Imperial Valley press., 1937-06-30

titles him to an accurate statement
of what is taking place in order
that he may have the facts where
with to judge matters of public
/ policy and take whatever action
may be necessary to protect himself
and that which he holds dear.
Fair News Vital
There has never been a time
in our history when uncolored pres
entation of news was as vitality i'm
portant as today. The extension of
the great press associations serving
news to newspapers of varying So
cial. economic, political and religi-
Gus beliefs has emphasized this de-
velopment of impartial news treat
ment. Thousands of men and wom-
en- are devoting their lives to the
gathering and presentation of the
news without bias.
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 performed
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 respon-
sibility cannot be discharged if
some outside authority, behind their
control. determined whom they
shall or shall not employ. That is
precisely what the American News
paper Guild seeks by its demand.
And that demand is the more seri-
Gus because the guild is now COM
mitted to a number of definite
political objectives.
THE recent American Newspaper
Guild convention in St. Louis by
resolution took positions on such
debatable subjects as the war in
Spain. the court bill, the support
of a particular political party. In
the same convention the guild as an
organization enlisted as a partisan
in the tremendous public dispute
now involving the entire labF
movement in this country.
Demanded Closed Shop
Following the expression on the
public policies enumerated the guild
laid down mandatory rules calling
for closed or guild shop. The
closed shop is present in mechanical
of many newspapers
absent in some. We unite now,
however, in answering objection to
the closed shop for news and edi-
torial department workers-not be-
cause We regard it as a labor issue
involving questions of wages, hours
and working conditions, but because
We are unwilling to turn over the
news columns to any group already
committed as an organization on
highly controversial public queS-
tionS.
I'VE make no charge that bias
is found per Sc in the work of a
guild member. To do SO would
imply bias per sc in a non-guild
worker Neither is true. Bias arises.
however, among any group respect
ing any policy common to the group.
No newspaper can command conf
dence in the fairness of its news
presentation if it selects all its en-
ployes from only one political party.
one religious denomination. or any
one group devoted to single cause.
I'VE do not deny that causes re-
quire champions. and that progress
springs from the genius Of advo-
Gates. Equally important to society,
however. are those who report the
controversial scene. 1t is the news
paper mans job to do that, not as
a partisan but as an objective
observer.
fUnalterable Opposition
Therefore be it resolved that as
editors and publishers here as
sembled from all parts of the Unit
ed States We declare our unalterable
opposition to the closed guild shop
or any other form of closed shop
for those who prepare and edit news
and pictures for newspapers, and
We hereby express our determina-
ton not to enter into any agree
ment upon such basis.
American Society of Newspaper
Editors, Pacific Northwest Publish
ers association, New England Daily
Newspaper association, New York
State Publishers association, Inland
Daily Press association, California
Newspaper Publishers association,
Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers
association, Texas Newspaper Pub
fishers association, Ohio Newspaper
association, Southern Newspaper
Publishers association. American
Publishers association"