Detroit evening times., 1945-08-14
WESTBROOK
PEGLER
Fair
Enough

pETURNING to the debate
~ on the proposition that
members of the family of the
late President Roosevelt COM
mercialized the presidency, this
is to recall a radio program
promoted by a group of candy
manufacturers who, in 1912.
were apprehensive lest candy be
declared nonessential.
Like many other business in
tereStS, they were on the bor-
derline and might be ruled out
on the ground that the ingredi-
ents which they used were
better used as food in the ordi-
nary sense of the word and
their people and plants better
employed otherwise.
Joseph w, Hicks, public
relations genius, was engaged
TO find way. and presently
came up with a device called
the Council of Candy as Food
. in the War Effort.
The firm of Baton, Barton,
Durstine and Osborne was en-
gagged 10. handle the advertising.
Between them they appear to
have done a good job. for.
whether we agree that candy
has been a food essential TO tho
war effort, the candy industry
has lived on.
ERNEST X. LIN DLEY, a
Washington journalist and
sympathetic interpreter Of the
New Deal, was engaged as the
news commentator for a radio
program Of 81 weeks.
His wife Mrs. Betty Lindley,
an intimate friend of Mrs.
Roosevelt, was hired to help
arrange the programs.
In an earlier venture Mrs.
Llndley had represented Mrs.
Roosevelt in negotiations for a
season as commentator for the
Pan-American Coffee Bureau IN
a program financed through the
public taxes Of a number Of
Latln-American republics
The Council on Candy az
Food wanted bIg names in
acceptance Of the principle
propounded by the Buchanan
agency, another advertising
firm in offering Mrs. Roosevelt
as a radio attraction in the
coffee program
The Buchanan agency called
this the follow the leader"
principle and ~ has been vindi-
Gated by advertisers not only
IN the United States but. ear
ller, IN Great Britain. where the
title of "purveyor' Of chutney,
kippers or bear grease for the
hair 70 their malesties was
valuable commercial boast long
before American advertisers
took 70 buying testimonials for
ciCarets from athletes who did
not smoke. -----. -.-.-..----. --
The candy manufacturers also
wanted names and they got
Henry Wallace and Paul Nc
Mutt, generals and admlrals for
their radio program and were
well pleased with the results.
These individuals made no
charge for their services.
II THE course Of this season
Mrs Roosevelt made two
appearances Of eight minutes
each At fee Of 81 500 per
broadcast or ust about $500 A
minute and my authority who
had 2 part IN the arrangements.
understands that there was a
third broadcast AT $500
What Mrs Roosevelt did with
the money is something that
she has always deemed 10 be
her own business. although
there have been suggestions
that u was devoted 10 purposes
which were called charities.
a press handout dated Dec.
:, 1912, from the Offices Of the
council said Mrs Franklin D.
Roosevelt VIII give a report 70
the mothers of the nation on
her recent trip 10 England in
a coast 70 coast broadcast
Wednesday evening, Dec Q The
program VIII be presented by
the Council on Candy as Food
IN the War Effort
NO MENTION was made Of >
y fee 10 Mrs Roosey cit for
such report TO the mothers
Of the nation, although that
would seem TO have been ap-
propriate information for lack
OF which It may have been as
Sumed that she was making this
report free As a generous service
TO those mothers
Moreover. there was no StIg-