Evening star., 1921-10-28
Editorial Digest
The Right to Criticise.

Ihe Right to CrltlclSe.
Immunity from criticism has never
been a prerogative of public officials
of this country, and any hope they
may have been entertaining that the
mayor Of Chicago was going to Sc
cure it for them by muzzling Chicago
papers has gone glimmering. Instead
a judicial decision has reaffirmed the
principle that criticism is not only
the privilege but the duty of the
public press. and editors are accord
ingly rejoicing that another "inso-
lent attack on the constitutional free
dom of the press" to quote the Phil
adelphia Bulletin independent repub-
lican), has only succeeded, as the
Kansas City Star independently OBJ
serves, lin making that principle
more secure"
city government to avenge itself
upon a newspaper critic by a libel
suit has failed completely" the Bos-
ton Herald independent republican,
reports. and the principles involved
in the decision "are nation wide
The suit brought by Mayor Thompson
in the name of the city. asking for
SIC. 100000 damages against the Chi
cago Tribune and the Chicago News
for injury to the credit of the mu-
nicipal corporation" was evidently
intended, the Herald believes, ito si-
lence criticism in the press and on
the platform" \ successful outcome
of such an issue, involving "A penalty
Large enough to wreck any news
paper property" would make any
thing like fair and frank criticism
of municipal administration impos-
sible." But, as the Seattle Times Gn-
dependenD notes, the court prop
| erly' held that such criticism lis
within the rightful purview of the
press and that newspaper comment
dealing with governmental conditions
could not be curtailed without
these publications"
| The action which the Thompson ad-
ministration. 'enraged by the pub
lication of too much truth, as the
Duluth Herald independently puts it.
brought against its critics was, in
deed. in the opinion of the Columbia,
IS. c., Record (democratic). 'one of
the most vicious assaults upon the
freedom of the press ever launched
| in the United States" and in hit
ting straight from the shoulder" in
an unequivocal defense Of that tradi-
| tional American right, the Great
Falls. Mont. Leader republican,
| thinks Judge Fisher, who wrote the
decision. has earned the thanks of
every honest citizen and every hon
est ne" SpdpeT OF tne DnlLeQ states.
The principal defendant in the case
also believes that "citizens through
out the country will realize
that the decision is a noteworthy as
sert!on of American constitutional
right" even though amy comment by
the Tribune may be discounted be
cars" of our selfish interest"
! While the effort to impair the
! right of the press to criticise public
Oats was ooid Strunc. Ia"
| Nashville Tennessean independent
democratic) thinks lit is just as well
| that il was taken and made the sub
| ject of judicial determination" II
men holding Office could make it i'm
possible for the press to criticise their
| offlcial acts, the result. as the Hart
! would be that this country
| would not long remain free" for. as
| the Philadelphia Public Ledger Gnde-
| pendent says, no matter how cor
rupt. how dangerous or sinister anv
! official might be, he would be able
| to use the power of the municipality
! IN hiding his crookedness and infirm-
| ities. With the taxpayers money he
! could prosecute any taxpayer who
publicly questioned his >rookedness"
IF the press of this COUNTRY has
\ any particular right to exist" that
! right, the Dayton News fdemocratic)
declares, lis centered in the privilege
! of being plain spoken" And lit is
not only the privilege but the duty
of newspapers in the opinion of the
Birmingham Age Herald independent
democratic). TO attack what they
| believe to be the mistakes or the
misconduct of public officials" But
/! that duty involves responsibility, the
Chattanooga News independently con-
| tends, not Immunity" This ruling
| does not affect the question of the
! newspapers responsibility" the Bos-
| ton Transcript independent repub-
| licanJ states. 1T does not supply any
defense whatever for scandal or
| defamation" The New York Even
| ing World (democratic) thinks that
| "the penalty for such abuse ought
not to be administered through the
| lesalistic maze of court procedure"
| because courts cannot settle such
| questions. Not twelve men but all
| the readers of a newspaper must
| bring in the verdict. The jury is
| always out"