War parleys due for Roosevelt
May go to Paris, meet Churchill, Stalin
…
12 killed, 75 hurt in coast wreck
…
I DARE SAY —
Maud Muller – so what?
By Florence Fisher Parry
Yes, yes, I know. It was NOT Tennyson who penned that awful couplet ending in “it might have been.” I have heard of my error agane and agane and agane. I have tried to blame it on the election, on something I ate, on being cursed with the kind of mind that is forever calling my son Frederic when his name is David, and my brother David when his name is Frederic. Sorry, sorry, sorry. When you write for a newspaper, you’re supposed to write it right.
Once when I first started writing a column, I nearly lost my job because, when the editor called me into his presence to tell me that I had made the appalling mistake of calling Florence Vidor Florence Fisher, I asked him what difference that made; everyone would know I didn’t mean me.
“You make ships only about the things you know best,” I tried to tell him. And I still am of the same mind. Accurate people are never quite sure of their ground. They never take the risk of letting their minds slip. into neutral, they’re always in gear.
That’s the only fault I could scrape up to find with Mr. Dewey. He is ALWAYS so doggone accurate. Of course, this country could DO with a little accuracy… but don’t let’s get on THAT subject today. It’s Election Day as I write these scrambled words and if I implied yesterday that Tennyson wrote Maud Muller, I’m apt to put ANYTHING in this column today! One comforting thing is that it won’t be read – who’s going to see, think, LIVE anything but the Returns!
Fond delusion
Now already the easygoing are beginning to tell us that never mind who wins, this election and its issues will slide off our united backs like water off a duck’s back, and that we’ll be just one good-natured family again, telling each other that we hadn’t meant what we said, we were just talking.
I say such a loose attitude is an insult to Americans. If we can’t keep on believing TODAY what we believed YESTERDAY, what kind of folks are we anyway? If we can’t fight and pray today for the things we fought and prayed about yesterday, what kind of souls have we, say?
I saw a woman voting today at 7:00 a.m. She was on her way to her war work – Nurses aide in one of the hospitals. I saw another a few minutes later who had just got word that her only son has been killed. She was on her way to the Blood Bank – where she hasn’t lost an hour since the news came that her only child was dead.
These women worked hard campaigning. Nothing was too much for them, I saw men, too, at the polls this morning who had been putting their whole might into this campaign. Now, these people happened to believe as I believe.
And at the polls I saw those on the OTHER side who had worked like zealots, with an equal drive, purpose, belief. You can’t tell me that after today these men and women are all going to be in sweet accord with one another!
We are a wonderful people! We pull together in war. In crisis we are one. Our Armed Forces’ performance has been the astonishment of the world. But to assume that in order to achieve this teamwork we all laid aside – or will again – the deep political fundamental issues which electrified this campaign, is crazy. We all kept on thinking the same thoughts, and we will continue to do so.
The same as ever
Now they say this has been a dirty campaign, contemptible, shameful, low. I don’t think so, when you consider how, ever since the war began, the people of this country have been doing their almighty best to put their political detestations aside for the sake of the greater stakes this war confronted us with.
This campaign was a perfectly natural breaking out on both sides, and as healthy as hives.
Oh, yes, there has been campaign oratory; the professional politicians have had a great time. But they’re not the American people; they’re not the rank and file.
We, the people, are a different breed. God keep us faithful to our land, our flag, and the dreams that went into its making!
Kenney: Philippines must be taken by airpower
Japs’ advantage in bases must be offset by U.S. chiefs’ superior strategy
By Royal Arch Gunnison, North American Newspaper Alliance
…
Democrats seize control of House
Ham Fish among those defeated
New York (UP) –
The Democrats appeared assured of stronger control of the House of Representatives today with a gain of approximately 20 seats.
A United Press tabulation shortly before noon showed Democratic nominees had ousted 20 incumbent Republicans and had filled at least four of the five vacancies now in the House. The Republicans won two seats now held by Democrats, leaving the Democrats a net gain of 22. There were 93 undecided contests.
