The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-10-21
NOTED WRITER PRAISES
SCRIPPS-HOW ARD PAPERS
FOR INDEPENDENT POLICIES
Fire the Liar Slogan of Founder of Great Chain of Pub
cations; Interesting Story Reveals How New
Thought Was Injected Into Columns.

New York and dry Knoxville they
advocate modification Of the Vol
stead act. They did this long be-
fore they acquired a New York
city newspaper. Editorials on ma
tional and international affairs
are sent over leased wires from
washington and from New York,
but there is no requirement that
any paper shall use every or any
editorial. And in local affairs the
editor has free play. He decides
for himself what his policy shall
be as it affects his own commun-
ity. He alone is responsible for
the consequences. The chain thus
represents a kind of confederacy.
with local autonomy"
49,
- UMMING up his interesting
&c discussion, the writer says:
~ "At the beginning of 1927
tnere were more than 1900 ed
itors, reporters, copyreaders, adj
vertising men. compositors and
other employees as stockholders in
Scripps- Howard investment COM
panies. They owned shares with
an approximate value Of 100000
and an actual value Of half as
much again.
1.-THE United Press and the
Newspaper Enterprise Association
(the feature service) are operated
quite independent of the papers,
and the editor-in-chief of the
chain has no jurisdiction over
them.
THE Scripps-H Howard invest
ment companies are pools of stock
in various newspapers Of the
chain, so grouped as to guard
against decline in dividends when
a single newspaper finds itself in
financial difficulties. The plan is
that such losses shall be more
than offset by the success Of other
papers in the group.
1.-THE investment companies do
not influence the local policies Of
the papers, each OF which has its
distinct list of directors. They
serve merely as a device to give
employees a stable form of invest
ment, and a share in the profits
Of the organization
1.-THE Scripps-H Howard papers
have improved the standards and
the news service in the afternoon
field, beyond question; they have
supplanted bulletins with compact
news coverage, and their competi-
tors have been compelled to fol-
low suit in many instances. They
enter with greatest JOY that COM
munity where other newspapers
are lax, and they have vitalized
the press in more towns than one.
TN the Scripps- Howard group
we have this picture; The
dominating influence is ed
itorial, as it should be, and the
business Office is subordinate; such
private interests ss might call for
the coloring Of news are elm
mated; financial stability and in
dependence are secured by reduc-
tons in the cost Of management
and editorial content; there is
local autonomy and a fighting
spirit. These are a heritage from
old man Scripps. And 1t is plain
that under the present manage
ment the legacy is not being dis
sipated.
"In the four years, 1920-1924,
J the chain increased its business
$50 per cent, and its circulation
since 1920 has risen from 100000
to more than 100000. Plain
speaking and hard hitting have
cost dearly in particular places
and at particular times, but in the
long run they have made head
way.
Accuracy In news, liberalism
without fanaticism and tolerance
and independence In day-to-day
Journalism, appear to pay divi-
dends."