Milford chronicle., 1951-02-23

may worship in the churches of our choice
But keep US from confusing freedom with
Incense TO do what we please without regard
Tor the rights of our fellow men.
Let us be proud of the material advances
we have made And let us work to help peO-
pie in other lands to enjoy equal opportuni-
ties and blessings.
Ii we cannot be at peace with the World.
let each OF us be at peace with himself, know
ing that personal decency, honor, and Justice
are our greatest spiritual weapons.
Give us the eyes of an eagle so that
nothing endangering our personal freedom
escapes our sight. But whenever, in the in
terest OF National security, we must surren-
DER temporarily any part Of our freedom, let
US plan carefully for the day when all our
rights are returned
Provide us with ever greater opportuni-
ties to make the best use of our endOwments.
But strike us with punishment if we delude
ourselves that we are entitled to special pri-
VIleges. Stop us in our tracks if we distOrt
opportunity to justify boarding and prof.
teering.
Let us use our tough moral fibre to pro-
mote harmony and unity in these critical
times. But let us not relinquish our right to
disagree in major matters for our real
strength and vitality as a people of varied be-
lefs lies in the fact that by compromises the
best in all of us can be reflected
Above all, let us find courage in the know
ledge that free people can be conquered
only when they lose faith in themselves. Let
us be thankful that the faith on which our
courage feeds has roots as deep in time and
place as Valley Forge, Plymouth Rock, Two !
JlTna, and all the many others that have be-
come symbols Of herOism and hope to man.
kind
And fnall, let us be grateful that Provi-
dence has placed us in this land where num-
Der l3 riding boots are not associated with |
the marching OF secret police in the dead of
night, but are reminder rather of the boots I
Washington wore so fittingly-a symbol of |
our heritage of physical and spiritual stature.
&~0O&S
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER READERSHIP
One of the prime factors of strength the
country press possesses is its leadership. It
has been said before, and can we'll be re-
peated, that papers influence and value
depends not so much on how many people
buy it, but how many read it.. Big metrOpOli-
tan papers have vast circulatiOnS. Their in
fuence and power cannot be decried. But
many people who buy these papers at the
corner newsstand read as they run. They
scan the bOX-car headlines as they ride to
and from work. They often leave their
papers on the street car or bus or suburban
train. Their time as readers is brief.
The country press individually doesn't
bulk big so far as circulatiOns 90. But it Ii
has lOng-life leadership. And added all {
together from coast to coast the Weeklies
and small dailies that constitute the country !
press exert tremendous influence on the :
OF the nation. A recent estimate \
put the number of families reading weekly f
newspapers in the United States at approx !.
imately 100000. On the basis of one per =
town, that represents nearly 10000 rural
And figuring an average of t
l,OOO circulation, weeklies enter 100000
American homes. But that does not tell the $
whole story either. Figure five people per
family and you get nearly 50,O00,OOO read s
ers. Add to that the homes that do not sub e
scribe but borrow the paper, and the figure a
goes well beyond that total. This means that .
about 40 per cent of the nations population Ii
residents OF farms and small towns who 7
constitute the backbone of our ecOnOmy-are =
readers OF community weekly papers.
These readers are the mothers, fathers,
sisters and brothers of the 9,70O,OOO homes
INTO which country Weeklies 90. They are :
he sons now in service who get the paper.
In these hometown newspapers they learn
what their nelghOOrS and friends ale doing
who is being called for the army or navy,
Who is home on leave, who is getting mar
lied, who has new baby, who has visitors
rom out of town. The community paper
ellis about school affairs. 1t records the
activities of churches, lodges, women's clubs,
organizations, the doings in other
owns in the county, The history of a COM
nunity is chrOnicled in these papers. The
ife story of every Individual in it is told
rom the time he enters the world until he
caves it.
But local news and names aren't all, =,
ither World events, pictures, the atomic u =
DOmb, the efforts at international peace, =
Washington news, cartoons, recipes, house ', "
old material, the Interpretation of political -
nd economic developments by seasoned an u u
lysts-al these and other features make up II
rounded bill-Of-fare. That's what builds p
he leadership of the country press. The M
weekly newspaper passes around the family
ircle until all have read it and then it is PC
nailed to the son in service or to a married 81
aughter living elsewhere. This quality of al
leadership is a precious asset. It is what w
ives the country press a position in it's field q