The Republicans lost five seats in Pennsylvania, four in Connecticut, three in New York, two in Illinois and one each in Maryland, Kentucky, Minnesota, California, Missouri and Ohio.
The 342 candidates definitely elected included 202 Democrats, 138 Republicans, one Progressive and one American Labor Party member. The Democrats have 214 against 212 Republican seats in the present Congress, and need at least 218 for a bare majority.
The Democrats lost one seat in California, when Republican Gordon L. McDonough defeated Democrat Hal Styles for the seat which former Democratic Rep. John M. Costello lost to Mr. Styles in the primary election.
The Democrats shared one notable victory but it will do them no good when the House is organized. Augustus W. Bennet, nominee of the Democratic, American Labor, Liberal and Good Government parties, defeated Republican incumbent Hamilton Fish Jr. (R-NY). A lifelong Republican, he will vote Republican in the House.
Fish won primary
Mr. Bennet unsuccessfully opposed Mr. Fish in the Republican primary.
Of the 292 candidates definitely elected, 189 were Democrats, 101 Republicans, one American Labor and one Progressive.
The House leaders of both parties were reelected. They were Republican Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. (R-MA) and Democratic Leader John W. McCormack (D-MA).
Another Republican loss was Melvin J. Maas (R-MN), ranking GOP member of the House Naval Affairs Committee.
Mr. Maas served on Guadalcanal in this war as a lieutenant colonel of Marines. A sharp critic of the New Deal, he was trailing Democrat Frank Starkey.
Mrs. Luce wins
Mrs. Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT) finally won reelection after trailing Democrat Miss Margaret E. Connors.
Incumbent Democrats were generally winning. Among the closer races was that of Chairman Andrew J. May (D-KY) of the Military Affairs Committee. Incomplete returns showed him running behind Elmer E. Gabbard.
Of the 435 members of the new House, three Republicans were elected in September, and five Republicans, 51 Democrats, mostly in the South, and one American Labor Party candidate were unopposed.
Precedent maintained
The prospects of another Democratic House were in accord with election precedents. Not in 68 years has the party which elected the President lost the House. In every presidential year election since the Civil War, except that of 1916, the President’s own party has increased its House membership.
Four years ago, when Mr. Roosevelt defeated the late Wendell L. Willkie, the Democrats won 268 House seats. This total was cut down in the 1942 election and was further reduced by deaths among Democratic members.
Ham Fish blames Reds, does not regret defeat
Says he waged his strongest fight
Albany, New York (UP) –
Rep. Hamilton Fish Jr., veteran member of Congress and pre-Pearl Harbor isolationist, was defeated for reelection in the 29th Congressional district by Augustus W. Bennet, Democratic and American Labor Party candidate, practically complete returns showed today.
Mr. Bennet had approximately a 5,000-vote lead over Mr. Fish who conceded his defeat, and blamed Communist propaganda.
Mr. Fish said:
I admit, publicly, that my defeat should be largely credited to Communistic and Red forces from New York City backed by a large slush fund probably exceeding $250,000. This slush fund and propaganda had no effect where I was known in Orange County but did succeed in deceiving the people in the three new counties [of the reapportioned district].
I have no regrets whatever as I waged the strongest fight that I knew how.
The one-time isolationist leader and long-time adversary of President Roosevelt said that he was “fearful that the overwhelming election of President Roosevelt is at step toward setting up one-man and one-party government in our own country.
Roosevelt’s county lead nearly 80,000
President’s 1940 figure is sliced
Returns from 1,020 of Allegheny County’s 1,024 election districts gave President Roosevelt a lead approaching 80,000 votes over Governor Dewey and rang up another smashing victory for the President in this Democratic stronghold.
Although Mr. Roosevelt’s margin of victory over his opponent may be about 23,000 votes below his county lead over the late Wendell Willkie in 1940, it blasted the expressed hopes of Republican leaders that they could hold the President to something like a 50,000 plurality.
Returns from 1,020 districts gave:
| Roosevelt | 321,679 |
| Dewey | 243,097 |
The President came out of Pittsburgh with a lead of 54,718, four districts missing, then proceeded to roll up another commanding lead in the third-class cities, boroughs and townships. His Pittsburgh vote, however, was close to 20,000 below that he received in 1940.
