The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
Newspaper Week


Once year we in the newspaper bust
ness invite the attention of our readers to
the function of the press in community and
national life. The feeling that prompts this
invitation is a mixture Of gratitude and
pride, with the former predominating.
We have the blessed good fortune to
operate under a government which permits
us to report news without interference or
censorship, except in cases where national
security IS involved. But it does not seem i'm
modest to say that the American press rs
whole has appreciated its freedom and
cherished its good fortune in such way that
that freedom exists undiminished after 160
years.
The slogan of this years National News
paper Week (Oct 1-8) is "Your Newspaper
Serving Freedom by Serving You" It is
not necessary to catalog the many examples
of public service which are evident in every
edition of an American newspaper. That
Service can be summed up in the words in
formation and opinion, two Indispensable
elements of true democracy.
The unhampered gathering of information
and expression Of opinion by private clti-
zens may not be the most important factors
lin a government by free people, but such a
government could not endure without them.
In order to know the issues facing their gov
ernment-local, state or national-and in
order to choose wisely the officers Of govern
ment people must have access to informa-
ton that they can trust.
Lacking that information it is almost i'm
possible for them to guard their civil rights
intelligently or, once those rights are taken
from them, to restore them without violence
and bloodshed. This is the history of too
many countries in the world today.
Suppression of information and free
opinion has reached Its height, of course, in
the Soviet Union. There the press is simply
part Of the government propaganda organ-
zation. Criticism is permitted only of those
persons who deviate from party line or gov
ernment policy. Truth is not only important;
it is an active enemy which must be silenced
and banished.
Elsewhere this control Of free expression
takes the somewhat milder form OF suspen-
sions of publication by government order'
or withholding of newsprint which eventual
" drives the offending publisher out OF busl-
ness. But wherever the circulation Of true
information is discouraged, there one flnds
individual freedom weakened and the cause
Of peace endangered.
In this country our government, Tar from
interfering, is endeavoring through treaties
to guarantee greater measure OF press free
dom abroad. Let us hope that many other
governments may follow the American ex-
ample, for in it lies the best hopes Of better
understanding among nations.
The American peoples heritage OF free
press, which they have guarded and pro-
tected, has done much to make this nation
strong and keep it free. The press own
heritage bequeathed by generations OF in
telligent, honest and responsible newspaper
men, has also been guarded and protected.
That heritage, in short, is the obligation
of newspapers to give its readers the truth.
So long as that obligation is met there is
no danger that either the press or the people
will lose their freedom.