Evening star., 1933-04-24
A. P. SETS RECORD
IN NEWS VOLUME
Expenses Cut 100000
Without Impairing Service.
Annual Meeting Held.
2y the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 24.-The manner
IN which the worlds largest co-opera-
tive-the Associated PreSS-contlnueo
its normal functions through the nnan-
cial distress, at the same time reduclng
annual expenses more than $4,000
for distribution among members in re-
funds and lowered assessments, was de-
scribed at the annual meeting OF the
news organization today.
Kent Cooper general manager, in his
report to the board OF directors,
announced that exclusive of uneXpired
contract charges and wires and equip
ment charges over which the ASSOCIATION
has no control, the total amount OF re-
duced assessments and REFUNDS
will amount to approximately "a per
cent"
4 Senator Joseph T. Robinson OF Ar
kansas, floor leader of the Senate
brought to the annual luncheon from
Washington, which he described as the
worlds greatest news center, a mes
sage of the legislative and economic
program of the new administrator
while Frank B. Noyes, president OF the
Associated Press and publisher of The
Washington Star, described the aims
and ideals of the mutual news organl-
Eation of nearly 1900 newspapers.
Roosevelt Sends Greetings.
President Roosevelt was unable to at
tend because of the press OF business
at Washington. but he sent cordial
greetings" to the newspaper publishers
Mr.. Noyes' address, as in past years
contained a toast to the Nations
leader:
II give you the health of the Presi-
dent Of the United States, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, and that of the gracious LADY
of the White House"
The report of the board of directors,
also prepared for the annual meeting.
drew comparison of present-day oper-
ating expenses with assessment collec-
tions of S10,20f326 in 1890.
The retrenchments by the manage
ment," said the report, coupled with
the financial policies authorized by your
board, have permitted three revisions OF
assessments in one year.
"On the basis of present refunds and
reduced assessments. the annual oper-.
ating revenues will have been decreased
S2187,777."
In order that the full measure Of
this achievement may be comprehend
ed" the board noted that "all Of the
economies were necessarily taken from
approximately thirds. or less than
$1,000, 900 of revenues" the other third
representing fixed contractual payments
to transmission companies.
Service Not Impaired.
l.. Both the report of the board and
What of Mr. Cooper commented on the
fact that the vast worldwide news serv-
ice of the organization had not been
impaired during one of the busiest OF
news years.
The year 1882" said Mr.. Cooper,
"was one of the heaviest producers Of
news in the history of the Associated
Press and the record of achievement.
in the face of manifold physical and
economic difficulties, is one of which We
are all proud.
The day-by-day record shows the
Associated Press acquitted itself credit
ably in its service to member news
papers while the association also made
strides in administrative and technical
matters"
Mr.. Cooper took up plans for the fu-
ture, saying:
Operated always without profit and
with but reasonable reserve, the
management has recommended and
the board of directors has approved op
Cl dOAOll 0ul 4ooo oPOA eAAS AASoe
economical basis possible
I'VE plan to carry on with the small
est pro rata general news collection
charge against any individual member
that has been collected from him dur
ing the 80 years of the associations
life and without adding anything to
reserves"
Address by Mr.. NOyes.
President Noyes, in his prepared
luncheon talk, said Once every year,
for many, many years, 1t has seemed
nv duty to remind those in attend
ance at our annual luncheon of what
the Associated Press really is and what
are its functions.
This seems ever increasingly my
duty, for with every year comes new
group of members, unfamiliar with its
history and it ideal, and who to put it
euphemistically know not Joseph
1T is, therefore. most important that
this younger generation should sympa-
theticaty understand what bitter ex-
perience has written in the hearts OF
those who founded and fought for the
Associated Press. We believed and be-
live today that the safety OF
their readers-depends on the main
tenance of a mutually owned and
directed news gathering agency that
cannot be the instrument of any pri-
vate ownership. 1t matters not what
this private ownership is for the mo-
ment. The very possibility of our news
papers being subject to mere opinion
of any private ownership as to what is
good or bad in legislation or election is
a peril, and if the menace becomes
that of dominant privately owned
newsgathering organization with sin
lister motive and menace becomes q
monStrous one.
Unbiased News Presented.
Faced with the alternative of agree
ing to the control of their news sources
their very life blood-by a private
ownership the newspapers of this
country chose to fight for their self
respect and founded the Associated
Press. This was 40 years ago. The
principles back of that organization are
those of today and we now ind more
l. - DOWN