Governor Dewey took five city wards away from Roosevelt – the 7th, 19th, 26th, 28th and 29th, but not by sufficient margins to stop the Roosevelt rush, In 1940, Mr. Willkie succeeded in capturing four city wards. The city vote, with four districts missing stood at:
| Roosevelt | 157,367 |
| Dewey | 102,649 |
The Roosevelt lead was amassed in almost every section of the county – not confined to heavily Democratic Pittsburgh and the highly industrial third-class cities, although the latter gave him approximately the same vote as in 1940, with the exception of McKeesport. That city showed a drop of roughly 2,000 votes for both candidates, as compared with its 1940 totals.
In the townships, Mr. Dewey made his best race in Mt. Lebanon, where he handed the President almost a five-to-one beating. Complete returns there gave Dewey 9,803 votes, Roosevelt 2,105.
Township totals showed the following result:
| Roosevelt | 49,926 |
| Dewey | 47,261 |
The Mt. Lebanon vote, however, Was offset by a disappointingly low vote in Wilkinsburg, the county’s largest borough, which has the reputation of going Republican by wide margins. With only two districts missing, Dewey polled 8,217 Votes to Roosevelt’s 4,556. In 1940, Willkie polled 10,183 to the President’s 5,888.
Returns from the boroughs gave:
| Roosevelt | 87,693 |
| Dewey | 79,402 |
Other Democrats lead
Approximately 565,000 ballots were cast in the county – plus an estimated 50,000 soldier ballots – bringing the total to about 615,000, something like 30,000 less than in 1940.
Democratic nominees for state offices also showed an early lead over their Republican opponents on the face of almost complete returns from the county.
U.S. Senator James J. Davis, Republican incumbent, was trailing his Democratic opponent, Francis J. Myers of Philadelphia; Returns from 1,009 districts gave:
| Myers | 310,320 |
| Davis | 240,314 |
Returns from 1,016 districts in the fight between Federal Judge Charles Alvin Jones of Edgeworth, the Democratic choice, and Judge Howard W. Hughes of Washington County, the Republican candidate showed Judge Jones out in front with a comfortable lead.
Returns from 1,016 districts follow:
| Jones | 312,398 |
| Hughes | 239,553 |
Judge Jones is expected to run particularly strong in the county where he has shown unusual strength in past campaigns. He was appointed to his present post on the Federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals by President Roosevelt in 1939. He had previously been a Democratic candidate for Governor in 1938 and for several years served as County Solicitor of Allegheny County.
Run neck and neck
The Democratic candidates for two vacancies on the state’s Superior Court bench were also leading their Republican opponents on returns from 1,016 districts. The two Democratic candidates, Auditor General F. Clair Ross of Butler and Judge Chester H. Rhodes of Stroudsburg, were running well ahead of Common Pleas Court Judge J. Frank Graff of Kittanning and his Republican running mate, former Governor Arthur H. James, now serving on the Superior Court bench by appointment of Governor Edward Martin.
Returns from 1,016 districts of the county showed the following results in the Superior Court fight:
| Ross | 312,375 |
| Rhodes | 306,890 |
| Graff | 234,565 |
| James | 233,257 |
The two Democratic candidates for State Treasurer and Auditor General, the state’s highest fiscal offices, were also showing their heels to their Republican opponents.
Wagner leads
The 1.014 districts reporting gave G. H. Wagner, Democratic candidate for Auditor General, and his opponent, State Senator G. Harold Watkins, Republican of Luzerne County, the following vote:
| Wagner | 306,364 |
| Watkins | 233,382 |
In the contest for State Treasurer, 1,014 districts gave the Democratic nominee, Ramsey S. Black of Harrisburg, a lead over Edgar W. Baird, now City Treasurer of Philadelphia. Available returns show:
| Black | 305,257 |
| Baird | 236,607 |
Weiss leads
Two Democratic incumbent Congressmen were assured of victory. They were Congressman Samuel A. Weiss, of Glassport, who was leading Republican Ray A. Liddle 65,334 to 29,108 in the 33rd district, and Congressman Herman P. Eberharter who was leading Republican Gregory Zatkovich 75,778 to 30,660 in returns from 174 out of 190 districts.
