces. The service
mems vote law says the opposition
shall have equal time if political
speech is radioed to troops.
The Army first agreed Friday tc
give the Socialists the time, then
reversed the ruling, holding that
the President didn't talk politics.
Wherry Spurs Complaints.
Senator Wherry of Nebraska. Re-
publican whip, led off Congressional
complaints with the assertion that
the reversal was due, without doubt
to White House pressure"
The COP National Committee
jumped into the row with both feet
President Roosevelt was undeni-
ably political candidate at Brem-
erton," Chairman Herbert Brownell,
jr., said in New York. He announced
he is renewing a demand on radio
chains for equal free time for the
Republican candidate, Gov. Thomas
E. Dewey.
Mr.. Brownell's demand appar-
emily was for domestic broadcast
time, since the Government, and
not the chains, control overseas
radio for the troops.
Request Renewed.
MY request was denied, but this
morning am renewing it," Mr..
Brownell said at a news conference
Il am pointing out that Army
officials clearly recognized the
Bremerton broadcast as a cam
paign speech made by a political
candidate and it was only after
some mysterious interference from
someone above that the decision
was reversed"
Republican members of Congress
and some mocrats-contended
that virtually any speech the .Presi-
dent makes in this election year
must be considered to have political
implications.
IF they are going to have po-
litical talks broadcast to the troops
every one should be entitled to
speak his views" said Senator Rev.
ercomb, Republican of West Vir-
ginia. Il don't think any one can
doubt that the Presidents Brem-
erton speech was political-he is q
candidate and whatever he says
amounts to an appeal for support >
Pepper Asks Equalization.
A staunch Roosevelt backer, Sena-
tor Pepper of Florida likewise
thought that overseas broadcastine
facilities should be open to all can
didates. He said he didn't regard
the Bremerton speech by Mr.. Roose-
velt as political. but added:
Il say let all the candidates be
heard by the troops. I think the
President will be able to hold his
own very we'll"
An anti-Roosevelt Democrat, SEN
ator johnson of Colorado. expressed
the view that every speech or state
ment the President makes from now
until the election will be political" D."
The White House had no COM
ment, aides calling the affair strictly
an Army matter. Tom Blake, assist
ant press secretary, was asked if he
could throw any light on the Army s
turnabout and replied that he knew
nothing about it.
Norman Thomas, the Socialist
presidential candidate, said in Den
Yer that "it proves the Commander
in Chief, who also is a candidate
for reelection, ruled that his own
speech was not politics."