The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-25
Broun Burns Incrimi-
mating Paper by MIRA
Official
BY MARGUERITE YOUNG
Daily Worker Washington Burcau)

tDdbJ FtVIhCl w a1hlDHtO4A A16ANAAJ
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24,-An N. r.
A. officials warning that newspaper
writer's would find the outcome quite
adverse If they try union tactics"
confronted reporters in the midst of
their recent meeting here to organize
into a national union.
The suggestion appeared in a
memorandum which Lindsay Rogers,
world-famous liberal professor, now
a Deputy Administrator directly in
charge of the newspaper code, pri-
vately delivered to one of many dele
gates to the American Newspaper
Guilds organization meeting in the
National Press Club on Dec. Is.
Rogers handed over the memo, say
ng: Here's something you may be
interested in" The delegate, be-
isildered, turned it over to the Guild.
Burns Paper
Haywood Broun, sometime Social
ist, the colunnnist for the Scripps-
Howard papers, read the memo
aloud sputtered, "Tt's gross i'm
pertinence";; then burned it before
the eyes of the excited delegates. A
hail of discussion broke, but in the
end the meeting was pledged to
drop the subject"
The memo expressed Rogers opin-
ion that the newspaper men and
women Should undertake no activ-
ity to make the publishers resent
ful," and that it would be "disas-
trous" to elect Broun as their leader:
For the head of the Guild to be 8
Socialist (Broun resigned from the
8. P. long ago) would be to wave q
red flag in their (the publishers9
faces"
"You know the newspaper publish
ers would not assent to real code
in respect to hours and wages" the
memo continued "The Guild situa-
ton is pregnant with harm. One
hundred wildcats may be let loose"
-. in answer, there would be a roar
OF lions"
In the light Of events since the or
ganization of the Guild, the meIo-
dramatic incident Of the menaoran-
dun assumes additional significance.
The newspaper code is now before
President Roosevelt, awaiting his Sig
nature to go into operation. Al
though its provisions are still Off
cially withheld, it is reliably reported
that it disregards every important de-
lnand raised by the Guild. 1t is said
that the code classifies reporters as
professionals" exennpting them from
hour and wage provisions, and ig-
noreS the Guilds demands for q
five-day week and for security OF
their jobs
The question arises, if news writer's
stpinely accept intimidation and ex-
loitation of themselves, how can
they be expected to give other work
ers a picture of the operation of the
New Deal? 1t is automatic that they
accepted white-collar slave conditions
for years under the influence of the
inspired traditions of Newspaper
work is so romantic" and you meet
SO many interesting people" 1t is
equally well known, however, that
since 1929 they have become ever
more enlightened, as group, and
proportionately more eager to or
ganize and fight.
Unite With Workers
Broun initiated the union move
ment. but the rank and file of jour-
nalists throughout the country have
organized into many groups much
more militant in spirit than Broun
has been in leading the union. In
one Western city the reporters Or
ganized jointly with the mechanical
workers, and there are uncollnted in
dividuals in all of the groups who
realize that this is the strongest posi-
ZION they could assume. They are
aware that the stereotypers, printers,
linotypers and other mechanical en-
ployes actually have been able to win
demands by threatening to organize
the editorial workers into their
unions.
ignore Whalen
The New York Guild voted unani-
nously against even replying to a
message of congratulations" which
had been sent to them by the local
MIRA. Chieftain, Grover Wha1en.
The national convention in Wash
ipeton already had elected Broun
uhen the Rogers memorandum was
read. 1t was headed Memorandum