The Congressional race in the 29th, 30th and 31st district were of the neck-and-neck variety. Attorney James G. Fulton was leading incumbent Democrat James A. Wright in returns from 224 of 232 districts in the 31st district.
Backer rushes 5th term protest to Hannegan
Nashville, Tennessee (UP) –
Shortly after Governor Thomas E. Dewey conceded his defeat today, the first protest against a fifth term for President Roosevelt was forwarded to Chairman Robert E. Hannegan of the Democratic National Committee by a four-time FDR supporter.
The protest was sent by Charles L. Andrews, promotion manager for radio station WLAC, an ardent admirer of Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. Andrews declared that he would renege on another term because he believes 16 years in office is enough for any man even though he be a Democrat of unimpeachable character.
Democrats in position to gain three governorships in 31 elections
Returns incomplete in several states
New York (UP) –
Democrats appeared today to be in a position to make a net gain of three and possibly four governorships on the bests of trends indicated in still incomplete returns from yesterday’s election.
Before this election, 26 states had Republican governors; 22 had Democrats. A total of 31 governorships were at stake. In the 17 states where there was no contest, there are 10 Democratic governors and seven Republican.
Democrats were leading in these previously Republican states: Idaho, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio and Washington. Massachusetts seemed certain to elect a Democratic governor – Mayor Maurice J. Tobin of Boston who had a comfortable 44,000-vote lead over Horace T. Cahill.
GOP gains likely
The Republicans may pick up Indiana, North Dakota and Utah, from the Democrats.
There was a stiff battle in Delaware, where Republican incumbent Walter W. Bacon Jed Isaac J. McCollum by only 277 votes in a contest which probably will be decided by the soldier vote now being counted.
Definitely elected were Democratic governors in seven states – Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Republicans were elected in Connecticut, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Vermont. These results represented no change in the party that has been in power.
With heavy polling districts in Illinois still unreported, Republican incumbent Dwight H. Green led Chicago’s Kelly-backed Democrat, Thomas J. Courtney, by 24,000.
In Missouri, Democrat Phil M. Donnelly passed Jean Paul Bradshaw by approximately 15,000 votes in a seesaw battle.
Lausche ahead in Ohio
After a slow start, Cleveland’s Democratic Mayor Frank Lausche Gained steadily and finally edged past the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Mayor James Garfield Stewart of Cincinnati, by a slight count.
Still a tossup was the fiercely fought contest in Indiana where Republican Ralph F. Gates recaptured a slight lead over Senator Samuel D. Jackson.
The soldier vote loomed as the determining factor in Delaware where, with virtually the entire civilian vote counted, Republican Governor Walter W. Bacon held only a slender margin of 277 votes over Democratic Isaac J. McCollum. The soldier ballot will be counted immediately.
Wallgren leads Langlie
In Washington, Democratic Senator Mon C. Wallgren held a 20,000-vote margin over Republican incumbent Arthur B. Langlie.
In Utah, Democratic incumbent Herbert B. Maw trailed by 3,000 votes in a hard fight with J. Bracken Lee.
Conceded were Democratic victories for incumbents in Arizona, Rhode Island and Texas; in Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Indicated was Democrat J. J. Dempsey’s reelection in New Mexico.
In the bag for Republican incumbents were Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska. Vermont and Iowa were definitely in the GOP camp. Prospects were good, also, for GOP incumbents in Wisconsin, South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, and Michigan. North Dakota and New Hampshire, too, were regarded as safe.
7 GOP holdovers
The seven Republican holdovers were New York, New Jersey, Maine (September election), Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California and Oregon.
Previously sewed up for the Democrats were 10 states – Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Maryland, Virginia, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Nevada.
