The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-04-27
The Free Press


this week are the publishers Of the
last wholly free press in all this
world. There has thus far been
no subordination OF freedom TO
policy here. Whereas the Ameri-
can radio IS a government-dominst-
cd. Observation-Disclosures, govern
ment-blackmailed organ for the
dissemination Of governmental
ranged aud PROVIDED material with
occasional staged evidences OF free
dom and bOotlegged expressions OF
unapproyed views, the press as
body remains free and independ-
ent
The vast variety Of newspapers
makes for freedom. Running the
range OF views from the Commun.
list Daily Worker to the Conserva-
tive Chicago Tribune. the American
newspaper speaks for every seq
ment in the population, for every
kind OF American. II speaks for
every part of the country. II
speaks for particular kinds of peo-
pie in many different languages
and various racial groupings. y
few newspapers are operated as in
| Come-taX losses for the amusement
of owners of inherited wealth. but
by and large the American press
operates as a responsible business.
supported by circulation and ad-
yertising- which means that the
people OF a community show their
respect or disrespect for a newspa-
per by taking or leaving ii with
utter freedom OF choice and taste.
a curious notion has in recent
years appeared among newspaper
editors and publishers that their
newspapers should be impartial,
unbiased, non-controversial in their
editorial policy as well as in the
presentation of news. This con
ception of the press probably orig
mated in the success that Adolph
Ochs achieved with the New York
Times which contrasted with the
forceful. aggressive, leadership
Journalism Of James Gordon Ben
nett, Charles Dana. Joseph Pulitz'
er. William Randolph Hearst ana
other two.fiisted publishers who
hit out for causes and purposes.
Publishers have come to believe
that il Mr.. Ochs could do so profit
ably without fghting for anything,
why should anyone fight and take
on enemies. Every controversy
makes enemies as we'll as friends
for the newspaper.
There is final red hgure on
the debit side in this objective
journalism, and that is that the
newspaper may hold circulation but
IL has lost leadership and leader
shin is one OF its many functions.
Were the press more controversial
in this generation. many OF the
evils which today exist in this ma
ton could not have occurred. a
few journalists have, it is true,
banged away, day in and day out
AT the whiting away OF our con-
stitutional rights. but IT is the dutj
of the press as a while, OF the vast
body OF reporters and correspond
ents TO uncover the corruptions
in American life.
For instance, the other night !
came across an item OF how the
President bypasses the approprla'
ton power Of Congress and the pub-
lie auditing of public funds by
establishing goyernment-owned co..
porations-there are, ! believe,
some 80 of them-that borrow from
the RFC which borrows from the
Treasury which borrows from the
people. The trick in all this is
obvious, but what is the press
doing to protect the fundamental
concept Of the control OF the appro-
priation and expenditure OF public
funds by constitutional processes
which safe uard the people from
the evils OF uncontrolled official
dom? cite this as one example Of
what fighting publishers would
have regarded as their proper bust
ness They would ha} fought this
particular diversion Of funds to a
tare-ye-well.
Leadership Of opinion and Ideas.
protection OF the people, defense OF
the Constitution and the rights OF
the people-these are normal func-
tons of newspapers. And the place
to do this fighting is in the news
columns where the facts should be
started no matter who gets hurt.
In a free country. there is a di-
vcrsity OF views and a conflict OF
opinion. but the truth is the best
story ever written and the bust
ness OF reporting is to get the
whole truth about everything. And
war is no excuse for reportorial
CoYer-ups.
Those who want their newspa.
o,re 70 he uptiaSed inoartial