The Pittsburgh Press (October 20, 1944)
Speech time is increased by Roosevelt
President doesn’t want radio shut off
Washington (UP) –
President Roosevelt disclosed at his news conference today that the time for his foreign policy speech in New York tomorrow night has been extended from 30 to 45 minutes.
The President’s radio time will be from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m. EWT.
The address will be broadcast over KDKA and KQV.
Mr. Roosevelt said this did not mean he was going to speak for 45 minutes – that it was just a precaution to see that he was not cut off the air.
He said he was sorry the broadcast of Orson Welles’ talk before the New York Herald-Tribune Forum was cut off before Welles had completed his address, because he was listening to the actor who was speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive’s reelection.
Asked about future speaking dates, the President said it looks like rain and a 50-mile gale for his tour of New York City tomorrow morning, and he remarked that that was not cheerful.
He would not say anything about reports that he will speak in Chicago.
Dewey statement contested
Meantime, the State Department, contesting Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s statement on Russian surrender terms for Romania, said in a formal statement that the United States participated “at all stages in the formulation of the armistice agreement.”
Governor Dewey said Wednesday night that the day after the armistice was signed, “the Secretary of State of the United States declined to comment on the ground that the terms had not been received from Moscow in time to study.”
The State Department said that when Secretary Hull told a news conference Sept. 13 that the Romanian armistice had been agreed to and indicated that he had not received its contents, “he, of course, referred to the final official text… the definitive text was received later the same day and immediately released to the press.”