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11/20/42
DAVIS IN NO. 1 U.S. RADIO DEFENDER DEBUT HITS MAAS
Without mentioning any names, Elmer Davis, Director of War information, banged back at Representative Melvin J. Maas, of Minne¬ sota, and other critics over the Columbia Broadcasting System last Thursday niglit thus making his initial appearance as No. 1 radio defender of the Administration, Mr, Davis has been urged for sometime to resume his old role of commentator and become a regular Government spokesman over the air. His broadcast Thursday night, however, evidently was a special appearance to reply to charges made by Representative Maas, Senator Willis, of Indiana, and others who have been heaving brickbats at the Administration's conduct of the war.
Mr. Davis* broadcast was over WJSV in Washington, the same station from which Mr. Maas spoke except that the latter took only 15 minutes whereas Mr, Davis talked for half an hour. When Colonel Maas broadcast a week or so ago, Earl Gammons, Washington VicePresident of Columbia, offered OWI the opportunity to follow Maas Immediately but the offer was declined at that time.
Mr. Davis sounded Thursday night to one listener at least, as if he were a trifle warm under the collar. His tone seemed to be more as if he were lecturing the individuals concerned than the usual calm and impartial manner that has made him so popular over the air. Nor did Mr. Davis confine himself to discussing charges against his own particular news field, in which he is an acknowledged authority, but he likewise endeavored to answer such charges as made by Mr, TJIaas as that there was no unified command in the South Pacific.
Nor in discussing the charges made by Senator Willis from his own State of Indiana did Mr. Davis pull any punches. It was a coincidence that only recently Mr. Willis, a Republican, in a speech mentioned with evident pride the fact that Mr. Davis and several other Important New Dealers were from Indiana,
Mr. Davis dealt more extensively with Representative Maas, who he referred to as the South Pacific "traveler" who spoke of "Dis¬ asters known to all but the American people".
"I don't know what his definition of a disaster may be",
Mr. Davis went on. "He mentioned the battle of Savo Island, which was certainly a severe local defeat; but the enemy’s failure to fol¬ low up his advantage saved it from being a disaster,
"Anyway, that battle has been reported; we have suffered no disasters or defeats which have not been reported. We have announced to date the loss of every major ship which has been sunk or other¬ wise destroyed. "
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