The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-09
High Tribute Paid
By United Press

NEW YORK, April 9-World
leaders joined the eminent and the
humble of journalism today in pay
ing tribute to Adolph S. Ochs. His
career was eulogized in hundreds Of
statements issued by statesmen, dip
lomats, public officials, editors, pup
fishers and writer's.
Mr.. OchS' own newspaper, The
New York Times, devoted 48 COL
umns to news and pictures of his
life and career. A four-column pic
ture of the publisher, bordered in
mourning, was carried on page one.
The column rules Of the editorial
page and the page following were
turned to print the traditional
mourning bands. The obituary took
Is columns; tributes and statements
of coincidence, Is columns; pictures,
nine columns.
Mr.. Ochs career and his influence
in shaping the destiny of American
journalism, his aid in giving the
calling its present high standing
and value to mankind were praised
by William Randolph Hearst of the
Heart papers; Frank Gannett, head
of the Gannett newspapers; Roy w.
Howard, chairmon of the board of
the ScrippS- Howard newspapers;
Ralph Pulitzer and by scores of in
dividual publishers representing
every section of the country.
Lifted Papers to Power
Mr.. OchS based his career upon
the publishing of one kind of news
paper only. At the age OF 38, in
1897. when he took charge of the
bankrupt New York Times. he said
his newspaper would publish "all
the news that's st to print"
His paper, ne said, would be
clean, dignif1ed, trustworthy and
impartial" Those were his ideals
when he took charge of the bank
rupt Chattanooga Times at 20. This
code lifted the Times there and
later the New York Times to posi-
tions of power prestige, and pros
perity.
His influence in the development
of American journalism during the
past 80 years was profound His
Times was widely initiated, its
policies widely followed. He was not
the first to divorce news reporting
and editorial opinion, but he de-
veloped it into a rigid newspaper
technique.
Before his day, editors commonly
villified public officials and others
in abusive, high flown language,
taking pride in welding a vitriolic
PEN" Mr.. Ochs' influence was one
for moderation. His New York
Times was conservative during all of
his ownership. 1t still does not print
comic strips.
Refused S150,0OO Contract
Mr.. OchS also preached and prac-
ticed the strictest editorial indepen-
dence. He once refused a contract
to carry official advertisements that
would have meant an annual in
come of S150,000 because it might
throw political shadow over his
paper.
Mr.. Ochs was born in Cincinnati
March II. 1858, eldest of the six
children Of Julius and Bertha Levy
Ochs. His parents were German
Jews, intellectuals and liberals, who
had been driven from the father
land by autocratic government.
After the Civil War the family
moved to Knoxville, where, at The
age of II, Mr.. Ochs became an Of
fee boy on the Knoxville Chronicle.
Later he was printers devil for
the same paper At II he became
workman in the composing room
of the Louisville Courier-JournaI.
but six months later returned to
Knoxville, where he went to work
for the Tribune.
There he was successfully printer,
reporter, assistant manager. He
worked for the Chattanooga Dis
patch for a while and at the age of
20 bought for $500 the bankrupt
and decadent Chattanooga Times.
In 1896 Mr.. Ochs, then 80. came
to New York and with 5000 ac-
quired part control of the New York
Times, then a financial sieve. If he
could make it pay three consecutive
years he would get controlling in
terest. -Four years later he owned
81 per cent of the stock and the
Times has grown steadily since TO
its present status.