The Pittsburgh Press (August 27, 1944)
General promised Socialists’ time
New York (UP) – (Aug. 26)
Maj. Gen. F. H. Osborn, director of the Information and Educational Division of the Army Service Forces, was the officer who promised the Socialist Party radio time for an overseas broadcast equal to that of President Roosevelt’s Bremerton speech.
Harry Fleischman, Socialist Party secretary, said Gen. Osborn made his promise in a letter to him dated Aug. 21, and referred him to Capt. Albert E. Gibson of the Army Service Forces here for assistance.
Mr. Fleischman said Gen. Osborn’s letter was in answer to Socialist Party claims that Mr. Roosevelt’s speech was political and therefore the Socialist Party was entitled to rebuttal time. Gen. Osborn suggested that “in order to comply with your request under the terms of Law Title V” the party should draw up a 38-minute script, the exact length of the President’s, which would be given free time, Mr. Fleischman said.
Mr. Fleischman said:
This letter is in direct contradiction to the statement of Paul Porter [public relations chief of the Democratic Party] that the Army’s classification [as political] of the President’s speech at Bremerton was made by a lieutenant and therefore unofficial.