Insiders believe –
Simms: Roosevelt should accept de Gaulle’s invitation now
Visit to France considered imperative to save blowup that would peril Europe’s future
By William Philip Simms, Scripps-Howard foreign editor
…
Gracie Allen Reporting
By Gracie Allen
Hollywood, California –
Well, the election is over and it’s high time we started thinking about who our next President is going to be. I’m in a hurry because Professor Hooton of Harvard says that it is entirely possible that a woman might become President of this country.
Let’s get started, girls, there are only 1,461 shopping days until the next election.
On the other hand, maybe we shouldn’t be too flattered. Professor Hooton is an authority on apes.
Besides, where are we going to find a woman with the brain, ability, personal charm and integrity necessary for the job of Vice President? And after that, where are we going to find a Vice President to run with me?
North Dakota’s Nye, leading Senate isolationist, looks like a goner
Republicans hold own elsewhere in U.S.
New York (UP) –
The Senate’s leading Republican isolationist, Gerald P. Nye (R-ND), was apparently headed for retirement today according to late returns which showed his Democratic opponent, Governor John Moses, rolling up a 13,000-vote lead.
Returns from 595 of the state’s 2,254 precincts gave Moses 33,588 to Nye’s 20,920. Independent Lynn U. Stambaugh, whose campaign apparently split the Republican vote to bring about Nye’s defeat, had received 7,244 votes on last returns.
Elsewhere in the country, the GOP was just holding its own in the Senate, where it now has 37 of the 96 seats.
Other losses balanced
If the present trend continues, the Senate rollcall will still read 58 Democrats, 37 Republicans and 1 Progressive when the 79th Congress convenes in January.
The likely loss of the North Dakota seat by the Republicans, the conceded defeat of Senator John A. Danaher (R-CT) by Democrat Brien McMahon, and the poor showing of Senator James J. Davis (R-PA) were counterbalanced by apparent gains in Indiana, Iowa and New Jersey.
The Connecticut tally gave Danaher 390,553 to McMahon’s 428,757. In Pennsylvania, Davis was trailing 1,636,130 to 1,650,370 for Democrat Francis J. Myers, but 210,000 soldier votes remain to be counted Nov, 22.
GOP gains in Midwest
GOP gains apparently were rolling up in Indiana, where Republican Homer E. Capehart was leading Democratic Governor Henry F. Schricker, 529,036 to 518,085, with 2,534 of the state’s 4,016 precincts reporting.
The Republican candidate in Iowa, Governor Bourke B. Hickenlooper, was elected over Democratic Senator Guy M. Gillette.
In New Jersey, Republican H. Alexander Smith was leading Democrat Elmer H. Wene, 728,806 to 650,336, with 2,723 of 3,647 precincts reporting.
Meanwhile, Southern Democrats, as expected, won easily with Senators Lister Hill (D-AL), Claude Pepper (D-FL), Walter F. George (D-GA) and John Overton (D-LA) being reelected, and Clyde R. Hoey (D-NC) and Olin D. Johnston (D-SC) going to the Senate for the first time.
Barkley wins early
Senator Alben W. Barkley (D-KY), Senate Democratic leader, won early, and Senator Millard E. Tydings (D-MD) loped in to win shortly afterward.
Senator Elbert D. Thomas (D-UT) won after lagging earlier behind Republican Adam S. Bennion.
Vermont’s Senator George D. Aiken was the first Republican to get under the reelection wire after 11 Democrats had already won their races. Mr. Aiken had 65,198 to 32,092 for Democrat Harry W. Witters when 231 out of 288 precincts reported.
Morse leading
Republican Wayne L. Morse, the labor conciliator who asked for and received CIO support after he had beaten Senator Rufus C. Holman in the primaries, was leading Democrat Edgar W. Smith in Oregon, 67,888 to 39,458 and appeared safe.
Senator Robert F. Wagner (D-NY) seesawed through much of the night to lead Republican Thomas J. Curran, 2,816,870 to 2,216,525, early today.
Democratic incumbents appearing to hold safe leads were:
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CALIFORNIA: Senator Sheridan Downey reelected over Republican Frederick F. Houser.
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ILLINOIS: Senator Scott W. Lucas, 1,374,009 to 1,091,847 for Republican Richard J. Lyons.
