Evening star., 1937-09-01
At TOP
AS NEWS SOURCES
Norman Thomas Says They
Are Guilty of Lag in Events
of Social Consequence.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass, Septem-
be- Newspapers still ARE the prin-
cipal means of communication, Nor
man Thomas said today, in spite of
the growing Importance of radio and
moving pictures
Speaking at the WilliamstoWn In
stitute of Human Relations on The
Newspaper and Civil Liberties" the
Socialist leader said newspapers de-
termined in the largest degree the
reality of freedom of discussion and
the scope of the information upon
which any worthwhile discussion must
be based.
In many cities, however, Thomas
asserted, leaders did not obtain true
pictures of happenings of great social
consequence. This generalization is
true almost without exception" he
continued, when the mania of war
is upon us. 1t is likewise true. but to
much less degree. in time of peace,
especially when the bitterness of polit-
ical or industrial conflict approaches
war psychology
Free Press Indispensable.
George Fort Milton, president and
editor OF the Chattanooga News, who
presided. said free press was IAN
indispensable part of the human mind,
which is the greatest thing in the
world.
But let us be sure" he continued,
that we ourselves in the press seek to
free it from the internal despotisms of
our own contrivance at the same time
that we resist such external dangers
Some enemies OF the freedom of
the press are in the press itself. These
are the men who ignore the public
trusteeship of their institution. who
give only one side of the picture, who
deal in half-truths or whole lies,
whether about Government, political
parties, labor and capital, or about the
poor helpless individual caught in the
hideous glare of some news event.
Such men put weapons in the hands
of those who would end the freedom
VI LIlc press.
Warns of Class Hate.
Editors and publishers must never
forget" Milton concluded, that free
dom Of the press carries with it and
implies intelligent public service by
the press We must never forget that
this freedom is in the Constitution,
not only as personal safeguard for us
who wish to write without censor or
prison cell, even more is it there for
the welfare of the people who make
this Nation. ="
James N Rosenberg, New York
lawyer, declared, in prepared address
that democracy needs to look and
listen to guard against "patrioteers
and purveyors of class hate who, he
said, "vilify the weakest and by
group defamation "beguile nations
into throwing away their liberties"
Henry Haskell, editor Of the Kan
sas City Star, defended the newspapers
against charge, made by Thomas,
that readers obtained the dramatic
beginnings of important events, but
that the announcements seldom re-
ceived the same attention
1T is an immensely difficult thing"
Haskell declared, to maintain a sus-
tanned emphasis on past news, "be-
cause the run Of the news is going
on continuously, and you very quickly
forget the names Of those who fea-
tured in the news several days ago."
Haskell pointed out that it was in
evitable that stories no longer new
should receive less attention than the
latest developments, adding that
newspapers preoccupied with events at
home sometimes neglected those far
away.