The daily worker., 1929-01-22

ADMIT CLAMPING
LID ON STORIES
OF Mine STRIKES
Daily Worker Reporter
Gets Facts


Daily Worker Staff Correspondent.
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 21-The edit
ors of the two Wilkes-Barre papers,
the Record and the Times-Leader,
admitted today that they suppress
labor news in 'rdcr &c follow the
policy set Gown by the Wilkes Barre
Chamber of Commerce. That John
Boylan, United Mine Workers presi-
dent of District l, agrees to this,
was the statement of the managing
editor OF the Times-I.eader
The Chamber of Commerce. housed
in magnificent white building in
the heart of the city. has just issued
its annual report for 1928. On its
list of achievements" for the past
year is one on page 9, headed. "Un-
favorable Publicity which reads as
follows: During the summer the
Chamber discovered thai publicity in
out-of-town papers regarding local
petty mine strikes was still doing
the anthracite industry considerable
harm.
"A committee of the chamber and
the president met with local rews-
paper publishers and asked their
cooperation in eliminating such
publicity. The local newspapers not
only took steps Immediately to min
imize unfavorable publicity in
papers here, but at a regional meet
ing of newspaper publishers, held in
Easton during November, Colonel
Smith Of the Times-Leader and the
secretary brought the situation to
the attention of the publishers rep
resenting many cities, and assurance
was given that the matter would re-
ceive their future attention"
In giving a copy of the annual re-
port to the Daily Worker represen-
tatiue, it was said that these reports
were supposed to be for members of
the Chamber Of Commerce only.
Upon reading of this cooperation
between the Chamber of Commerce
and the local newspapers, the Daily
Worker representative called on
William Dougherty, acting man.
aging editor Of the Wilkes-Barre
Tines-Leader, at A w. Market ST.,
the one evening paper, paper
boasting circulation of $4,000, and
having as its slogan: Progress, In
oustry. Home, Business" Mr..
Dougherty, when asked if this state
nlent Of the Chamber of Commerce
was true, that his paper had agreed
not To carry news Of strikes, very
arniably said "Why, sure. You
see, our business men have to get
credit, generally from New York.
When they try to put through some
deal, a bunch of clippings about To-
cal strikes are flashed in their faces,
and it isn't so good; they don't get
the credit"
Mr.. Dougherty, when asked if his
paper wasn't supposed to print news,
rather than suppress it at the re-
uuest of the Chamber of Commerce,
said: "Oh, well, lot of those strikes
don't amount to much, anyway, and
there's nc sense in hurting business.
Business was shot to pieces as it
was, after the last big strike. AS
a matter Of fact" ccnfided Mr..
Dougherty, "the Chamber Of Com
merce likes to brag little. We had
that idea ourselves as soon as they
cidw
When Mr.. Dougherty was re-
minded that probably the majority
of his readers were miners, and their
families. who might resent this anti
labor policy of the Times-Leader, he
said: Don't worry about that. John
Boylan, president Of District /, U.
M. w. A., came up here and we sat
down and talked it over and he
agreed it was the best policy to play
down these unimportant strikes.