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NEVADA: Senator Pat McCarran, reelected over Republican George W. Malone.
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OKLAHOMA: Senator Elmer Thomas, 273,850 to 215,578 for Republican W. J. Otjen.
Republican incumbents with apparently safe leads were:
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KANSAS: Senator Clyde M. Reed, 56,648 to 45,888 for Democrat Thurman Hill.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE: Senator Charles W. Tobey, 91,342 to 86,423 for Democrat Joseph J. Betley.
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OHIO: Senator Robert A. Taft, 426,250 to 388,510 for Democrat William G. Pickrel.
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SOUTH DAKOTA: Senator Chan Gurney, 39,812 to 21,485 for Democrat George W. Bradshaw.
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WISCONSIN: Senator Alexander R. Wiley, 79,742 to 36,414 for Democrat Howard J. McMurray.
Lagging reports from Massachusetts, where little more than a sixth of the vote was counted, gave Republican Leverett C. Saltonstall 180,877 to 93,356 for Democrat John H. Corcoran.
Missouri’s race remained close when 4,207 of the state’s 4,543 precincts gave Democrat Roy McKittrick 680,938 against 680,696 for Republican Forrest C. Donnell.
Drys beaten by 3–1 in Nebraska
Fear of new taxes among factors
Omaha, Nebraska (UP) –
A proposal to return prohibition to Nebraska went down to a resounding defeat today as a general statewide anti-prohibition sentiment rolled up a three-to-one majority against the measure.
Returns from 1,390 of the state’s 2,026 precincts showed 258,636 votes against the proposal, and 86,851 for it.
Opponents of the proposal said distrust of the effectiveness of dry laws, resentment against the proposal’s presentation in wartime and apprehension over new or increased taxes to replace liquor revenues caused the proposal’s defeat.
Helen Gahagan in growing lead
Hollywood, California (UP) –
Democratic glamor girl Helen Gahagan Douglas took a growing lead in incomplete returns in the 14th district today over Republican William D. Campbell for election to Thomas F. Ford’s House of Representatives seat.
The actress, boosted by Hollywood liberals and the CIO as competition for Republican Clare Boothe Luce, was leading Campbell 37,272 to 34,271 in the latest returns, with 371 of the district’s 606 precincts still to report.
Mrs. Douglas, wife of film star Melvyn Douglas, now an Army major stationed in India, won the nomination in the May primary after Mr. Ford declined to run.
Roosevelt victory pleases British
London, England (UP) –
Early editions of London afternoon newspapers bannered the reelection of President Roosevelt and carried editorials hailing his victory.
“…We in Britain can congratulate President Roosevelt for a triumph that makes American history,” the Evening News said in an editorial titled “Still on the Bridge.”
The Star stressed that Americans had given President Roosevelt an “unmistakable mandate for action beyond the fighting. They decided that he is the man to guide them both in the making of peace and the return to peace conditions.”
The Evening Standard paid tribute to President Roosevelt as the leader of an allied nation to whom Britain is linked by blood ties.
Moscow hails early vote returns in U.S.
Moscow, USSR (UP) –
Early election returns showing President Roosevelt leading in 32 states caused satisfaction here.
The Russians are primarily interested in whether or not recent trends in American foreign policy will continue or will be interrupted.
Pravda, the Communist Party newspaper, is the only newspaper which appears on Tuesday and it came out late in order to include New York dispatches reporting the preliminary results of the young.
Army News Service covers the election
New York (UP) –
The Army News Service maintained a 30-man staff around the clock to send full election results to U.S. troops in war theaters throughout the world.
ANS sent 25,000 words by radio and 25,000 by cable to Army newspapers and radios in London, Rome, Paris, Alaska, Australia, Cairo and China.
Full bulletin service was maintained throughout the night. Today, ANS will send the results of all state elections.
G.I.’s give ‘priority’ to election news
San Francisco, California (UP) –
The Army Signal Corps, broadcasting the nightly communiqué from Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters at Leyte, the Philippines, interspersed its reading of war bulletins with the frequent reminder to its San Francisco outlet: “Please don’t hesitate to interrupt us if you have some election news.