NEW YORK, (UP). The federal communications commission investigated a radio program which caused thousands of persons in every part of teh country to believe that the eastern United States had been invaded by creatures from the planet Mars in the first engagement of a "war of the world."
DES MOINES, (UP). Senator Herring, (d., Ia.), said that the confusion caused by the radio dramatization "War of the Worlds" was evidence radio needs "control by the government."
He said he had prepared a bill for introduction at the next session of congress, which would give the federal communications commission authority to pass on every radio program before its presentation.
LONDON, (AP). H. G. Wells, whose "War of the Worlds" furnished the basis of the broadcast which spread alarm in the United States Sunday night, said that it was "implicit" in the agreement for selling the radio rights that any broadcast would clearly "be fiction and not news." The novelist added that he gave no permission whatever for alterations which might lead to the belief that the broadcast material was real news.
NEW YORK, (AP). Orson Welles, in behalf of the Mercury theater issued the following statement: "Orson Welles, in behalf of the Mercury theater of the air, is deeply regretful to learn that the H. G. Wells fantasy, "War of the Worlds," which was designed as entertainment, has caused some apprehension among Columbia network listeners.
"Far from expecting the radio audience to take the program as fact rather than as a fictional presentation, we feared that the classic H. G. Wells story, which has served as inspiration for so many moving pictures, radio serials and even comic strips might appear too old fashioned for modern consumption. We can only suppose that the special nature of radio, which is often heard in fragments, or in parts disconnected from the whole, has led to this misunderstanding."
Frank P. McNinch, chairman of the commission, asked the broadcasting company to furnish the commission with an electrical recording of the broadcast, as well as a copy of the script.
"I shall request prompt consideration of this matter by the commission," he said in Washington. "I withhold final judgment until later, but any broadcast that creates such general panic and fear as this one is reported to have done is, to say the least regrettable.
"The widespread public reaction to this broadcast, as indicated by the press, is another demonstration of the power and force of radio and points out again the serious public responsibility of those who are licensed to operate the station."
Commissioner T. A. M. Craven said, "The commission should proceed with great caution so as not to take any action which would impede radio's being used for development of the dramatic arts."
Warning against any attempt at "censoring what shall or shall not be said of the radio," he added: "I do not believe isolated instances of poor service necessarily constitute grounds for the revocation of the license of a station. This does not apply to criminal offenses."
Jacques Chambrun, literary representative for H. G. Wells, said the famous British author was "deeply concerned" that the radio dramatization of his book should have spread alarm in the country. Chambrun said Wells cabled him from London Monday morning, declaring that "the Columbia Broadcasting System and Mr. Orson Welles have far overstepped their rights in the matter x x x and should make a full retraction."
He said Wells cabled that the radio dramatization was made "with a liberty that amounts to a complete rewriting" and made Wells' novel into "an entirely different story."