Evening star., 1944-08-21

spicion that, ~
perhaps, the
confidence with Frank H. Kent.
which they were imbued short
time ago had begun to seep out and
their sense of proportion been AZ
fected accordingly.
Listening to the shrill cries from
administration spokesmen one easi-
ly could have believed that a really
dreadful crime had been committed.
There was vast jumping up and
down, beating of breasts and tear
ing Of hair. Are We" it was de-
nanded, going to take this lying
down."
Every American with spark Of
courage, it was declared, should ex-
plode over this outrage. Millions
of citizens should so howl that those
responsible would flee from their
wrath. Our fighting men" were
being treated as idiots, imbeciles,
morons and worse. 1t was degraded.
1t was dishonorable. The blood of
every free American should boil. 1t
was an insult. 1t was part of the
low Republican plot to disfranchise
the soldiers. 1t involved shocking
distrust of "our fighting men,
Lopsided Outburst.
The above are mere samples.
Conceding the ineptitude of the
amendment, it is difficult to recall
any incident quite as small which
has produced 50 violent, unre-
strained, lopsided an outburst. The
best commentary on 1t is that the
American people, who were ex-
horted to explode and whose blood,
according to the fourth termers,
should have boiled, remained not
only perfectly calm but completely
uninterested. So far as could be
noticed there was no public reaction
at all.
Perhaps, this was because the US
ually undiscerning people sensed
that no crime had been committed
or was intended, that here was a
mistake which would correct itself
and that to boil over about this
would be ridiculous. For, the fact is
that Senator Taft's amendment, so
excitedly denounced, neither in
volved nor implied any distrust of
our fighting men," but 1t did in
volve and imply very emphatic
distrust Of the Roosevelt adminis-
tration, now seeking to hold on for
another four years
This distrust has been well
founded. Faith in the fairness of
the Owl was destroyed long ago
when 1t was caught sending abroad
elaborate and expensive publications
so eulogistic Of Mr.. Roosevelt and
his record that the head of the
agency himself disclaimed respon-
sibility and admitted some parts
were indefensible.
Nor has the presence in posts of
authority in the foreign branch of
the Owl Of various fanatical New
Dealers OF the crusading type who
think anything justified that will
keep Mr.. Roosevelt in the White
House tended to create confidence
IN the organization. 1t is true, how
ever, that months ago the Owl
turned over to the War Department
the job of distributing news and in
formation to the armed forces and,
therefore, was in no way involved
in this matter.
Justified Distrust.
Nevertheless, the justified distrust
of this administration, with knowl-
edge that 1t is without scruple in
its fight to retain power. made an
amendment along the Taft lines
proper and timely. 1t may have
been badly phrased, but the intent
was clear. What Senator Taft was
trying to do was to make it i'm
possible for the particular War.De-
partment bureau charged with this
job to propagandize the soldier vote.
Perhaps. the bureau would have
been rigidly nonpartisian anyhow.
On the other hand, the men in the
bureau easily might have thought
nonpartisan what really was par
eAASoAi pAoPosdllad llldG SOIG Ol
thing is question of individual
Judgment, bias and experience.
What Congress wanted to do was
insure, so far as possible, against
any propaganda. Therefore, it
sought to lay down a rule that
would have to be followed. Maybe
that involved distrust of the War
Department but it was not military
distrust. Primarily, 1t was distrust
of the administration.
Certainly, it was not distrust of
our fighting men" However much
confidence they may inspire as
military men, there was no reason
to place implicit faith in these bu-
reau chiefs to distinguish without
some rule or instructions, between
what is propaganda and what is
not. 1t was-or anyhow, should
have been-a new field for them.
1t was absurd to accuse Senator
Taft of wanting to keep the Beard
books away from the troops or of
treating our fighting men like mo-
rons, or as being in any way re-
sponsible for the utterly indefensible
and strained construction put on
the amendment by the gentlemen of
the bureau. The fact that they did
so construe it is pretty good evi-
dence OF their need for guidance.
The Important Thing.
Whether the man responsible for
that nonsensical Interpretation was
a fool or whether he was a subtle
person who, in the interest of a
fourth term, was trying to make the