The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-18
COL. KNOX PLEADS
FOR PRESS FREEDOM
Fate of Public Liberty in
Balance, He Ayers.
Continued From Page One)

critics stand in peril of self-made
dictators.
Always the most effective de-
lenses of liberty have been the twin
rights of free speech and free press
These twin children of freedom are
related so closely as to be veritable
Slamise twins. To destroy one is to
destroy the other. Neither can exist
without the other. They go up or
down together and when these twin
rights automatically coordinate as
they Invariably do, they are fatal to
every form of dictatorship.
Reveal First Concern
Recent European history. where
self-made dictators now rule over at
least four countries, comprising far
more than half the total area of
Europe, reveals that the first con-
Germ, the first objective of dictators,
is the utter destruction of a free
press. Not in Russia, Germany
Austria or Italy is there to be found
anything that remotely approaches
free press
All newspapers are censored
closely as to both news and editorial
content and, with the destruction of
free press in those countries,
swiftly followed the like destruction
of all other human rights. The re-
appearance of human liberty and
freedom in those regions, now ruled
by dictators, will be simultaneous
with the appearance of free press.
Thus we newspaper men hold in
trust, and for defense at any cost,
one of the most sacred and vital
rights of all the people. This is a
high responsibility exceeding in
its implications any trust held by
any group in our entire citizenship,
and I do rot except in this classifi-
cation even those who hold public
office.
Freedom Must Continue
''It is not sufficient, however, that
this sacred trust be held inviolate.
The press must continue to be free
at all costs, but it must also be
worthy, be true to professional
ideals, be above price, be superior to
cold commercialism, constitute itself
the guardian, not only of the single
but vital right of free speech, but
also of honesty in public service.
1T must be a bulwark against
evil and selfish control of our affairs;
always the foe of demagogues and
INSCRIPTIONS racketeers; it must be
the enemy of those who debauch
popular faith in and loyalty to a
sound system of private and public
morals, and, above all, it must
dedicate its news columns to the
public for the public's accurate in
formation and its editorial columns
to honestly and fearlesSly expressed
opinion.
The modern newspaper is the
most important of public utilities
and must be administered with a
high sense of obligation to the
public. The newspaper is, of course,
commercial enterprise, hut it is
much more than a mere commercial
enterprise. It relies on private
initiative and personal direction for
success, but it is more than a mere
profit-making machine. You may
fancy these are high-sounding
phrases of only partial truth.
They Represent Ideal
"Of course, they represent the
ideal and the ideal is not always
realized, but I think it may be said
of my profession that, to a degree
true of hardly any other, the men
who lead it are characterized by
honesty. by devotion TO the public
interest, and by an unselhshness
not exceeded by men of any other
profession in modern life.
Here let me let you into a Sc
cret which I have learned in 30
odd years of newspaper publishing
life. The publication of worthy
newspaper only seems TO require
courage. 1t really does not, for I
have learned that the approximate
realization of the ideals I have de-
scribed has formed the foundation
for every newspaper success in re-
cent years.
do not think for one moment
the people can not discriminate be-
tween an honest and a dishonest
newspaper They can not be fooled
for long. The only sound basis for
building a great newspaper lies in
making an honest, clean, vigorous
and enterprising sheet and then
providing an adequate and swift
distribution of the product. Given
a good, clean newspaper. honestly
edited and efficiently distributed,
and newspaper success follows as
surely as night follows day."