Iditarod pioneer., 1915-05-29
A FREE PRESS

Among the most highly przed and most ealouy guarded rights of American citizenship and which has been handed down common inheritance all ngshpeakng naons that of free Free speech and free have made possible the u deve opmen of democratic and been the of efecng reforms which otherwise would have been impossible which least would have been for delayed true that the freedom of press has often been ause but comparison to the benefits mankind conferred by the right publicly discuss pubc questions
 without fear of official these abuses have been insignificant It probable that the statement that the freedom of the III America growing menace will come surprise 10 most people, and the further statement that there more real freedom of the press Germany (under strict censorship than in this country will be sincerely doubted
 Frank Koester who IS mentioned the author of Modern City Planning and Maintenance and other works of technical character in ciatrbe the Responsibility of the Press The Fatheand American newspaper public without fear of o the bae In Germany 1 fas statements s p public wbdraTns % n p ~R ne @ % " sboud m y % be, % 1 ren te % @ be Tn5ei States growing menace to the freedom @ the nd % q the Iu0 h ae ] new" @ m regarded in allowed out of bounds the government may order one more % spref or suppression for @ nnG m he ] m tne ] ] o0 ] m may b g %9 % % m ] e M s m g @ rne, feel itself ggn @ Asa As r et there ] more @ I M D ] @ 0 Se 5 5 b % H pollution of public to which the readers of American newspapers are Now the very foundation upon which free press stands that the publishers be responsible for the statements which they give ueance If libel be perpeaed the publisher may be mucted of monetary damages and imprisoned If treason be osered he amenabe the laws dealing with such subjects What boon would be the interruptions and corrupt politicians of the United States they should control Of the government to have the German censorship system vogue the United States to be able without moments notice suspend the publication of newspaper perodcal Supposng such government attacked by newspaper lad bare he could onscate the edition containing such disclosures and put stop further True the aggreved publisher might according the German formula appeal to the courts but the mischief might already be done which had tried and will be small sat sfacon be allowed publication after the corruphons plans are conated And the threat of just such disturbances to the publishers business would operate eectuay put him peey the mercy of the and the government behind him. is not likely such system could become popular the United States.
 But there occasions when free America would seem that the freedom of the press abused and the publication which an Mr. Koesters euson garing example of it. The Fatheand which devoted flair play for Germany and Austria Hungary and believed be the mouhpece of the German government s country, least of its prominent repre- entatyes unbded refectng the head of this which newspaper Germany would dare to utter with refer the kaiser and his It would be looked ndecae say the least if publication dedicated to flair play for America attribute criminal the President and his cabinet and him of cowardc the following from The Fatherland:
 Mir the light of the moral idea
 
 fuel O rightly his deserts him He does not dare the against the Pow' pr6b o n asks the sake of hegtmatc profit T3ut he Fresden o be is n class Strong language, indeed for publication that deprecaes free press and IS devoted to far play"