Evening star., 1949-10-31

l iVSS HHIuSVHuSItI
To Big Government,
MeKe|way Says #
By the Associated Press
MINERAL WELLS, Tex, Oct.
31.-A free press should be inher-
emily antagonistic to the idea of
expanding government and the
multitude of new controls that
accompany such an expansion. a
Washington newspaperman said
here today.
B. M. McKelway, editor of The
Washington Star and president of
the American Society of News
paper Editors. told the 47th con-
vention of the Southern News
paper Publishers Association:
LAS publishers and as newspa-
per editors we should realize that
the most unassailable position for
the defense of a free and private
ly owned newspaper press today
is to demonstrate, by what we
print, that it is the only trust
worthy guardian of that common
properly of the American people
the unbiased, accurate news of
the day.
1T is the honesty and the accu-
racy and the adequacy of our
news that may prove to be the
ultimate test of our ability to
maintain a free and independent
press. We must never be found
wanting there.
Greatest Investment in Men.
"We are justly proud of our fine
newspaper plants. But let us re-
member that our greatest invest
ment should be in the men who
produce our newspapers-men of
character. honest men, with a re-
spect amounting to reverence for
the role of free press in a free
society.
1T is upon their character,
their understanding, their faith
fulness to public trust and their
responsibility to the best interests
Of the people they serve that we
must depend. in the end, for the
preservation of free and honest
newspapers
The impression of confusion in
Washington is natural, Mr.. Nc
Kelway said.
There is confusion. It is the
confusion Of 531 men in Congress
deciding, in one session, how to
spend between 40 and so thou
sand million dollars; trying to
spend it wisely and trying to reach
agreements under which every
congressional district gets a fair
cut; talking their heads off about
the virtues of economy while run
ming the country into debt at the
rate of $40.O00,OO0 a day.
Confusion of Great Events.
1T is the confusion of great
events. crowding upon each other
any one of which may influence
the destiny of millions of people
all over the world.
But in spite of worship of
speed-brought about by competi-
tive effort to beat the other fellow
the corps of Washington corre-
spondents does a remarkable Job
in telling the day-to-day story of
what happens in Washington.
In spite OF the confusion and
the speed with which it must be
gathered and the undue emphasis
often placed upon the trivial. the
Washington news report is both
accurate and comprehensive.
But not enough of it finds its
way into print around the coun-
try. 1t takes a poor second place
in many places, to the comics and
the things that are printed for
entertainment only.
The newspapers have an in
creasing obligation to make sure
their readers are kept adequately
informed Of the doings of govern
ment in Washington"
Cites Official Newsgatherers,
Mr.. McKelway said that 20
years ago there were $50 news
papermen who were members of
the press gallery in Washington.
Today there are more than
750-an increase of 108 per cent.
But in the same period the num-
Der of civilian Government en-
ployes in Washington alone has
increased from $4,000 to more
than 214 4,000-or 240 per cent"
Two Government employees
newsgatherers for the State De-
partment, have been given tenn
porary membership in the press
gallery, Mr.. McKelway said: "A
significant development which will
bear watching"
1T is not difficult to believe that
the future may see official news
gatherers from other departments
OF Government in the press GAL
ier1es, gathering their own news
Tor dissemination through Gov
ernment agencies to the people of
the United States"
German Policy Discussed,
In another address the State
departments German policy chief
forecast the development of Ber-
I'm as AN advance outpost of
democracy" in Communist-run
Eastern Europe.
In sweeping review of Ger
man policy, Henry A. Byroade
also discussed the possibility of
further revision Of the Allied pro-
gram for dismantling German in
duStrial plants.