Arkansas State press., 1942-04-24

nocin and feature stories for the obefy reading
public which this institution serves These principles
though established in yeseryears nave been zealousY
utilized in making the newspapers and magazines Of the
country full participants in wholesome construction OF
opnior during our present crisis
There can be no better example Of total awareness
of the RESPONSIBILITIES and duties of the press at this time
than was expressed by Archibald MacLeh head OF the
Office of Facts and Figures in his New York speech TO the
American Society of Newspaper Editors FRIDAY.
"Whateves the press may have been IN the me or
any other country" he said Its significance IN me
present period of this republic is obvious Indeed 1T you
include with the American press The other great nStru
ments of American enlightenment is no more than the
sober truth say that those instruments constitute To-
gether the principal American weapon in this war.
" It is traditicnally to ite press, its persons its
professors and its poets and approximately in that
order that the people of this country turn for counsel
in the difficult and dangerous business OF making up
their minds No one | think will seriously question
the proposition that the course of the republics
history the press has played larger part chan any
other Instrument in shaping the public, as distinguish
cd from the private mind
Mr. NacIeish did not over look in his enIghteuing
address however. the dangers which lie dormant
result of some newspapers whose editors use TINS war
as means to spread seotous producing thoughts under
the honorable principle of freedom of the press We
juban to Teport in this conecon that there is not enc
single Negro newspaper that can be placed in the column
of aiding, abetng or soictous of sedous material for
publication We only know that ours has been The re
sponsite task of informing the officials and the people
whole as to the frequently practced procedures nst
tuted in the Nation today spread segregation discm-
nation and other evils which strike at the heart our
truly American Constitutional policy and inspire unde
sirable disuny amongst the people Ours has been the
battle c strive for increased opportunities for the Negro
citizen to participate fully in every phase of the effort
We have not sought and DO not seek to create
fusion and disunte great country, 10y the mOdng Of
public sentiment OF against class against class
The destructive critics of the American press would
be thrown out of the Negro press We believe however
that the Nation is with and other members OF the pro-
fesson of Journalism when confine whatever critic
ism Of policies in this effort to CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITICISM designed 10 win this war and win it rs
quickly cam Along this line discover a suitable
paragraph for quotation in the MacIeish speech,
There is very clear distinction between criticism
aimed to support the Yil to win this and critic
ism aimed to defeat that WILL said Mr.. MacLesh
THE journalist who refuses to perform that duty
himself and who rebukes those who attemp, TO per
form it in his place has not" he explained, 81 think
increased the fame his profession.
We of the Negro press, nave no time qulhbe over
but issue; ARE OUR EFFORTS REPRESENTATIVE .
OF THE BEST IN THE PROFESSION on NEWS
WRITING? We believe that we are closely allied with
the best of the American press carry ON our daily
people and to extend its teneS in whatever corner of
the nation and world sorely in need of it.
We believe it to be duty, Mr.. MacLesn, to in
form you that our long period of unbroken loyalty rs
racial group to America shall not be shattered By amy
form of bride, propaganda any other SoCaed Bene
fits, which may to attention, originating from
our enemies. This is duty This is responsibility
to the 10 Million Americans whose instruction have
made effort to expand And this repres
ents our profound beliefs in America and all Of its people