The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-26
ENIPLOYES OF NEW YORK WORLD MAY
 RUN THE PAPER
They Had Pledges To-day
 of Over $l,000,00O to Carry On--Judge Foley Will Decide Case To-day

jobs--as legal permission for the heirs of Joseph Pulitzer, founder, tt dispose of the properties was sched' uled to be granted or refused.
 The employees to-day had pledges of more than $1,000,000, they re- ported, and were seeking outside fi' nancial assistance in the hope they might, if sale is permitted, perpetu. ate the World papers and the ideal: of their founder.
 Surrogate James Foley, has had under consideration since Tuesday the petition of Ralph, Joseph and Herbert Pulitzer, sons of Joseph Pulitzer, to set aside provision ir their fathers will that they might dispose of the properties. The will stipulated that my sons and descen. dants shall continue to publish the World papers,"
 The Pulitzer brothers, had drawn up a contract of sale to Roy w. Howard, chairman of the board of the Scripps Howard newspapers which would have merged the Even ing World with the New York Tele- gram.
 Foley announced yesterday. after the unexpected entrance of the World employees into the case, that he would reserve decision until II o'clock Thursday, and might not give decision until later than that.
 The World employees had asked for Q 10-day delay that they might obtain financial aid in the offer they hoped to make. Foley announced any offers for the property should be made to the owners, not to him, that he was ruling merely on the legal rights of the Pulitzers to dis pose of their papers.
 Previously an offer had been sub mitted tentatively in the surrogate's court by Max D. Steuer, represent ing Paul Block, who asked a delay Tuesday until Block could arrive to submit his offer in person. Block appeared in court Wednesday, chat ting with Roy Howard, his competi- tor. while at another table sat James w. Barrett, city editor of the World, representing the employees.
 The employees entrance as Q bidder for the World papers terminated "A hours of frantic efforts to obtain fi- nancing to enable them to take over the properties on a mutual basis, such as was done in the cases of the Chicago Daily News and the Kansas City Star.
 The working forces of the papers, numbering some 2,S00. stunned Tuesday by the first announcement the properties might be sold, re- acted later in the day, and led by the editorial department, began mar shalling their resources.
 Office boys got permission from parents to pledge $10; some execu- lives set themselves down for $1,- 900.
 Correspondents and staff members the world over wired and cabled pledges. An unannounced person "who has rendered distinguished ser vice in a high office" pledged $100.- 900.
 Then to top it all, the New York Typographical Union. the organiza- tion of printers, sent word 1t would offer an additional $500,000. Almost 50 years ago that same organization came to the aid of the elder Pulit- ger with a $60,000 loan.
 Then an announcement from the owners was posted to the effect provision would be made for em- ployes in case the sale was per- mitted.
 And a 20-year service printer add ed 0 hastily typewriter note be- low:
 "A judge may or may not break the will of Joseph Pulitzer. but mo- body can break his spirit over the World or Evening World"
 The staff continued to produce the World papers until decision was hn sale. As result, the managing edi- tor posted an announcement in praise of the staff morale and spirit in getting out" what might be its last editoin of the World.
 There are men on the World" his message closed.
 Late last night the employees met. Pledges were received and ar- nounced. Messages from friends of the paper were read. Several pledged financial aid. The employees lead CTS felt confident they would be able, given time, to finance purchase of the paper.
 Source of their expected financial aid was not announced. Several whose names had been mentioned in this connection, denied they had been approached by the employees. These included Herbert Bayard Swope, former executive editor of the World: and Herbert Lehman, lieutenant governor of New York.
 With entrance of employees into the proposed sale, came reports of other bids.
 William Griffin. publisher of a Sunday afternoon paper in New York, announced he would bid Frank E. Gannett, publisher of a string of papers in the east, said he was interested.
 There was an unconfirmed report one group attempting to buy would be backed financially by John J Raskob, Alfred E. Smith and Will liam F. Kenny.
 Max Steuer. representing Paul Block, is understood to have offered to turn the World papers back to employees any time within 45 days in case the papers are sold to Block After submitting Blocks offer. un- derstood to be $50O.000 over that of Scripps Howard interests.
 However. the Scripps- Howard or ganization already has reached an agreement with the Pulitzers on the purchase price. and after yesterday s hearing Roy w. Howard, chairman of the Scripps- Howard board, an- nounced h.s offer still stood. That was understood to be $5.000.000, all though no official announcement has been made. with a provision that $500.000 should be paid immediately and $500.000 within 90 days.
 Asked in Foley's courtroom yes terday if they cared to lose $5O0,- 900. the difference in the Block and Scripps- Howard bids, the Pulitzers said they had gone into the matter of policies to be perpetuated and were satisfied with the scripps. Howard bid.
 Herbert Pulitzer, shown a bo, published in one edition of the World which showed circulation and advertising for the day to be above that of a year ago. explained the lot ts<- aA,