Evening star., 1939-11-06

BY Secretary Ickes
'Profit-Mokine' Criticized but
No Practical Alternative
Is Suggested
AMERICAS HOUSE OF LORDS, an
Inquiry Into Freedom OF the Press.
By Harold L. Ickes. Harcourt, Brace
G. Co.
Through radio speeches and debates,
Secretary 1ckes has already established
himself as a rather harsh critic of the
American press. He has now written
book on the subject, putting into more
permanent form much of the material
already presented from the radio plat
form.
Mr.. Ickes writes, he says, as friend,
and, despite its sins, as an admirer of
the press. IF have been severe in my
condemnation Of the faults of American
newspapers" he says, II have proceeded
as friend and not an enemy. I have
criticized the press, not because I
thought it was bad but because I am
convinced that it is not good enough. 1t
could and should be made much better
| than it is. Even SO, I am willing to
admit that taken by and large, and
| particularly when compared with news
papers in other parts of the world it is
still the best press in the world. AS an
| American, I am proud of this fact"
With this position explained in the
conclusion, 1t is unfortunate that the
book does not sustain it. MI. Ickes may
be friendly critic of the press, but he
writes of its shortcomings more in anger
than in sorrow. His great indignation,
some of it over trivia that newspaper
men will recognize as wholly without
significance as the basis for serious criti-
cisms, lessons the strength of what
otherwise might have been a helpful
study Of the deficiencies of the press
The chief weaknesses of the press,
according to Mr.. Ickes, are that it has
become big business" with an upper
stratum interest and outlook" which
produces a functional conflict within
the press itself "as to whether it should
be a profit making or public agency"
Newspaper production, these days, has
become highly expensive undertaking,
requiring capital at the outset and con-
tinued profits if the newspaper is to live.
Mr.. Ickes has no practical answer to this
economic problem, which has been eX-
pressed in more profound terms by news
paper editors themselves. But there is
little doubt that the more profitable a
newspaper, the greater its opportunity
for independence from the big busi-
ness ana other mischlevous sources of
influence that Mr. Ickes darkly suggests
are usually present.
Mr Ickes admits of the Chicago Tri-
bune-Which, in other respects he rakes
fore and aft-that it is beyond the con-
troll Of any advertiser And Mr. Ickes
himself regards with proper detestation
the thought of a subsidized press. which
is the only alternative to profit making
newspaper.
fho Iollo dS newspapers dIc lllUlNlu-
ually owned. they will reflect as varying
a degree of public service, rectitude and
excellence as one may find in the char
acters of their owners The chief differ
ence between newspaper publishers and
any other class of men is that news
paper publishers or owners reveal them
selves more quickly, through their prod
uct, to the public. And as the public
itself becomes more enlightened. news
paper publishers will more quickly re-
spond to the discipline inflicted by the
public. and strive more to meet rising
standards of journalism-else 60 out of
business.
Newspapers, as Mr. Ickes seems to
think, do not resent intelligent criticism.
Some of Mr.. Ickes' criticism is intelli-
gent. What they resent in Mr.. Ickes'
brand of criticism, however, is that he
falls into the same pitfalls that beset
the newspapers and which honest news
papers themselves detest-the pitfalls
represented by jumping to conclusions,
rank partisanship failing to present both
sides of controversy, failing to verify
carefully, and the resulting inaccura-
cleS which spring from such failures.
To neWspaperman, some of Mr.. Ickes'
accusations are remarkably naive. 9th
ers are s ly. And while his evaporation
at crook, d newspaper work, indecent and
unfair newspaper work. is shared by
honest newspapermen, they resent his
sarcastic jibes at the thought that news
paper editors themselves should express
their ideals in the form of a code of
ethics
Mr.. Ickes does not generalize as broad
ly in his book as in his previous radio
speeches and more fairly takes into &C
count the fact that there are many
honorable exceptions" in his indictment
of publishers as class and the press
which represents them. He includes
an "honor rolf of newspapers which
he says is not all inclusive, is restricted
to the metropolitan press and represents
"a passing attempt" at evaluation of
qualities which Secretary Ickes feels
make "for character and distinction"
The list is made up of the New York
Times, Des Moines Register and Tribune,
Christian Science Monitor, st. Louis
Post-Dlspatch, Washington STAR Kansas
City Star, Chicago Daily News, Baltimore
Sun, Washington Post, Scripps- Howard
papers, New York Herald Tribune and