Fdr And The Errant Publisher (February/March 1982 | Volume: 33, Issue: 2)

Fdr And The Errant Publisher

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February/March 1982 | Volume 33, Issue 2

Roy Howard, head of the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, had once been in FDR’s camp but was now supporting Willkie. On Friday, September 6,1940, Roosevelt discussed with unidentified aides Howard’s activities and what the White House might do about them behind the scenes.

FDR : Now, what do we do about this ? [The President begins to read aloud from a telegram sent by U.S. Minister Hugh G. Grant, in Thailand, to the Secretary of State, September 2, 1940.] “Roy Howard, newspaper publisher, stopped in Bangkok last night between planes en route to various points in the Far East, including Chunking, Manila, and possibly Tokyo. [Aside: ‘Of course he’s going to Tokyo.’] Accompanied by the leading American businessman in Siam, Howard called to see me at the legation and launched into a bitter attack on the President, accusing him of bad faith in inviting him, Howard, to go on a mission to South America, alleging that he, the President, was down and out physically and mentally, that he had made a mess of our foreign affairs during the crisis, and that he is desirous of leading the country into war. Apparently Howard is out on a political junket to discredit the administration among the political and business leaders in the Far East and at the same time to collect data for a subsequent attack on the administration’s Far Eastern policy.”… Now , what do we do about a thing like that?

AIDE : Mr. President, I just think that the best thing to do with that would be to put it into the speech-material file along with the other letters on record. [ FDR : Yeah’p.] I don’t see that you can do anything else with it…. It ought to be made a part of that record… .

FDR : Now here’s one other thought: Who’s running the U.P.? [The United Press was part of the Scripps-Howard empire]… Deak Parker?

AIDE : Yes sir, Deacon….

FDR : Now, I’m wondering if it isn’t the best and most honorable thing to do, not to quote that it came from an American minister, but [let it be known] to the effect that we have received advices—we’re not going to say the place—from the Far East that Howard is going around and saying in effect—then paraphrase it—and that we know about it.

AIDE : No sir, I wouldn’t tip him off. I wouldn’t tip him off… because he in turn will tip Howards [sic] off. I’d rather let Howards carry on for a little while.

FDR : M’mh’mm. He may do an awful lot of harm though out there….

AIDE : It’s the harm that he’ll do after he’s getting back, because undoubtedly if this is a political junket trip, as