Evening star., 1934-05-12
PRESS IS FREE,
ROOSEVELT SAYS
Tells National Editorial As
sociation Talk Of Sitting
Is "Si||y."
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
COLUMBIA, Mo-, May l2.-President
Roosevelt, in letter made public
here last night, said the press of the
Nation "iS freer than 1t ever has been
in our history"
There has been no attempt in
Washington to gag newspaper men
or stifie editorial comment" he wrote
to Frank L. Martin, dean of the Uni
versity of Missouri School OF Jour-
nalism.
There will be no such attempt" F"
The letter was read at dinner Of
the National Editorial Association
which is meeting in connection with
journalism week at the university.
Letter of President.
Regarding freedom of the press,
the President wrote:
Neither the millions and millions
Of people constituting the reading
public nor the hundreds of individuals
representing the overwhelming ma
jority of newspaper publishers can, in
any way, be concerned with or
wrought up over the silly and wholly
unjustified conversation on the part
Of a small minority who suggest that
the freedom of the press has been
either destroyed or assailed.
Freedom of the press means free
dom Of expression both in news COL
umns and editorial columns. Judging
by both these columns in papers in
every part of the country, this free
dom is freer than 1t ever has been
in our history.
There has been no attempt in
Washington to gag newspaper men
or stife editorial comment. There
will be no such attempt
Believes Publishers in Accord.
"On the basis Of years OF personal
experiences with newspaper publish
ers and newspaper workers-and they
have been many-I believe the pub
fishers, with few exceptions, agree
with me in all that l have said on
the subject Of freedom Of the press
and that they. in the great majority.
have the interests Of their employees
close to their hearts"
The President expressed his appre-
citation Of newspaper support Of the
national recovery program.
Recovery cannot be achieved en-
tirely by proposals from Washington" "
he stated
There must be cooperation from
all our citizens, those in the cities,
the smaller towns and the rural areas
American editors have performed a
notable service by presenting the facts
Of the recovery program to their
roaAarc ond fhau houa hnan ~ i'm
mense help to US in Washington in
rejecting the conditions and views in
their own communities.
Protest Telegraph Code.
A resolution protesting against parts
Of the proposed telegraph industry
code as discriminatory to the press
was adopted by the National Editorial
Association.
The editors took specific objection
to section 4, article 7, which forbids
discriminate against any class of
user, interpreting the passage as pro-
hibiting extension of special press
rates to newspapers.
Walter D. Allen. president of the
organization, sent the following tele-
gram to L. H. PEBBLES, washington.
deputy administrator:
1.-The National Editorial Association
in convention assembled here today
passed a resolution of protest to pro-
visions of section 4. article 7, Of pro-
posed telegraph industry code in that
it materially affects press rates
throughout the country by increasing
costs to an extent they will be unable
to absorb and continue to give ade-
quate news service
This condition particularly applies
to small daily and weekly newspapers
Suggest clarifcation by adding to
section 4: This section shall not ap-
ply to any rates or services furnished
the press
Gen. Hugh johnson, national ad-
ministrator. said Thursday the clause
was not intended to apply to press
rates, but advised that protests be
made to code authority if change
was desired
The editors estimated elimination
Of press rates would cost American
newspapers s10,OO0,000 annually in
increased transmission charges.