The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-16

n of 1923. 1t was neither fire,
flood nor famine. There was
neither rumor Of war nor suggestion
of riot. Yet into this peaceful picture
there suddenly descended kind of
community paralysis that filled multi
tudes with dismay.
What had happened? Merely that
for the first time In two centuries
New York found itself without its
usual newspapers. A pressroom strike
had halted their publication.
On that day there was no paper on
the doorstep. The news stands were
unnaturaIly bare.
Why was this experience so discon-
certing? Because, says a booklet
issued by the Bank of the Manhattan
company entitled, "News and Prog
ress," 1t produced a feeling of isola-
ton; 1t cut off the city from the out
side world-not physically, but men,
tally; it even cut off the residents of
the city from knowledge Of each other.
because people have come to rely al
most entirely on the papers for their
local news. One may be in room
with a number of others, but If the
lights go out one feels strangely alone.
When the newspapers suspended, CO.
operation became dificult-in some
cases impossible.
The newspaper is In itself remark
able example of voluntary co-opera-
ton. Not only Is 1t complex fabric
woven Of the labors and abilities Of
hundreds within its plant and of
thousands on the outside, but it usu-
associations of newspapers through
which the news of the world is daily
gathered, exchanged and made avail
able to all.
Not less significant and quite as Inn
portant is the triangular cooperation
between publisher, advertiser and
public. Once 1t ceases, publishing
merchandising and buying all languish
and the wheels of progress stop.
When it is considered that there are
100000 copies of each issue Of 49,
400 newspapers entering every home,
begin to realize the vastness of this
cooperation. We begin also to sense
the extent of the constantly renewed
influence which brings our millions of
people into continuous conscious touch
with each other.
If 1t be true that modern conditions
of life have created the modern news
paper, 1t is no less true that the news
paper has played leading role In
creating modern conditions of life.
! This has been the case as to habits of
thought, political developments and
matters of religion, science and cul-
ture, but it has been true in even
greater degree in the field of material
| progress.
When a carrier leaves a paper on
doorstep it may not occur to him
| that he is playing part In the eco
nomic life of his town, but so it is,
for to each individual subscriber he
| is really delivering the market place
| of the community.
| Follow a newspaper into any home.
| Here are gathered the members of the
| family circle-father, mother and chill
dren. Within a few hours each will
read it and for each there must be
| that which he is most interested In
reading.
To this wealth Of information each
member of the family will respond
and each in his peculiar way. Only
to one part of the newspaper will
there be any degree of common re
Spouse because that part has uni
versal appeal That part is the adj
vertising columns. In these, could the
editor view the reception of the paper,
he would find that others-the adver-
tisers-were supplementing his labors