Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-10-10
AMERICANISM VIES. POSE OF
THE PRESS
, (By John Bush)

"You can fool some of the people
all the time, and all of the people
some of the time, but you can not
fool all the people all the time" This
remark, attributed to Lincoln, in view
of the rapid increasing sentiment of
the public impugning the pose of the
perfdious press is beftting to the
situation. The true principles OF
Americanism are those so distinctly
ordained by the fearless founders of
the nation.
There may be controversy regard
ing the literal meaning of Article X
of Great Britain's constitution to en-
force her subsection throughout the
world, but there can be no cause for
argument relative to the meaning of
any article in the Declaration OF In
dependence or the Constitution of the
United States. These two wonderful
documents are a Specification of dem
ocracy. Democracy is government in
which the sovereign powers are eXer-
cised by all the people or large num-
Der of them, and where there is equal
ity of rights without hereditary or
arbitrary differences in rank or PRIV
ilege, and is distinguished from al1s-
tocracy.
Here shall the press the peoples
,,iCrI,+C ~ i11taip
Unaw'd by influence and unbrib'd by
gain;
Here patriot Truth her glorious pre-
cepts draw,
Pledged to religion, liberty, and law.
These beautiful lines were written
by Joseph Story, the American jurist,
in 1911, and undoubtedly expressed
the fond hope and intent Of the peo-
pie in his time.
One of the largest newspapers,
owned by Lord Northcliffe, which pro-
notes England's aspirations in the
| United States, recently asserted 1t
ought to be the source of patriotic
pride to all newspapers to realize
! that more newspaper men were IN
the ranks of war, in proportion to
numbers in the profession, than from
any other calling. They preach dem
ocracy and then shoulder gun to
make it safe.
No doubt many of the underpaid
employees served in the war. But
when these men came home they
found the cost of living at such an
altitude that it was necessary to de-
mand greater compensation for their
labor and in numerous cases they
were forced to strike to obtain ltv-
ing wage, and the public is not un-
mindful of the efforts some news
papers made to intimidate, humiliate
and retard the efforts of organized
labor to secure a just reward for
these same men.
One of our local daily papers re-
Gently printed the following:
"The success of a community de-
pends upon its organized life, upon
its schools, churches, fraternal soci-
eties and improvements and business
associations. No community can ad-
vance unless it has such societies
working actively for the upbuilding
of the place. But these societies can
not thrive unless they have the inter-
est and support of the people. This
interest and support will not be given
unless there is a live newspaper in
the town to report the work of these
organizations and keep these causes
constantly before the public"
This same newspaper has on num-
erous occasions refused to publish
articles of interest to the labor or
ganizations in the city which rep
resent the majority Of those who sup
port the societies and associations to
whom they are so anxious to render
service, but is ever ready to print
articles which tend to mar the repu-
tation of labor in the city. 1t also
frequently devotes much space in en-
deavoring to impress upon the busi-
ness men the benefit Of advertising in
their columns. What benefit would
they realize if it were not for the
purchasing power of labor? If this
paper, like others Of its type, is
preaching democracy then Noah Web
ster had the wrong conception of the
word.
If these newspapers continue try
ing to keep the public intoxicated
with~their subterfuge they are going
to reap the fruits of intoXication.
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
Z L II.