Evening star., 1941-04-23
McNutt Says Nation
Relies on Newspaper,
In Job Of Defense
Publishers Conference
Also Told Aid to Country
Is Their Big Problem
Py the Associated Press.

Is Their Big Problem
Py the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 23.-America
must rely on newspaper publishers
and editors "to move America fast
enough to do the job" the Nation
faces, Federal Security Admins
traitor McNutt said today.
In an address at the American
Newspaper Publishers Association
Convention, Mr.. McNutt declared
that total defenSe-whether on the
home front or the international
fronts the biggest job of mass
production and mass education that
America has seen yet"
He said American business with
its technique of mass production, its
inventive genius, and the instru-
ment OF modern advertising, has re-
made American life in the last 40
years"
Americans chose changes partly
because your columns-news and
advertising columns - persuaded
them" he said
Programs Need Understanding.
And these programs which we
have to administer need the un-
derStanding of the American pub
lie just as much as do the goods
and services of American industry. "
he continued. for they represent
the new social machinery"
Mr.. McNutt described the de-
velopment of the social security
program and its affiliated activi-
ties and said that today social
security facilities are serving the
Nation in defense.
In this historic hour a great
responsibility is in your hands, -
Mr.. McNutt told the newspapermen.
1T is a responsibility which bears
far more heavily than did the re-
sponsibility of a publisher in the
days when truly competitive news
paper could be established with
$500 of capital and the cooperation
of printer who had to keep his
typeSetter at work. 1t is re-
sponsibility for balanced judgment
and public service and dispassion-
ate honesty but American
newspapers will meet these grave
responsibilities -
Aid to Nation.
John S. McCarrens OF the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer, president of the
group, said that in these latter
tragic days of the world there is for
all of us but one paramount problem
and that is how to be of the greatest
help to our country.
1T is time for us who conduct
the newspaper press OF the United
States to put all We have at the
service of our country. the final
bulwark OF liberty on this planet, "
Mr.. McCarrens said. Was ever SO
God-like an opportunity?
Mr. McCarrens said he was aware
that the Nations newspapers con-
timue to be plagued by MANY prob
lems-problems of the collection and
editing of news, problems of ad-
vertising, problems OF circulation,
problems OF steadily rising costs"
National Aid Held Paramount.
But these. he told his fellow news
papermen. must give way before the
paramount problem of aiding the
country.
TO do ourselves simple Justice
we have been confronted in these
latter years with tougher publishing
problems than journalism has ever
known, Mr.. McCarrens said TT is
no exaggeration to say that the
American newspaper moved through
social revolution in the 1930s, the
like of which We did not expect at
the outset and the extent of which
Is vet to be measured some years
from now.
IF comparisons are to be made
with other national institutions sub
jected to the trial by fire of the
same 10 years. American newspapers
have certainly done a good Job.
Almost without exception they
are better newspapers, more vigilant.
more animated, more purposeful to
execute the press obligation to Ma
ton and community, and that is
why American newspapers are more
widely read today than ever before"
"Shop Talk" Session.
Editors and publishers of papers
with circulation under $4,000 had
their own session OF shop talk" yes
terday They ranged the field of
their own special problems from
defense to participation in commu-
nifty activities.
Floyd j. Miller, Royal Oak CMich)
Daily Tribune, led the discussion on
cubic relations involving such sub
Jects as newspapers utilizing their
own columns for institutional adver-
tislng, personal contacts of editorial.
circulation and advertising Staffs
with the reading public, co-opera-
lion individually in community ac-
tlvlties and the organization of
speakers bureau to provide speakers
on newspaper topics