Evening star., 1937-07-19
PUBLISHER PUSHES
OPEN SHOP FIGHT
Stan|man Appeals to Edi-
toria| Association to
Lend Aid.
By the Associated Press.


DETROIT, July 19-James G.
Stahlman, Nashville. Tenn president
OF the American Newspaper Publishers
Association, appealed today to men,
bers of the National Editorial Associa-
ton to affiliate in opposition to a
CLOSED news or editorial shop"
Stahlman, who was named chair
man of The Newspaper Committee"
at meeting of publishers and editors
In Chicago three weeks ago was prin-
cipal speaker at the opening session of
the fifty-second annual convention of
the N. E. A. here. The organization
Is made up of publishers and editors
Of non-metropolitan papers
Stahlman told of the action in the
Chicago meeting and said that Clayton
T. Rand. Gulfport, Miss president of
the N. E. A, had sent a telegram to
the meeting promising the "co-opera-
ton" of his organization.
Invites Cooperation.
Taking you at his word Stahlman
said Il am commissioned by my
associates on that committee, repre-
sentlng practically all the 1000 daily
newspapers in America, to extend a
cordial invitation to the National Edi-
torlal Association to affiliate with the
committee and join us in this effort to
protect and defend free press"
Never has there been such a clear
call to duty to the country, to its in
stitutlons, its people as rings in the
ears OF the newspaper publishers of
America today" Stahlman declared
The challenge is before U.s. We alone
can make answer to that challenge.
If there is doubt in the mind of any
sane man that the time is out of
Joint let him look about him. II
any of YOU harbor any such doubts
turn to the pages of your own news
papers for continuation.
Sees World Gone "Havwire."
THE world has gone 'haywire' and
unless the press of America fulfills
us high mission in the days that are
ahead we, too, will find that we have
gone the way of the rest"
Freedom Of the press" Stahlman
defined as responsibility to keep the
people Informed through truthful
and unbiased presentation of the news
to which they are entitled and which
Will enable them to determine those
Things OF a public nature which are
either favorable or inimical to their
own welfare and to act accordingly"
Prior to the opening Of the first
session, President Rand said that
there is no doubt the National Edi-
tortal Association will indorse the
Newspaper Committees stand on free
dom of the press and opposition to
the closed editorial shop"
Interest Of Group.
"Our interest is more an academic
concern with freedom Of the press ="
Rand said, explaining that the closed
shop so far "is not much of a problem
to the small town newspaper pub
Usher
Committee reports dealing with
matters before the convention will be
presented Wednesday morning.
Never In the history of the Ameri-
can Commonwealth" Stanlman said
was there such an opportunity for
constructive service on the part of the
press. Never has there been such a.
clear call to duty.
Il have heard it said that the neo-
PIE OF America are tired of hearing
about freedom of the press that free
dom OF the press has become shop
worn and trite. Shopworn? Mavbe
Irlte? Perhaps. But to me 1t is as
fundamental as the decalogue and as
eternal as the stars.
Meaning Of Free Press.
Tree press does not mean nv
right, nor yours, as a publisher, to
publish whatever We please, to violate
any laws, to invade personal privacy
or to ignore the ethics of a great pro-
3ession.
IL does mean our responsibility to
comment fairly and intellgentlv in
our editorial columns upon those
things in order that We NAV helm N
informed people reach sound and en-
Ishtened decisions on matters most
affecting their present and their fiji
ture.
A free press is nobody's right
except free peoples. Newspa apers are
put trustees of that right and VIC
can only deserve to hold it by proper
and unself1sh observation of our re-
sponslolltles In a republic such as
ours"