Newark post., 1921-08-31

even gaudy and sensational Exaggerate and
color stories, play up gossip, scandal, murder
anything to appeal to the human fraity
was the trend. Increased circulation meant
increased advertising. Editorial policies
were dictated in the Directors Rooms follow
ing recommendation of the Advertising
Manager. Pictorial Supplements, Colored
Funnies, Fake Stories followed. The Editor
of the Old Day left and the Rewrite and Muck
Raker appeared. No longer were Facts of
the News Columns interpreted in the Editor
ial Column they were distorted in the stories
themselves.
This period is now passing away and we
are entering into the day of political, social
and economic propaganda press. Political
leaders, social organizations and big busi-
ness have seen the tremendous power eXerted
by the Advertiser of the Commercial Press
and have seized it for their own use. They are
moulding Public Opinion by propaganda and
are keeping it under control by suppression.
Even the little country weekly sees and feels
the trend There is enough material passing
over our desk every week to fill the paper.
Not only do these articles come for our news
columns but the editorials are furnished in
terpreting that news. From every field of
activity, political, civic, social, educational,
religious and economic-all are either con-
trolling the press or trying to crowd it's
columns with their interpretations This is
going on in every activity we know both ma
tionally and locally. Much of this, they would
claim, is better written than what would
otherwise appear This is probably true.
We will admit that it is. But it is written
from their point of view, interpretative of
their own work and in that loses it's value
from the readers standpoint.
The propaganda sheet is bad but it's life
promises to be short. Departments of Gov
ernment, National and State, sending out
their Releases" written as coming from
reporters observation will not last long.
Creel of War Publicity went too far and the
Public and few Independent Editors are
sickened with this machine-praise news.
But the great danger today is the sup
preston of news or the tip to the editor not
to make any comment. Official Departments
of State, Organizations, Big Business are
daring to decide just what is safe for the
Public to know. To suppress story of
public interest involving public welfare is to
our mind the great sin of the Press today,
''To sin by Silence,
When we should protest.
is supreme cowardice The man or men,
with either good or evil intent, who by per-
suasion or threat throttles the press by sup
pressing news of public concern or prevents
honest editorial comment, is not in keeping
with our standards of American citizenship.
Blackmail, slander and exaggeration are bad
enough but not so damnable as subtle sup
preston. The man who requests honestly
and with good intent (and this is often the
case) the suppression of news of the public's
business is assuming very grave and seri-
Gus responsibility. Self appointed Censors
of the Worlds News are relics of War Day
emergencies and have no rightful place in
Peaceful Progress.
Better that news be i'll written and edi-
tors silent or foolish than controlled or die
tated to.
Never was the Press more needed than
today Never had it more power. The Public
wants the news as Facts and appreciates the
Truth which is an Interpretation of those
facts The control should be from the Throne
and not by the power behind it.