The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR July 17, Legal #. Wyatt v Smead 4, Golden wei^p V i/paulger <XW^ r ¥r Leonard Dr. Parry Mr. Marriner S. Eccles Chairman Federal Reserve System Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Secies: The President has sent you, as an attachment of his letter of July 15, 19):3, a copy of his letter of August 21, 19^2 addressed to the heads of all Departments and agencies. As you are awpre, "by the terras of the letter of August 21 and "by Executive Order 9122, the Office of War Information provides the mechanism for the clearance of pu*blic statements "by the heads and -nrincipal officials of P I I Departments and agencies. In the exercise of it? authority to coordinate the w^r informational activities of all Federal Dep^rtnents and agencies, the Office of War Information will, in accordance with the President's letter of July 15, withhold clearance of any public statement where disagreements "between agencies as to fact or -oolicy are not settled "by agreement of the agencies concerned. In such circumstances, this Office will refer the disagreement to the President or to the Director of War Mobilization for solution. Very truly, Elmer Davis Director [CTORY BUY UNITED CTATB8 DF THE RESERVE SYSTEM, >S ^ Form P . R. 5 1 1 TO FROM Mr. T h u r s t o n REMARKS: l/2O/U3 The Chairman would like to have the attached circulated and then returned to him for his files• CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE Mr. Ihurston? As per your request. Tfsf FOR THE PEESS IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 21, 2368 The President has sent identical letters, reading as follows, to the head of each department and agency of the Federal Government: In dealing with the many complex war problems which we face today, it is unavoidable that there be wide differences of opinion between agencies of the Federal Government -- opinions sincerely and honestly held. However, too often in recent months, responsible officials of the Government have made public criticism of other agencies of the Government; and have made public statements based either on inadequate information or on failure to appreciate all the aspects of a complex subject which is only partially within their jurisdiction. This is inadvisable at any time. But in times of war it is particularly contrary to public policy. It contributes only to the confusion of the public, which naturally does not taaow what to believe on an involved issue when it gets different stories on successive days from officials of equal standing, though not necessarily of equal understanding. k Such divergencies, especially when coupled, as they often are, with express or implied criticisms of other officials are a direct and serious handicap to the prosecution of the war. Officials divert to quarrels with each other the time and energy they ought to be devoting to fighting the enemy. The people, confused by these contradictory voices, are apt to obtain the faJ.se impression that the Government as a whole is uncertain as to its objectives and general method and that it does not know its job. This feeling is of course pounced upon, exploited, and intensified by opponents of our war effort. Our enemies use this raw material of discord provided for them by men who ought to be making trouble for the enemy and not for one another. One of the duties prescribed for the Office of War Information is the coordination of war informational activities of all Federal departments and agencies, for the purpose of assuring an accurate and consistent flow of war information to the public and the world at large and for the added purpose of eliminating conflict and confusion among the departments arid agencies of the Government in the matted of their public relations. Elmer Davis, Director of this Office, tells me that so far as written statements from departments and agencies are concerned, very satisfactory progress toward this objective is being made. But, he points out that the attainment of the objective is being gravely hampered by verbal statements dealing with matters touching more than one department or agency made by high officials in press conferences and elsewhere, - statements which do not contribute either to the accuracy or the consistency of public information.. In a recent report to me on this situation, Mr. Davis makes a statement which should be emphasized: f|The enemy is constantly at work trying to undermine public confidence in the government; why should members of that government help him along by undermining it themselves?" Where honest differences of opinion exist no one would propose to suppress them. Nor would anyone attempt to interfere with the free use by every public official of the normal processes of information to the public and press. But it is no solution to a controverted question to argue it out in public.. If the agencies would refrain from resorting to public dabate of this kind they would have a good deal usore time to attend to their business, and the nation would have a good deal more assurance that that business was being' done right.
@FedFRASER