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83 An Overview of Horton’s Autonomous Division of Information March–December 1941 T he “rules” of government public relations (as described in the introduction ) were pretty clear in their application for times of peace and times of war. Only neutral information in peacetime, some persuasive communications permitted in wartime or comparable national emergencies. But things got difficult when it was neither, or, perhaps more precisely, both. A world war was raging; the United States was legally neutral, definitely not in a constitutional state of war, but something of an active noncombatant favoring one side. For that reason, Horton’s work during this time was the most difficult and tricky (in both meanings of the word). The world war had begun on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland (and the Soviet Union followed later in the month). So, strictly speaking, Horton had been operating in this delicate environment during the second half of his time at the Maritime Commission, although the agency was somewhat distanced from the center of the action. Then, his work at NDAC in 1940 was dominated by Roosevelt’s political career, first his coyness as to whether he would run for an unprecedented third term and then the campaign itself. Therefore, there is greater clarity regarding the complex public environment for practicing government PR in the period after the November 1940 election until Pearl Harbor in early December 1941. Given the significance of this thirteen-month stretch, this narrative divided the period into two. The first portion covered the postelection winter of 1940–41, when DOI became affiliated with the Office of Production Management (see chap. 3). This chapter and the next cover the second part, from March to December 1941, when DOI was more formally an independent agency within the Office for Emerchapter 4 84 Promoting the War Effort gency Management (OEM). During this period, there was an onrush of major developments in the war situation (even though the United States was still, formally, at peace), which in turn affected domestic developments (see table 4). Horton was again tiptoeing through a political minefield, trying to stretch DOI’s persuasion-oriented work to the limits without triggering major backlash from FDR’s isolationist and conservative opponents. In particular, he needed to keep a close eye on Capitol Hill and the media, stakeholders who were preternaturally opposed to government PR, whether in war, peace, or anything in between. President Roosevelt Establishes DOI as an Independent Agency within OEM From the beginning of his presidency, Roosevelt was attuned to the importance of public relations. Not just public relations by him and the White House press secretary, but by the federal government at large. In a 1939 radio interview hosted by Lowell Mellett, he explained his rationale: “It seems to me important that before the people pass on the size of, or the question of Table 4 Events when Horton headed the Division of Information (before Pearl Harbor) Time Period International Domestic March– December 6, 1941 Rommel attacks in North Africa; Germany invades Yugoslavia, then Greece, then Soviet Union; United Kingdom retreats from Crete; Japan and Soviet Union sign neutrality treaty; Churchill and FDR meet off Newfoundland , declare Atlantic Charter; German submarines attack US Navy destroyers Greer, Kearny, and Reuben James; Japan masses troops in Indochina; British counteroffensive in North Africa. FDR signs Lend-Lease bill; declares unlimited state of national emergency; Congress approves request for $7 billion in military credit to United Kingdom for Lend-Lease; United States seizes Axis ships in US harbors; extends its naval protection to Greenland; occupies Iceland as forward base for shipping; extends aid to Soviet Union; freezes Japanese assets in United States; cuts off oil shipments to Japan; Congress renews draft by one-vote margin; permits arming of US merchant vessels; FDR permits Navy to “shoot on sight” German submarines in Atlantic; United States occupies Dutch Guiana. 85 An Overview of Horton’s Autonomous Division of Information continuing, these functions [that is, new government programs] they should have an opportunity to obtain some factual information about them. The people, through Congress, have the right, at any time, to end any individual function , to increase it, or to add new functions. That is why knowledge of what Government does today is of such great importance.”1 For FDR, robust public relations in public administration was an inherent part of democracy, accountability , and decision making. Simultaneously, it was also, of course, very beneficial politically. Public relations continued to be on Roosevelt’s mind...

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