The Washington times., 1937-06-30
ALL-GUILD SHOP
REJECTED BY
PUBLISHERS

CHICAGO, June 30 GN.SO
Five hundred and sixty-five rep
resentatives Of State, sectional and
national associations Of newspaper
publishers and executives today
were on record with a formal reSo-
luton rejecting the proposal for
a closed shop in the editorial and
news departments.
James Stahlman, president OF
the American Newspaper Publish
ers Association. presided over the
special convention attended by
members Of the II press aSSocia-
tionS.
Purpose Explained
In it's resolution rejecting the
recent declaration of the Amer
lean Newspaper Guild for closed
shop among workers in the edi-
torial and news departments, the
convention declared that the meet
ing was not called in opposition
to collective bargaining, better
hours, pay or working conditions
for newspaper men and women"
but to discuss the closed shop las
a matter of journalistic and pub
lie principle, not as an economic
issue"
The resolution declared the pub
fishers "unalterable opposition to
the closed guild shop or any other
form of closed shop for those who
prepare and edit news copy and
pictures for newspapers, and de-
clined to enter into any agreement
on the closed shop basis.
The publishers expressed their
determination not to enter into
any agreement with editorial en-
ployes upon a closed shop basis. A
resolution containing these points
was adopted unanimously.
The resolution said, in part:
This meeting is by no means
one of opposition to collective
bargaining, better hours, pay or
working conditions for news
paper men and women.
I'VE are here to discuss the
closed shop as a matter of jour-
naliStic and public principle, not
as an economic issue.
Established for the benefit Of
all people are four fundamental
rights in the Constituencies
dom of religion-freedom Of
Speech-freedom of press, and
freedom Of assembly. Experience
has proved and even now is dem
onStrating in Russia, Italy and
Germany, that the interference
with one of these fundamental
rights means the curtailing Of
the others-the collapse Of
liberty itself.
UncOlOred News Vital
Freedom of the press is not
an exemption accorded by the
Constitution for the benefit of
publishers; it is but one of these
four guarantees. 1t is a pub
liSher's responsibility, a citizens
right-one which entities him to
an accurate statement Of what
is taking place in order that he
may have the facts wherewith
to judge matters of public policy
and take whatever action may
be necessary to protect himself
and that which he holds dear.
There has never been a time
in our history when unColored
presentation of news was as
vitality important as today. The
extension of the great press
associations serving news to
newspapers of varying social,
economic, political and religious
beliefs has emphasized this de-
velopment of impartial news
treatment. Thousands of men
and women are devoting their
lives to the gathering and pres
entation of the news without
bias.
Factual Reporting
"Only upon such a foundation
OF factual reporting can sound
public opinion and wise public
policies be based.
This vital service of the
press to the public can be per-
formed properly only when
those who are responsible for
the publication are free to
choose the persons whom they
deem best qualified to report
and edit the news. This re-
sponsibility cannot be dis
charged if some outside au-
thority, beyond their control,
determines whom they shall or
shall not employ. That is pre-
ciSely what the American News
paper Guild seeks by its de-
mand. And that demand is
l.