Evening star., 1938-08-14
M|NTON RENEWS
ATTACK ON PRESS
Newspapers Controlled by
Wealth and Selfish
Forces, He Says.
~ the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Aug. Ex-senator
Sherman Minton, Indiana Democrat,
told luncheon of newspaper men and
women today that American news
papers ARE big business and they give
the people today what they want
the people to think tomorrow"
The newspapers, he said, are con-
trolled by wealth and selfish forces, "
by the money Of men who. In his
opinion, would not scruple to throw
this country into Fascism rather than
surrender their privileges" He also
accused the wire services of "monop-
olistic practices"
In an open forum after he delivered
his prepared speech, Senator Minton
said in response to questions:
Il think the majority Of newspapers
are on the up and up. I think the
great majority Of working newspaper
men and women are on the up and
up = ="
Addressed Press Society.
The Senator addressed the American
Press Society. Paul Scott Mowrer.
president Of the society and editor of
the Chicago Daily News, who intro
duced MintOn, described the organiza-
tion as a national professional or
gani1ation of working newspaper men
and women dedicated to the
belief that theirs is an honorable pro-
lesion which Is In the nature of q
public trust"
In the question period several men,
bers OF the society expressed disagree
ment with Senator Minton's criticisms,
declaring that in years Of newspaper
work they never had been asked to
write an untruth or distort 4 news
story
Il don't know whether these things
exist" Minton said at one point, but
have given you expert testimony and
given you the names of books where
you can find more"
Recalls Press Bill.
He recalled "a little bill" he pro-
posed last year which some news
papers denounced as an attempt to
limit the freedom Of the press.
The American Newspaper Publish
ers' Association. the Senator said. had
made an "impudent and hypocritical
proposal" to censor free speech BY
curbing the RADIO" and he had "as,
sumed that If the press had set for
itself the task Of cleaning up the
house of radio it wouldn't mind
putting its own house in order"
L proposed" he said, that 1t
should be crime to publish as a fact
anything known to be false. In other
words, it would be a crime to lie,
knowing it to be a lie. Then
it was that learned from the great
newspaper publishers that they
claimed the constitutional right to
deliberately lie. and that you cannot
run newspaper without lying de-
liberately."
MiEton recalled the "era Of great
editors, Greeley. Dana. Bennett and
Watterson," spoke of the growth OF
newspaper chains. naming the Hearst
and Gannett chains. and OF the pass
ing Of Pulitzer and the ideals OF
Scrlpps"
Columnists Are Edited.
Today. he said. the editorial page
receives must orders from the high
command"
He said that columnists have re-.
placed the men who once spoke out
freely on the editorial page. but that
columnists themselves are now edited
"on the principle that the owners
OF the paper must decide what news
shall be printed. to say nothing of
opinion
Discussing the Associated Press. he
said:
1T is impossible to start q Compel
ing paper to one with an Associated
Press franchise"
And Of the United Press. he said:
Let one try today to establish
newspaper in competition with one of
its clients and see how tight the line
Is held"