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August 2, 1944,
MR. FLY DENIES THAT HE IS LEAVING THE FCC ~ OR DOES HE?
If you know how long ”sorae substantial period of time is” then you know how long Chairman James Lawrence Fly is going to stay at the Federal Communications Commission, Although it has been repeatedly denied at the Commission that Mr. Fly would resign, a statement he issued last Monday is the first formal word from him on the subject. It read:
”In view of the unreliable rumors as to my resignation from the Federal Communications Commission, I should like to set this matter at rest. I have been in the Government service for a contin¬ uous period of fifteen years. For some time I have been conscious of personal considerations which indicate the wisdom of ray returning to the private practice of the law. However, there are a few jobs to finish around here and I promise to see them finished. At the moment I have no definite plan except to remain here for some substantial period of time, ”
One of the "unreliable rumors” referred to was the asser¬ tion by Drew Pearson Sunday night over the Blue Network that Chairman Fly would leave the Commission after election to go with William Benton of the Benton and Bowles Advertising Agency in New York, Mr. Pearson told this writer later that he had the report on excellent authority. It is well known that up to now, Mr. Pearson has been on the inside track as to what is going on at the FCC, In fact, he has been friendly to Mr, Fly and has stood by him when others were crit¬ icizing, Nevertheless the Pearson statement angered the Chairman and was evidently "the straw that broke the camel’s back”.
Another story which was said to have aroused the ire of the radio czar was one in the Washington Times-Herald last week (an extract of which appeared in our issue of July 26th), by Willard Edwards who wrote:
"Like Henry A. Wallace, Fly is to be dumped overboard for the good of the party and the CommanderinChief, He is slated for either another Government post or for temporary retirement to the private practice of law, destined to be given his reward if the Democrats triumph in November, "
Mr, Edwards declared there was a deal on Capitol Hill where¬ by Mr, Fly would resign in return for the quashing of the Federal Communications Commission investigation, which is loaded with dynamite politically and considereda menace to the Democrats' presidential campaign.
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