Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-10-19
Government Should
Payfor War Bond Ads
Editor Tells Inquiry
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
An Overwhelming majority of the
editors and publishers of the
Nations small daily and weekly
newspapers believe the Government
should pay for War bond advertis-
ing, Albert S. Hardy, Gainesville
Ga, president of the National Edi-
torial Association, told the Senate
Banking Committee today.
Testifying in support of the bill by
Senator Bankhead, Democrat, OF
Alabama, authorizing up to $50, 0OO,-
900 annually in Treasury bond adj
vertising, in newspapers, Mr.. Hardy
said QUESTIONABLE survey by his
association showed "a per cent
favored the legislation.
To the question, do you think
the Government should pay for bond
advertising?" Mr.. Hardy said 2,545
papers replied, Yes" and 155 said,
mo"
Approximately 81 per cent of
those answering the QUESTIONABLE
said they did not consider paid ad-
vertising would be subsidy or that
it would have any effect on editorial
policies.
Endorsed by Associations.
Mr.. Hardy said the NEA repre-
sented some 5000 newspapers, prin-
cipally weeklies and semiweeklies,
but including some dailies. Forty
State press associations also have
Endorsed the Bankhead bill, he as
serted.
Discussing opposition to the bill
from the Treasury and some pub
fishers, Mr.. Hardy said:
The motivating force back of the
Government agencies attacks stems
from their almost fanatical desire
to maintain the status quo in the
widespread free publicity program
The fact that the Government
pays for every other service or
commodity in the war effort
is deliberately overlooked in the
protests of officialdom.
Newspaper publishers and editors
are individualists. They cannot be
regimented. The overwhelming per-
centages listed Gin the question
naire) represent the nearest ap-
proach to a meeting. of minds as
to the proper course to pursue
Earlier Senator Bankhead declared
that the Treasury is trying to
ride a free horse to death" by ask
ing newspapers to contribute space
for War bond drives without any
compensation.
Assails Treasury Attitude.
THE Secretary of the Treasury
apparently feels that the news
papers will donate advertising space
to the bond sales drives, SO why pay
for it?" Senator Bankhead said. In
other words, he is trying to ride
free horse to death. About 500
papers, mostly small ones, have had
to fold up in the last two years"
Senator Bankhead said figures
would be shown to indicate that
of every 10 families in the Nation
have bought no War bonds and that
a more thorough advertising cam
paign is necessary to reach them.
StIldGO odllhllCdo olSO dbSoSNSo
the argument that Government pur-
chase of advertising space might
lead to attempted Federal domina-
ton of the press. He said the Army,
Navy and Home Owners Loan Corp.
had in the past bought space for
special advertising.
A revised version of the Bankhead
bill introduced yesterday provides
that half of the Treasury War bond
advertising fund be spent in news
papers, dailies, weeklies and semi
weeklies, in communities under
10000 population and the other half
In cities over 10000.
"Resents' Subsidy Charge.
The original bill filed last May
earmarked nalf for weeklies, semi
weeklies and triweeklies and half
for dailies.
While opponents have contended
the measure would open the, door to
Government interference with free
dom of the press, John Redmond,
editor of the Burlington CKans)
Republican, declared that I'VE small
city newspapers resent the charge
Of the big fellows that this is a
subsidy
Mr.. Redmond, a guest of Repre-
sentative Rees, Republican, of Kan
sas at the Capitol, said that small
city newspapers regard the idea of
the Government paying for War
bond advertising as a strictly bust
ness venture.