The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-07-11
WHY NOT ESSENTIAL!


Provost Marshal General CrOwder re-
Gently issued an order to the effect
that newspapers were not an essential
industry in the conduct of the war.
and, therefore, the employees of Il news
paper were not entitled to deferred
classification under the law. The word
"enploye," construed literally, means
every one in IL newspaper office. from
the Office boy. or devil" to the man
aging editor and the proprietor. OF
course only those within the draft age
are meant. But, if these are taken, 1t |
will cause the suspension OF many |
newspapers. especially the country |
papers which are published by one or
two men. 1t would also impair the
usefulness of many others-in fact.
nearly all the newspapers in the United
States.
But the Provost Marshal General
says that newspapers are none essen
tial" in war. He certainly believes
that the publication of the almost num-
herless circular letters sent to the
newspapers by the Government for
publication are essential" Quite a
number come from his office marked
please publish in your next issue"
This would seem that he does COLI
slider that the newspaper is at least OF
some benefit to the Government. and,
therefore. is an industrial enterprise,
and, perhaps. not "non-essential.' Ii
the newspapers are put out of exist
ence by this order. or their efficiency
seriously impaired. very few, if any, of
his orders can in the future be pub
lishel Nor those from all the other
Government departments and bureaux.
including the y. nj. &. A. and the Red
Cross.
On the contrary. Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo does believe that
the newspapers of the country are
essential and that the newspaper Is
an industrial enterprise necessary to
the war" In telegram to the Ameri-
can Newspaper Publishers Association
he said in reference to the floating of
the Third Liberty Loan:
These loans could not have succeed
ed without the support of the newsla-
pers, and it gives me great pleasure to
make this acknowledgment. An en-
lightencd public opinion is the chief
asset of Il democracy BY keeping the
people of America informed Oh public
events and transmitting word Of the
financial and other needs Of the Gov
eminent the American newspapers have
performed public and mcalSulable
service to the nation. know that the
service will be continued and that the
newspapers will do their full share in
assisting America to win the war for
democracy and justice
The newspapers throughout the
country published these advertisements
and their publication did not cost the
Government one dollar In addition.
the newspapers more recently publish
ell advertisements of "War-Savings
Stamp Day" and without cost to the
Government.
Nor is this all. The newspapers pub
fish. free of charge. daily and weekly,
circular letters and orders from every
governmental department, including
the Provost Marshal Generals. from
every local official, from the Red Cross
and the Y. NJ. {. A., etc. and for all this
the newspaper does not charge one
penny. If the newspaper is mon
essential in the conduct Of the war.
why do all these governmental depart
ments send their orders and circular
lnttn 70 VT IN, mi s,..C
publish in your next issue?" 1t costs
the Government Il great deal. no doubt
to prepare these documents for publ.
cation - in hiring writer's, typeists
Taper. etc But the newspaper is not
paid for publishing them: and. ne
doubt many of those employees are OIL
the deferred classification list" and
certainly not considered as "non-essen
tial.'
During the past week the Banner
has received from the governmental
and state departments about enough
material to fill its four pages. But II
was necessary to use the pruning knife
in order to publish news and thus make
tue paper essential to its readers
We shall continue to give each week al
the space possible to the Government
and the state and local organizations
and without charge. But we do Object
to being classed as 'nOn-essential, es
pecially in view of what we have done
and ut the request of the Government
and without charge.
As to deferred classification" we d
not ask it, nor is it likely that thu
editors throughout the country desire
it. The newspaper fraternity Is ~
largely represented in the Army. pro
portionately. ats any other trade or pro
fesSion. and others will 20 from time t.
time as the occasion requires, frrespec
tive of any classification. deferred Of
otherwise.
ARE INUSEMENTS ESSENTIAL.