Evening star., 1934-04-25
NEWSPAPER CODE
PRAISED BY DAVIS
A. N. P. A. President Says
Agreement Preserves
Freedom of Press.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 25,-Asserting
that the constitutional guarantee Of
freedom of the press remained unirn-
paired under the daily newspaper
code, Howard Davis, president of the
American Newspaper Publishers As
sociation. voiced the belief today that
newspaper publishers of this country
have a good code under which to
operate"
Reporting successfully as president
of the A. N. P. A. and chairman OF
the Code Committee before the first
regular session of the associations an
nual convention. Davis stated the code
constituted the most important prob
lem confronting directors of the asso-
citation during the past year.
The vital factor of successful
newspaper publication is an unham-
pered and uncensored press" he said
In the presidents opening address.
Cites Committee Position.
Freedom of the press, one of the
most cherished possessions of this Ma
ton, is guaranteed by our Constitu-
ton, and in the belief that no act of
ours should lessen or impair that
guarantee, your board and (code)
committee felt it incumbent upon
them to insist upon its specific reSer-
vation in the daily newspaper code.
Notwithstanding violent opposition,
our position was maintained and the
code was eventually approved includ-
ing such reservation"
AS chairman of the Newspaper Code
Committee, and member of the sub
committee handling negotiations at
Washington, Davis reviewed events
leading up to final presidential ap-
proval of the daily newspaper code
and the graphic arts code February "a.
The daily newspaper code has now
been in operation slightly more than
one month";" he said.
1,100 Have Signed Code.
Under it's provisions only those
newspapers which specifically assent
to it are under its jurisdiction. Near
" 1,1OO newspapers have so signif1ed
their assent.
When the code authority was or
ganized your Code Committees work
was concluded.
When it began in July. the COM
mittee had no idea the problem would
take so long a period for solution.
Whether it is solved or not will be
demonstrated with the passing OF
time, but I think I can speak for
every member of the Code Committee
when I say that each one gave of his
time and effort unselfishly and un-
stintedly and believe the daily news
paper publishers of this country have
a good code under which to operate,
code which is clear, concise and
specific in its terms and effect
Three Problems Cited.
During the negotiations subsequent
to presidential approval, three points
developed, Davis said.
One was maintenance of the news
paper boy delivery and sales system;
two, demands of organized labor rep
resentatives for wage scale; and,
three. the request of the newly organ
lied newswriterS' guild for recognition
in the code.
1T was the committees position
from the outset that the newspaper
boy delivery system should be MAIN
tanned" Davis told the publishers.
Your committee did consent to
modification of the original provision
respecting the employment of news
paper boys, which limits the hours
of work in street sales at night to
those under 16 years of age and pro-
hibits such night selling by persons
under Is years of age after o'clock
In the Winter months, and o'clock
In the Summer months.
With respect to the demand of
certain labor leaders for wage scales,
your committee from the outset took