Evening star., 1938-04-26
WARNING IS GIVEN
SMALLER PAPERS
Must Be Alert to Ward OFF
Threats to Freedom,
StahIman Says.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 26.-Publishers
OF the Nations smaller newspapers
were urged by James G. Stahlman OF
the Nashville (Tenn) Banner today tc
be alert to what he described as re-
peated attempts made to "hamstrine
the American press"
Mr.. Stahlman, opening the SD an
nual convention Of the American
Newspaper Publishers Association, oi
which he is president, said he had
been "astounded at the unconcern ex-
pressed by many Of the publishers OF
the smaller newspapers toward en-
croachments which are gradually be-
ing made on free press.
Il have had many publishers say tt
me that the battle for the preserva.
ton Of free speech and a free pres.
IN this country was not theirs" he
said, that they were safe in their owr
bailiwicks and that the fight for q
free press was mainly an effort on the
part Of the larger publishers to AFRO.
gate to themselves special privileges
which they would deny to others less
powerful.
Frankly Disturbs Him.
Now, that sort of talk frankly dis
turbs me. It's time that the pub
fishers Of the smaller newspapers in
this country, daily and weekly, should
wake up to the fact that any restric-
tionS upon free press will affect them
just as much as the big fellow"
Asserting that sporadic efforts al
ready were being made by politicians
and others in the lesser governmental
units to restrict newspapers by various
forms Of taxation, license or censor
ship" Mr.. Stahlman said:
Every effort Of this nature should
be met at its source and promptly
checked. Indifference in one locality
will contribute to spread Of the
trouble elsewhere"
Problems Discussed.
Under the direction of Verne E. Joy
OF the Centralia Ill) Sentinel. the
publishers. editors and other executives
attending the closed session turned to
discussion Of problems affecting
newspapers of $4,000 circulation or
less.
The competition Of radio advertis-
ing was the dominant issue j. M.
Bunting. general manager of the
Bloomington 1u) Pantagraph. as
sailed the publication of radio pro-
grams as constituting a free ride
for competitive medium.
He said his newspaper had elm
mated them in 1882, yet was at the
highest circulation point since 1929.
This, he said, despite the competition
OF seven other newspapers within a
radius of 48 miles, all carrying radio
programs.
Presents Different View.
A different view was expressed by
Merlin H. Aylesworth, organizer and
former president Of National Broad
casting Corp, who recently became
publisher Of the New York World
Telegram. He described the radio as
a SoilPlciicilldly Idllltl lIidl COIIl.
petitive medium. and said the news
papers had nothing to fear from that
quarter.
Frank E. Trip, general manager Of
the Gannett newspapers, said there
was "a definite trend away from all
newspapers to a few newspapers" on
the part of national advertisers.
To remedy the situation. he sug-
gested single national newspaper ad-
vertising bureau 80 big 50 strong. Sc
we'll financed and so morally backed
by every newspaper that it can 60 into
every nook and corner OF the Nation
with the newspaper story; carry with
it the data and the research to prove
its case, teaching those who have for
gotten and those who never knew. how
newspapers can be used successfully. "