Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-04-21
PRESS FREEDOM
EENENDANGERED
Publishers Charge Govern
ment Abridges Activities
of Newspapers.
by the Associated Press.


of Newspapers.
by the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April Ala charge |
that freedom of the press was abridged |
in recent activities of two govern |
mental agencies was prime topic to-
day among several hundred members |
of the American Newspaper Publishers
Association, opening its annual con-
vention.
The association, which will continue
its sessions through Friday, planned |
to 60 into the subject thoroughly. but |
scheduled a study of special problems
of the small city newspapers today.
1t was announced that Col. Robert
r. Mccormick. publisher of the Chi.
cago Tribune, and chairman of the
Committee on Freedom of the Press,
would make the official presentation
of that subject on the convention floor
The association already is on record
with a pledge of aid to William Ran
dolph Hearst in his charge that news
paper freedom was violated by the
Federal Communications Commission
and the Senate Lobby Investigating
Committee when they obtained copies
of kilograms he had sent to an editorial
writer.
Sir Wilmott Lewis Speaks.
A court, however, refused to grant
the publisher an injunction, holding
that freedom of the press was not
involved.
Freedom of the press was discussed
in general way yesterday at the
annual luncheon of the Associated
Press.
Sir Wilmott Lewis, American cor
respondent of the London Times told
the publisher members of the Asso-
ciated Press:
THE newspapers of today are not in
all lands free, but where they still
have liberty and deferd it-against
enemies without and within-Where
they stand for discussion and agree
ment, setting themselves unbreakably
against the RECOMMENDATION of custom
and of obedience by goose-step, even
the cynic may find a place for hope"
Both in England and the United
States" he said. the danger which
confronts what we call freedom of
the press is not chiefly from without,
for that we can meet, but from with
in.
Danger Of Ambition.
ut is, as see it, danger which
! l,
creasing indignation of the newspaper
systematic danger which makes us
great and useful may make some
among us too great, that individuals
may acquire a power which df the
| freedom we demand is to be ours)
| they cannot be prevented from har-
Messing in the service of personal am
bition rather than of the community
from which their strength flows.
I'VE are all of us, each in his
place and degree, among the guar
dians Of freedom, but 'quid custodiet
ipsos custodes?' asked the stern old
Roman-who shall guard our own
guards? I beg you earnestly to be-
lieve that these doubts are not mine
alone, but that they occupy the minds
of innumerable men within my own
craft, which is that of writer, not
publisher"
Henry L. Mencken of the Baltimore
Sun papers, said it is one of the
clearest duties of newspapers to keep
wary eye on the gentlemen who
operates this great Nation and only
int hn
that they own it."
Frank B. Moves, president of The
Evening Star, Co., Washington, and
president of the Associated Press, in
troduced the speakers and emphasized
efforts to make the news as reported
by the Associated Press completely
impartial
Must Be Impartial.
This institution of ours which we
call the Associated Press, must not
favor or oppose anything" he said.
and expressed confidence that Kent
Cooper, as general manager. would
continue to Justify the faith we have
in him and that he will keep our
honor untarnished."
1t was announced last night that
the following were reelected directors
of the Associated Press:
w. H. Cowles, the Spokane Spokes-
man-Review; E. Lansing Ray, the St
Louis Globe Democrat; Robert r.
Mccormick, the Chicago Tribune;
George B. Longan. the Kansas City
Star, and L. K. Nicholson, the New
Orleans Times Picayune
The following Nominating Commit
tee was chosen:
Eastern division-David D. Howe,
Burlington, VT, Free Press and Times;
Egbert D. Corson, Lockport, N. Y,
Union-Sun and Journal.
Central divisional L. Miller. Bat
tie Greek, Mich Enquirer and News.
chairman; Ray Green, Concordia,
Kans., Blade Empire.
Southern division-Curtis B. john
son, Charlotte, N. c., Observer: Her.
schel v. Jenkins. Savannah, Ga,
Morning News, secretary.
Western division-O. s. Warden,
Great Falls, Mont, Tribune; w. w.
Knorpp. Phoenix, Ariz, Gazette.
The Auditing Committee:
Eastern division-Frank e. Langley,
Barre, VT, Times, secretary.
Central DIVISION. C. Seacrest,
Lincoln, Nebr., State Journal.
Southern division-K. A. Engel,
Little Rock, Ark. Arkansas Democrat.
Western division-Clarke F. Waite,