Broadcasting (July - Dec 1940)

Efforts of Nazis to Use Radio Shown in Dies ^White Paper' Denials of Charges Involving Transradio Press And WCBM, Baltimore, Quickly Forthcoming Arthur Quisenberry, was entered on the rolls as of April 12, 1939." Herbert Moore Replies Mr. Moore replied to the Dies report on behalf of Transradio. He said in part: "The Dies Committee, in its zeal to combat subversive influences, has made public certain disclosures which have the unfortunate effect of misrepresenting l^ie entirely legitimate connections which have existed between the American press services and German news organization. ... It is well known that Transradio and other American news services have scrupulously guarded against all kinds of totalitarian propaganda although they have, by necessity, ATTEMPTS by officials of a German government propaganda organization in the United States to "reach" a prominent radio commentator, plant its alleged news service in American radio stations, along with a reference to the "financing of a German news program" in Baltimore by an official of the German embassy in Washington, and a charge that Transradio Press is "not only a receiving agency" for the German propaganda service "but also a transmitting agency," are contained in the now famous Dies Committee "White Paper," released Nov. 21. White House intervention in the Dies Committee investigations came when it was indicated at the White House press conference Nov. 26 that President Roosevelt would meet with Rep. Dies and representatives of the State and Justice Departments for a discussion of Government activity in combating the "fifth column" situation. Radio Allegations The principal radio reference centered around the German-owned Transocean news service, which the Committee said is used to express German views and ideology in foreign countries. The Committee published four letters between Herbert Moore, president of Transradio, and the office of Manfred Zapp, head of Transocean in this country. The letters all dealt with the quality of transmission of German news reports. Dies Committee Report After publishing the letters the Committee report added: "It appears reasonable to assume from the above four exhibits that the South American countries to which Transocean News was directed from New York, by means of shortwave broadcasting, reported the success or failure of this transmission directly to Berlin. In the event that the South American reception was faulty, Berlin immediately advised Zapp in New York. Thereupon, Zapp took this matter up with Transradio Press Service, which appears to be not only the receiving agency for Transocean but also the transmitting agency. This fact is further substantiated from an examination of the Transocean financial records in which it is disclosed that for the period from Jan. 1, 1939 to Aug., 1940, Transocean News Service paid Transradio Press Service the sum of $44,387.91. The certificate of incorporation of the Transradio Press Service Inc., filed in New York State, bears the name of Arthur M. Quisenberry as a member of the board of directors of the said corporation. The list of employes of Transocean News Service, as contained in the files of this organization, indicates that an employe, maintained working press agreements with German and other foreign news agencies." Mr. Moore said that no special significance could be attached to the arrangements which have existed between his organization and Transocean. He said these arrangements were similar to agreements existing between Transradio and British and French news agencies. "These arrangements," said Mr. Moore, "were known to competent Federal authorities and conformed to the standards laid down by ethics and law." The Transradio president termed the committee's st^tteinents relating to Quisenberryan "obvious falseJioM^lL^kfrTMoore said, "The Mr. W. G. Quisenberry who is a member of the board of directors of Transradio Press Service is not related in any way with Mr. Arthur Quisenberry." However, the Dies Committee issued another statement denying Moore's contentions concerning Quisenberry. The latest Dies state Dies Committee^s Transradio Charges Are Scrutinized by Canadian Officials CANADIAN radio officials are scrutinizing the controversial report of the U. S. House Committee Investigating Unamerican activities to determine if there is any basis for the Committee charge that Transradio Press has any illegal connection with German piropaganda efforts. In the White Paper, released by Committee Chairman Martin Dies, it was charged that Transradio was "not only a receiving but transmitting agent of the Transocean News Service". The latter is an official German government agency. Maj. Murray Comments It was reported in Toronto that Maj. Gladstone Murray, general manager of Canadian Broadcasting Corp., had said that a ban against Transradio is being seriously considered at Ottawa. At the same time R. P. Landry, CBC secretary and wartime censor, said that "a recommendation of that kind banning Transradio would come within the power of the corporation. The same accusation (association with a German agency) against Transradio has been made before, [Broadcasting, July 1] but we have never been able to put our finger on anything definite. This report may supply the link." Transradio, in a dispatch from Ottawa, quoted Canada's Minister of Munitions and Supply, C. B. Howe, as saying in the Dominion House of Commons that Canadian censors have carefully watched the news service's broadcasts and have found no traces of Nazi propaganda. Transradio now serves 40 stations in Canada. However, it was reported from Toronto that action to exclude the American news service has been contemplated for some time. This report states that the ousting of Transradio would be accomplished by what is termed a "squeeze" play on the part of the CBC and the Dominion Department of Transport. When CBC commences sending out its own news service (to be purchased from Canadian Press and British United Press) at the beginning of 1941 [Broadcasting, Oct. 15], it will be made available to all private stations, and the CBC has been hoping, according to this report, that these stations will take it to the exclusion of Transradio. However, the CBC news service will not be open to sponsorship, and private stations which have continued their contracts with Transradio have supplementary agreements with BUP to go into effect should Transradio be banned in Canada. The Board of Governors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation adjourned Nov. 27 after a twoday session devoted to news service matters. Before adjourning, the Board appointed a committee to continue consideration of the news service problem with particular reference to Transradio's position which was set forth fully when Transradio's president, Herbert Moore, appeared before the Board. ment included what the Committee said were photo copies of the original incorporation papers of Transradio and another document certifying the accuracy of the copy. The photo copy bore the names of Herbert Moore, Dixon Stewart and Arthur M. Quisenberry as the original incorporators. Sought Commentator Another letter published by the Committee shows the desperate efforts to which Zapp was urged to go in order to give the United States a favorable picture of German activities. The letter was from Dr. K. O. Bertling, director of the Amerika-Institute in Berlin to Zapp. It said in part, "I also want to mention to you the name of Hans V. Kaltenborn, whom you may reach by telephone. K. is a descendant of the war minister, van Kaltenborn-Stachau, and studied at Harvard University, where he was my predecessor as president of the Harvard German Society. He is on everybody's lips because he probably has the greatest influence as radio reporter on European politics. Unfortunately now for several years he is not feeling very kindly toward Germany, and therefore I urge that you first of all discuss the matter with Mr. Dennis (Lawrence Dennis, the author of The Coming Fascism in America, whether and how it would be possible to crank up Kaltenborns' engine for your purposes. In any event, it is to be assumed that Mr. Kaltenborn should be receptive for informations which he could get through you." The Committee report adds this significant statement: "The record shows that Mr. Kaltenborn would have been a poor contact for Zapp in view of the fact that Nazi Germany deemed it advisable to ask Mr. Kaltenborn to leave Germany because of his anti-Nazi utterances." For all his supposed influence in the United States, Zapp, as far as could be learned from the "White Paper," actually was only able to get one radio station to buy Transocean. The White Paper does not show any stations accepting the service for nothing. In a letter dated Sept. 9, 1939— nine days after Germany invaded {Continued on page 40) AFTER 17 YEARS as a daylight station, KFBI, Wichita, about December 8 begins full time operation with 1,000 watts night and 5,000 watts day, from this ultra-modern building. Managed by K. W. Pyle, KFBI was moved last April from Abilene. About $15,000 has been spent for additional equipment, including 254-foot Blaw Knox towers, RCA phasing equipment and Western Electric phase monitor. Engineering was under direction of Earl Cullum, Dallas consulting engineer. ( Page 22 • December 1, 1940 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising]