Johnson Has Lost Control Of Viet News—Editor Says
President Johnson has tried to get a firmer grip on the outflow of news. However, he has done quite badly in this attempt. Turner Catledge, executive editor of the New York Times, said in an interview Thursday.
"Johnson has not succeeded to control the news except to the extent of managing what the news is made of. He can sometimes control events, but once those events occur, he can not control the news of them," Catledge said.
"I HAVE A relaxed attitude about all this," he continued, "We expect an effort by the administration to manage the news, but it is more annoying than it is effective. When the government began releasing those phony figures of casualties during the first part of the Viet Nam War, we, as well as other newspapers, sent our own men into the field to get the real figures."
Catledge added that it would be difficult for him to compare the degree of news management in the Johnson administration with that in other administrations, because he is not as familiar with the situations and policies of past administrations. He pointed out that it would also be difficult to compare the news coverage of World War II with that of the Viet Nam War.
"World War II was an all-out war, and we expected a great degree of censorship. To my, however, we have not cerorship but propaganda. The emjssis which the government places on news today seems to be one of value and not truth. The best thing we can do is to tell our readers exactly what we are up against, and then let them decide for themselves on the issue. We have run a few stories to this effect," he said.
Catie commented on the effectiveness of the various peace movements on today's college campuses. He said the press does not overplay these demonstrations, and he thinks they are worthwhile as a means of communication for these people.
"THE PEOPLE involved in these peace movements are given a chance to express themselves. I'm not sure how effective they are. But I'm all for hell raising when it doesn't get out of hand. I've done some of my own. I guess I just like to raise hell sometimes, and I think this is what many of these people are doing," he said.
Catledge said he is very gratified by what college journalism schools are doing today. He said
Campus Hears Classic Pieces
The fall concert of the Little Symphony orchestra and the senior recital of Marnie Hall, violinist from Topeka, headline next week's music schedule at KU.
The Little Symphony, a group of faculty and advanced students led by Dean Thomas Gorton of the School of Fine Arts, will play at 8 p.m., Wednesday (Dec. 8) in Swarthout Recital Hall. Its program includes a Divertimento by Mozart, Pelleas and Melisande by Sibelius and Symphony No. 1 by Davison.
MISS HALL, WHO has been a member of the Kansas City Phil-harmonic the last three years, will appear at 8 p.m. Monday (Dec. 6). A 1960 graduate of the high school in Clay Center, she is the daughter of Mrs. Edith M. Hall, 2915 Michigan, Topeka.
Miss Hall in 1962 received the Pi Kappa Lambda citation as the outstanding sophomore music major at K.U. She was a member of the K.U. Symphony and the Little Symphony orchestra. Her teacher is Prof. Karel Blaas. She also has studied with Clyde Jussilia of Manhattan and Tiberius Klausner, concertmaster of the Philharmonic.
they are becoming more and more alert by bringing into journalism more liberal arts courses and more opportunity for specialized studies. To be just a vocational school is not enough, he explained.
"HOWEVER, opportunities for journalism graduates will be very good," he added. "The newspaper business is on the upswing, and it is sitting in a healthy financial position. Pay is going to get better because it must in order for a newspaper to meet the competition of better quality and more specialization."
"If a man graduates from a journalism school and comes to me for a job with the New York Times, that is one thing. On the other hand, if a man graduates in the liberal arts area with a major in Spanish, for example, this man has something concrete to offer," Catledge said.
The 64-year-old Catledge has been with the New York Times for 36 years. It would be impossible to recall the most memorable event or story which he had worked on, because all stories and events connected with his journalism career are important, he said.
For relaxation and enjoyment Catledge said he likes to rest, read, and play golf. He usually roads in spurs, he said. One week he may read two or three books. Then it may be two or three weeks before he touches another book, he said. Catledge enjoys history most, and said this is the reason he likes journalism.
"Journalism is instant history. When I publish the report of the news each day, I like to think of it as fitting in the general stream of history. I think it does," he said.
12 Daily Kansan Friday, December 3, 1965
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