The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1950-10-05
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Brannon Smith


The nationwide slogan to be
emphasized by newspapers
throughout our country this week
Il american Newspapers Truth
to a Free People"
Americans take for granted so
much the wealth Of true factual
information they get in their news
papers - not realizing always that
they are the best Informed people
in the world. The people of no
other nation, including England
and Europe, get as complete and
accurate coverage of world events
a. do the American people.
Thomas Jefferson wrote: 1.-THE
basis Of our government being the
opinion of the people, the first
object should be to keep that
right. Were it left to me to decide
whether we should nave a gov
eminent without newspapers or
newspapers without government,
should not hesitate moment to
prefer the latter"
The American people today
form their opinions largely on
facts reported in the American
newspapers - there is no other
medium which exerts such a pow
erful influence. The resulting OBJ
legation and responsibility on the
American press is tremendous.
Senator William F. Knowland of
California says:
AT time when the free world
is being threatened by totalitar-
ianism forces it is doubly impor-
tant that we have an informed
American public. The American
press has great responsibility in
keeping the people informed on
international and domestic prob
lens.
''It is also important for our
people to constantly keep in mind
that nations which have lost their
liberty have done SO after their
dictatorial governments have
gained ownership and/or other
controls over the free press. There
is therefore a mutual interest in
the American press maintaining
our constitutional guarantees and
in the American people making
certain that the free press guar
enteed under the Constitution is
never infringed upon"
The vast majority of American
newspapers, small and large, are
run by men and women who have
uppermost in their minds service
to the people Of their respective
communities. BY and large they
are devoted to the sound prlnc4
Piles upon which this nation was
founded.
There are some sorry news
papers and newspapermen just
like in any other business or pro-
fession - just like there are some
sorry business men. farmers, doc
tors, lawyers. preachers and tea
cheers. Because the newspaper IS
a public institution with a tradi-
ton of public service the sorry
member of the fourth estate gets
more than his share Of notriety -
and the sorry newspapers get
more attention than they merit.
The American way OF life,
which is nothing more than our
system Of private enterprise, has
made it possible for Americans to
have the best newspapers on
earth.
Mass production of what we
commonly call the good material
things Of life such as cars, refrig-
orators, appliances, etc. is made
possible because there is mass de-
mand for them a demand
brought about through the me-
dunn of advertising which sup
ports the newspaper and makes 1T
independent.
Advertisers in the newspapers
of America are not just making
selfish bid for the consumers dol
lar - they are also making con-
tribution toward a free America
and the continuation of the Ameri-
can way of doing business. For
YOU may rest assured that as long
as we have a free press in this
country our system of private en-
terprise will survive.
There is no other agency or in
stitution any more interested IN
this community than this news
paper.
We are here to serve you every
day in the week in any way pos
sible - to boost your churches
and schools, or community enter
prises, to promote better farming
methods to raise the standards of
living in the entire country; tol
announce your wedding or the
birth Of your children or bury
your dead - to inform, educate,
entertain and amuse.
The columns of this paper are
open to all - there are no vested
;ntoroStc or sacred COWS as far as