The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-08
READERS OWN
NEWSP APERS,
SAYS SCRIPTS
Uses Dictionary Definition
of Liberalism as
Press Ideal.
.BIG0TRY IS DENOUNCED
Tells Missouri Students All
Events Must Be Given
TruthfuIIy.
By Times Special

COLUMBIA, Mo, May S.-The
dictionary definition of liberalism
as a journalistic idea was applied
today by Robert P. Scripps, presi-
dent of the Scripps-Howard news
papers, in answering to the topic,
The Liberal Press" before Mis-
souri, university students in their
annual Journalism week. He said:
1.-THE dictionary definition that
appeals to me as applying to the
kind of newspapers that my asso-
ciates and / are trying to produce
runs this way: BETTING or worthy
of man of free birth; free, not
servile or mean; not narrow or con-
tracted in view; broad-minded, free
from bigotry; not bound by or
thodoX forms in political or re-
ligious philosophy.
Il would add economic to po-
litical and religious philosophy so
as to embrace all of the principal
phases of life in this developing So
ciety of ours"
Lays Stress on Tolerance
Another word to characterize lib
eral journalism was stressed-the
word tolerance"
81 do not believe there can be any
true liberalism in journalism or out
of it, without large measure of
tolerance-and this is perhaps more
important in practice than in mere
principle. The newspaper, however
fine the spirit of its editorial coll
umnS, that refuses to report ade-
quately the speeches by or about
a candidate for Office whom it OPP
poses is simply not functioning as
a liberal newspaper.
GAS a matter of fact, we all get
ourselves very much mixed up by
accepting, and adopting, terms that
politicians gratuitouSly apply to
themselves. Thus a newspaper may
get itself known as liberal insti-
tuition because its editor supports
measures advocated by senators or
congressman who call themselves by
that name, when actually, such a
newspaper is as narrow and bigoted
as any witch burner of colonial days
in New England-and as unfair and
unscrupulous in its news columns.
Papers Have Two Uses
1.-THE modern American news
paper has two separate and distinct
functions, both useful and both
logical.
'AS I see it, the first responsibility
Of the newspaper is to tell it's read
ers, without fear, favor Or prejudice,
everything-everything within the
range of possibility and human in
genuity-everything Of interest that
is going on in the world, the ma
ton and the community.
ITO this end it has subscribed to
elaborate and expensive wire and
picture news service. To this end
it has created an intricately spe-
cialized staff of trained investi-
gators and writers. All of this has
been an expensive undertaking.
And the money for the whole
operation has been supplied, in the
last analysis, by the newspapers
clientele.
Belong to the Readers"
"I say that, considering these cir
cumstances, it is a crime-a most
serious crine-in the first place
against our society, and in the sec
ond place against the peculiarly
American institution of liberal
journalism as a whole, when any,
body-editor, owner or whoever
for any reason of personal opinion
or even of sacred personal convic-
tion-does anything to interfere
with the precise functioning of this
elaborate and beautiful, and-don't
forget it-publicly subsidized ma
chine.
News columns do not properly
belong to newspaper editors, or
owners. They belong to readers.
Newspaper editors can only serve
them-the news columns-by i'm
proving their impartiality, their &C
curacy, and their attractiveness and
reliability.
But the second function-and re-
spOnsibilty-of the newspaper edi-
tor is no less clearly defined. This
is his editorial page job-the job
Of counsel and advice, which is not
improperly thrust upon him by
readers who have placed him secure
in his free and independent edi-
torial chair.
Cites Times Influence
GAS I see it, the peculiar profes-
sional part Of the newspaper mans
job is done when he has ascertained,
selected and printed the news. Hav-
ing done this, when he sits down to
write editorials about it, his duty
becomes simply that of good citi-
zen.
ut is remarkable" Scripps con-
tinued, ito find one Of the great
truly liberal newspapers Of this
country operated under the direc-
ton of a man whose editorial page
proclaims him a citizen of conser-
vative-some would say reactionary
political tendencies.
1.-THE editorial page of Mr.. Adolph
Ochs' New York Times certainly
does not generally support either
the measures supported, or the
theories proclaimed, by senators like
Norris, La Toilette. Borah, Cutting
and Costigan.
Want UndOctored News
'Yet when these gentlemen met
recently in sort of protest meet
ing. the Times truly and accuratelv