Republicans on Radio

Ever since the New Deal began, Republicans have grown more & more convinced that for all practical purposes the Radio was a Democratic monopoly, that censorship was being enforced on anti-Administration criticism. Last week Publisher Ogden Mills Reid of the New York Herald Tribune supplied his fellow G. O. Partisans with a bill of particulars on which they could argue their conviction during the coming campaign.

Trouble started last May when Mr. Reid's Herald Tribune editorialized as follows:

"The radio, controlled by the Administration through its licensing power, was made the spokesman of the New Deal and largely restricted to Government propaganda." Stung by this direct shot, the Federal Radio Commission promptly adopted a resolution "requesting" Publisher Reid to present "any facts or other material" in support of Herald Tribune's editorial. As a matter of "principle," Publisher Reid respectfully refused to render the commission "an account concerning our editorial comment," tartly calling attention to the First Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing free press and free speech. By way of answer, however, the Herald Tribune last week published a series of four articles documenting its thesis that there was no such thing as free air.

Handmaiden, Drummer Boy-- Because there is a physical limitation on the number of commercial frequencies, Congress in 1927 passed a law declaring the air waves Government property. Wave lengths are merely "loaned" broadcasters for six-month periods. On the grounds that stations do not serve "public interest, convenience and necessity," the Radio Commission may at any time refuse to renew a license. Last week the Commis sion received unfavorable renewal reports on three experimental stations of Henry Ford, no friend of the New Deal. Result, claimed the Herald Tribune, was that radio served "as handmaiden and drummer boy to whatever Administration happens to be in power.

"Facing a possible death sentence on his expensive property every half year, it is only human that the broadcaster should endeavor, as the popular phrase so prettily puts it, not to stick his neck out." Taken by the Tribune as a direct warning to broadcasters to pull in their necks was the announcement by Radio Commissioner Harold A. Lafount last August: "It is the patriotic, if not the bounden and legal duty, of all licensees . . . to deny their facilities to advertisers who are disposed to defy, ignore or modify the codes established by the NRA."

"Indirect censorship which the national administration exerts upon radio programs is a light yoke compared to the muzzle which the broadcasting companies themselves clamp down in their eagerness to please," the Tribune found. After an American legionary in Massachusetts broadcast an impromptu attack on the President's veterans' cut, National Broadcasting Co. warned the State command that such speeches would be barred henceforth from its stations. A breakfast food company was informed by both NBC and Columbia that "it would be unwise to permit any reference to the Copeland-Tugwell bill as a part of an advertiser's program." When Bristol-Myers Co. (Ipana toothpaste, Sal Hepatica) sought to present its views on the pure food & drug bill, the NBC legal department wrote: "This is a matter of such a controversial nature that it is too dangerous to use. As a matter of fact, almost any discussion of the Tugwell bill at this time is dangerous." A scheduled broadcast of Consumers Research was denied the air by Columbia when its material sounded like "hopping on the NRA."

First prize for the leaning-over-backward event went to unctuous Columbia, whose Washington representative, Henry A. Bellows, onetime Radio Commissioner and Harvardman, declared last year: "Assurance of full and complete cooperation has been given directly to the President. Furthermore, as a matter of public policy during the present emergency, we limit broadcasts of public events and discussions of public questions by ascertaining that such programs are not contrary to the policies of the United States Government."

Free Time, While admitting that "radio cottons to the Administration, no matter what party is in power," the Herald Tribune observed that in the matter of free time on the air, the present Democratic regime had outstripped all its predecessors. Taciturn Calvin Coolidge spoke 37 times over networks during his six years in office. Herbert Hoover was on the air 100 times in his four years, not including his campaign addresses for which the G. O. P. was billed.* During 1932, 400 Hooverite officials were heard on the radio in 1,000 donated periods. In his first ten months President Roosevelt was heard 20 times over NBC hookups alone. Over the same system during that period his Cabinet spoke 107 times. NRA led all the alphabetical agencies in free radio time with a period addressed by one of its officials every night for the first three months of its existence, a service estimated by NRA to have been worth $2,000,000.

Pettey, Most telling ray of light the Herald Tribune focussed on the politico-radio situation illuminated the fat little figure and rubicund face of Herbert Lansdowne Pettey.

After three years at the University of Kansas, Herbert Pettey quit to take a job in the ready-mixed concrete company of Democratic Boss Tom Pendergast of Kansas City, Mo. Later he worked for MGM pictures and Radio Corp. of America. During the 1932 campaign, Mr. Pettey managed the radio work for the Democratic National Committee. When the Democrats came into power grateful Chairman Farley made him secretary to the Radio Commission. In addition, the Herald Tribune reported, with a letter from "General" Farley to prove it, Secretary Pettey, while drawing Federal pay, retained his job as No. 1 radio arranger for the Democratic Party and sole booking agent for Democratic speakers on the air.

Recommendations, This week the Federal Radio Commission is absorbed into the new Federal Communications Commission whose seven members (four Democrats, three Republicans) the President is about to appoint. Pleading for "editorial discretion" among the new appointees, Pundit Walter Lippmann. who works for Mr. Reid's Herald Tribune but does not always agree with him or it, earnestly recommended to the President : "The best commissioners would be men of the kind qualified to be head of a popular university or editor of an independent newspaper. Such men can be found. But they are not likely to be found among the employes of a party machine."

*Neither Democrats nor Republicans have paid their 1932 radio bills. The Democrats owe NBC $107,571, Columbia $47,650. The Republicans owe NBC $74,470, Columbia $55,804.

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