Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-11-19
THIS CRITICISM OF THE PRESS WAS
NOT JUSTIFIED

~
~ cism Criticism of the press is some
times justified and sometimes not justified
it is sometimes fair and then again it is un-
fair But whether justified or unJustlfled
fair or unfair, it is frequent.
1t is not strange that there should be
criticism of the press nor that it should be
frequent. Newspapers report and comment
OH every phase of human existence, and
just because their field is wide and the sub
jects they discuss multitudinous, they must
perforce lay themselves open to the pos
sibility Of criticism. Human beings differ
in their opinions and convictions and when
a newspaper goes contrary to ones own
personal convictions, there is apt to be crit
cism.
It was our privilege during the past
week to listen to a very thoughtful address
delivered by Libby man. We consider it
one of the best addresses it has been our
pleasure to listen to for long time It dis
cussed in concise and scholarly way some
of the outstanding problems that confront
mankind today. We agreed with all of the
speakers statements with the exception Of
one, and that exception was a minor one.
Yet because our business is the making Of
a newspaper, we have something to say re
gardlng that one exception.
The exception we referred to was when
the speaker criticized the press for its hand
ling OF the news. He cited one instance III
dicative Of his criticism. Recently the daily
press, he said, devoted from> one to two
columns to the upward trend in the price
of wheat and silver, with that news played
up Oh the front page, while buried inside
the paper was a short item stating that
5000 men had been put to work by an in
dustrial plant He said that evidently more
value was placed on things than OH the well
fare of humanity.
We freely admit that much criticism is
due the press in its handling Of news, espe-
cially of crime news, but we feel the speaker
was wholly wrong in the example he cited.
His concern was for the welfare Of humanity
and Judging the affair from that standpoint,
the fact that wheat, other farm products and
silver had gone up price was OF immeas-
nrably greater significance to humanity
than that 5000 men had again been put to
work The increase in the price of wheat
and silver is of SO much greater Importance
that there is no comparison between the two.
While the daily press was reporting
this upward price trend it also called atten-
ton to the fact that many millions of addi-
tional dollars would 90 into the pockets Of
farmers all over this land. That naturally
means that more nutritious food will be
bought for men and women; there will be
millions Of children lifted from undernom-
ishment to health that comes from good
feeding; in an equal degree it means that
men, women and children will be more
warmly clad against the winters rigors;
many branches of industry will feel the eff
feet Of increased buying by farmers and
miners and there will follow employment
for thousands of additional men and women
We most fervently hope the price Of wheat
and silver will continue to 90 up to a rea-
sonable price, for if it does there will be a
most tremendous improvement in the condi-
ton Of millions of people III America and all
over the world as well. 1t will mean health
Ter and happier people, less Encouragement
and much more optimism, fewer suicides
and more happy homes.
In the little instance which is the cause
Of this editorial, we feel the Libby speaker
failed to grasp the significance Of the up
ward trend in wheat and silver prices We
uphold the makeup men Oh the daily papers
who put the wheat and silver news on the
front page and buried the employment item
inside the paper Judged solely from its ef-
feet on the welfare of humanity that
wheat-silver item was the biggest news that
had "broken" in many day.