Listen now: One Segment [1]
This program memorializes the late George Seldes, arguably America’s premier investigative reporter. When he passed away at the age of 104 on July 2, 1995, Seldes left behind a legacy of hard-hitting, fearless, relevant, informed and informing writing. His work paved the way for investigative reporters and political scientists investigating the corporate machinations underlying both American and international political, economic and cultural life. One of the earliest and most visible critics of Mussolini’s fascist state in Italy, Seldes risked his life in a confrontation with Il Duce in which he exposed, among other things, the profound American corporate and journalistic support for Mussolini’s “corporate state.” Those political and economic interests were instrumental in attempts to suppress Army Fact Sheet Number 64. This fact sheet informed frontline U.S. troops on how to recognize fascists (including those powerful, pro-fascist elements in the United States that had collaborated with Hitler and Mussolini.) Seldes was one of the few journalists to cover the story of the active attempts to block both distribution and journalistic coverage of the Fact Sheet. This segment sets forth Seldes’ account of those attempts. The program also documents an attempt to court-martial Major General Smedley Butler for allegedly slandering Mussolini. Butler had foiled attempts by powerful American corporate fascists to overthrow Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a fascist coup in 1934. The excerpt was read, coincidentally, on the day that Seldes passed away. The following evening (7/3/95), Mr. Seldes’ obituary was read into the record at the conclusion of Mr. Emory’s broadcast on another station. (Recorded on 7/2/95 and 7/3/95.)