The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-09
The Book World

THOUSANDS Of American newspa pers-the
Il venal, news-suppressing, kept press Of
big interests-wil never review George Seldes'
newest and most powerful book. Freedom of the
Press" (Bobbs- Merrill; s2.75); or if they do Mr.
seldes can be confident they will denounce it as
a pack of miserable lies, written by knave and
a scoundrel.
But George Seldes is no scoundrel and his
slashing attack on the American press is a ma
ture JOB Of reporting facts. What he has done is
to present a terrible Stonach-turning indict-
ment of fourhfths Of the newspapers Of the
United States.
What honesty prevails in The newspaper pub
fishing industry, says Mr.. Seldes exists in the
The remainder, ne charges, are owned and
operated by men whose interests far from being
in the public good, are entangled with powerful
advertising and industrial setups.
1t is a staggering picture Mr.. Sedes paints;
a picture terrible it will make every news
paperman flush with shame at the sabotaging of
a free press by men greedy for money and power.
IOW the American press defeated the Tug
l. well Pure Food and Drug Bill constitutes
one of the most sordd stories in this magnificent
study of Mr.. Seldes. The Tugwell bill was killed,
he charges, by the Vaccinations of money greedy
patent medicine men. quack doctors, who ordered
the press of the land into action on the threat
of losing the patent medicine advertising.
The press obeyed its masters voice he relates
and the TugWell bill died. supplanted by the in
effectual and toothless Copeland bill.
That the mear-Tugwell" campaign was
drive inspired by corrupt business men is easy to
gather from Mr.. Seldes' pages. Mr.. Sedes re-
late5 how Frederick Sullens, editor of the Jack
son (Mich) Daily News wrote that he was OPP
posed to the Tugwen bill because at least 10 per
cent Of his advertising revenue came from the
patent medicine sources.
When Dr. Tugwell wrote Sullens asking
whether he was willing to sacrifice public health
to advertising profit Sullens' reply was: The in
clnation is strong to tell you TO 80 to hell"
OF such caliber is Americas press.
TN 1888" writes Mr.. Seldes, there was an cpl
Il demic of amebic dysentery in Chicago. 1t
was at the height Of the Worlds Fair season and
not word appeared in the press. Accused later
of suppressing the news, the newspapers laid the
blame on the Department Of Health
I'm March, 1884, the scandal at last was aired
The Chicago Medical Society adopted a commit
tee report cenSuring DR.. Herman N BundesOn
the health commissioner. In reply he showed
that on Aug. 16 1888, he traced two cases of
amebic dySentery to the Congress Hotel and dis
covered Is clinical cases among 364 persons who
handled food. In October he submitted report
to the American Public Health Association con-
vened in nearby indianapolis and The Indian
ap0liS Times (TalcOtt Powell, EDITOR scooped the
country. With the aid of the local health de-
partment, The Times traced eight cases which
originated in the Congress Hotel, Chicago. The
other indianapolis newspapers took up the sem
Satlonal story These papers are for sale in Chi
cago. But not word in the Chicago papers,"
How the utility industry has grasped every
contemplate and un-American trick to spread
is graphically told by the trenchant Mr.. Seldes.
His punches come harder and more telling
with each page and he ends his chapter on the
utility interests with both the power barons and
the newspapers facing a damning indictment Of
conspiracy to defraud and mulct the public.
II MERE is little in the American newspaper
Il setup that has escaped the adventurous
and fighting author of this book. He brands the
Associated Press as a poison well" and pic
lures it as an organization licking the boots of
big business mOgulS
The New York Times Americas foreign cor
respondence, William Randolph Hearst all come
under the scorching lash of Seldes the crusader
How Lindbergh the elder was prosecuted to
his grave by a Tory press and how Lindbergh
Jr. has suffered miSeraby from press that can
be accused Of "Peeping Tom" tactics forms one
OF the most poignant stories in the book
But not all of Mr.. Seldes' book is given over
10 condemnation. lie gives credit where credit
IS due (alas too rare is it due and he points
into the future seeing ray of hope in the
American Newspaper Guild
Freedom of the Press" is better than Upton
Sinclair's Brass Check" and it may be even
more widely read. 1t deserves to be read by
every man or woman in the United States who
can read English.
Put it on your must list. This book has
more intestinal fortitude on a single page than
most American newspapers have shown in a
thousand pages. Must is the word
N