The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-22
aoLDmRs or THE PRESS


 Every crusading newspaperman haR discovered that his life is just d bed of thorns. Truth is as e red flag to the bull in certain groups
 During the Revolution a great American aimed hls pungent pen alt hose who ohstructed the battle for freedom. The powerful men he irked launched a campaign of villflcation against him and drove him out of the country. He later re- turned and died in poverty Now he iB remembered aS one of the most eloquent voices of American liberty: Thomas Paine. 2
 like all two-fisted newspapermen, Horace oreeley's reputation was o target for mud-slingers. One of his detractors howled that Greeley was influenced by powerful interests--a low blow that is still popular today 0reeley's reply to that was sin9ply: "Yes, l am influenced by powerful interests, but please keep my wifes name out of this"
 James Gordon Bennett was an- other fighting newspaperman He refused to compromise with his opponents, no matter how influ- ential they were. He insisted that a free press must serve as & shield of liberty by yielding a sword against its enemies When friends urged him to soften his blows he roared: T will enter the Hall of Fame by breaking down the door with my bare fistsl"
 No man has a healthier influence on American Journalism than Wil- liam Allen White. He was as Amer. lean as the Liberty Bell But not even that great man was above the low blows of politicians. 4 cer. tain congressional committee once charged that White was member of an ul1.American organization!
 
 Joseph Pulitzer once stated: '"rhere is not 0 crime, a swlndle, @ vice which does not live by secrecy" .. That's also why some politicos consider fearless newSpapermen most bitter enemies. When the N. Y. Times spotlighted the notorious Tweed Ring, Times editor George Jones had his reputation dragged through the mud. His political tar gets threatened and caJoled him In an effort to stop the exposes |. ,, Finally Q Tweed rlngleadcr offered him q five million dollar bribe, pointing out: with that much money in Europe you could live like prince" Jones pushed him out of his office, replying: "Yes, but In my heart would know that was a snake"
 Jacob Rils, the famed reporter, never stopped slugging the dirty ele- ments in our society Many times his work seemed futile, but he never gave ID. Later in life he always advised cub reporters: Never become discouraged. When nothing seems to help, go and look at q stone.ctittcr hammering away at q rock, perhaps one hundred times without as much as a crack sow ing in 1t. Yet at the l0lst blow 1t will split in two, and you know that 1t was not the last blow that dld 1t, but all that had gone before"
 
 Probably the fightIngest newspa- per America ever had was the N. r. World. When it won one crusade, it started another. No organ has ever won more respect from the public and newSpapermen The World had passion for accuracy yet its historians reveal that in one year 1t had to run about three hun dred correctional ,. The best news services and newspapers occasionly slip--theyre only human. We mem ton that because belitters try to impugn Q columnist's accuracy when he Sprawls on his face,
 It took place before the Blll of Rights was born. But it's as timely as raid on Berlin: We mean the famous case involving John Peter zenger During Colonial times he published newspaper without fear or favor. Ills honesty, naturally, got him into trouble. He was sued for libel, but Q courageous jury ac- quilted him That case marks the birth of America's free press ,., And why was he sued for libedP Be. ng NAAaa sAAAAa AA