Evening star., 1942-08-30
Rs the Associated Press,


Associated Press follolOs.
Baltimore Sun-Concerning the
background of this particular suit
- we have definite and positive
opinions. These opinions reflect ne
credit on the Attorney Generals
Office, nor on the administration
| whose servant it is. There j.
a disagreement of long standing be,
tween certain newspapers in Chi
cago and Washington on the one
hand, and the administration IL
Washington on the other. The
merits of this dispute we do not
now discuss. We do say, however
that every newspaper has the right
in the fundamental law of the land
to disagree with the administration
and to express that disagreement ir
such terms as it deems effective
| provided it keeps within the bounds
of the law. Any other construction
of freedom of the press" would take
all meaning out of that term.
\
Baltimore Evening Sun-Probably
at no time in history have Ameri-
cans had a larger need for un-
biased collection and dissemination
of news; news free from all pres
sures and restrictions save those le-
gitimate and official ones which reg
ulate information relating to the
war.
1t is precisely this function which
the Associated Press was created to
perform and which 1t has performed
for more than 40 years. And it is
precisely the Associated Press
method of performing the task
which, in the last ANALYSIS, has been
challenged.
Certainly then, there is pro-
found and obvious anomaly present
in suit which, while admitting
that vital public service has been
performed in such way as to Gre
ate the highest reputation and es-
TEEN, nevertheless alleges that the
organization by which such service
has been made possible is contrary
to the public interest, Surely a
grave question arises when in the
face of the Attorney Generals own
clear concession that the service of
the Associated Press has become
synonymous with the highest
standards of accurate, nonpartisan
and comprehensive news reporting"
the Government undertakes to try
to compel changes in the very meth
ods Of operation that have achieved
and assured these things.
New York Daily News-We cannot
make out how the A. P. fits any
definition of monopoly" that we
ever heard. -"
If the A. P. has none of the gener-
ally understood characteristics of a
monopoly or trust, and is freezing no
others news services or correspond
ents or newspapers out of business,
why this lawsuit?
We think a fair statement of the
reasons is as follows:
The Roosevelt Administration does
not like the Chicago Tribune, which
was isolationist before Pearl Harbor.
and since Pearl Harbor has been for
winning the war as fast as may be
but has refused to yes-yes every
move the administration makes in
its thus far not too successful efforts
to win the war. It may be conceded
that for its part the Chicago Tribune
has felt, some dislike for the Roose-
welt administration.
Deeply annoyed by the Chicago
Tribune's independence, the admin
istration, some months before Pearl
Harbor, conceived that it would be
good idea for rich man named
Marshall Field III to start a morn
ing newspaper in Chicago and chase
the Tribune up the street, this new
newspaper to be an administration
mouthpiece.
The Field paper was accordingly
started; and a few days later the
Japanese blew its reason for being
out Of existence by attacking us at
Pearl Harbor and thereby forcing us
into war.
Pressure was now brought on vari-
Gus A. P. member newspapers, by
FBI and other Government organ
isms, to grant the Field paper an
A. P. franchise. The administra-
ton seemed to feel that lack of such
a franchise was the only reason why
the Field paper was definitely not
chasing the Tribune up the street
or anywhere else. = =
Now comes this antitrust law
suit against the Associated Press.
To us, it is another evidence Of
President Roosevelt's ambition to
become commander in chief of the
American press as well as COM
mander in chief of the Army and
Navy.
Los Angeles Times-The action
filed yesterday in the Federal courts
of New York seeks to enjoin the
worlds greatest news-gathering and
Notwithstanding organization from
further practices of the methods
which have gained it that proud
eminence. In 1t, the Government
sets out, in effect, that the A. P. is so
much better than its competitors
in the accuracy, impartiality, thor
oughness and speed with which ii
keeps the public abreast of the
worlds happenings that the system
which has created so superior a
service ought to be discontinued.
Kansas City Star-The fact that
the cooperative organization has
built a service which the Govern
ment says has long been synon-
ymous with the highest standards OF
accurate, non-p partisan and compre-
hensive news reporting" the mem
bers believe justifies the policy they
fnl1ouyod for hrno n