Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-10-03
NEWSPAPER week
IAN EDlTORlAlI

This is NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK set apart each
year by Americas free democratic journalism period OF
self exa mnation and re-dedication
If you ask: so WHAT7' we'll. for thing its YOUR
week. quite much ats The Ss a41 TO KNOW
One Of its chief purposes TO inspire better journalism
that YOU may be better served by your newspaper.
IL. o n
by Article Of the Bill Of RIGHTS
The individual reader and his newspaper have an nePar-
able common interest in that constitutional guarantees:
Our people must be free
To remain free. they must be informed
To be adequately informed they must have unshaekIed
''es And So NATIONAL NEWSPAPER WEEK is period be-
'"9ns aD1DUAL FREEDOM would perish i freedom of the
And short Of the worst in just that degree in which
sources Of useful information are wfuy dsmnedup by
fish pitefu interests just individual liberty mpeIed
Freedom Of information is being asaed throughout the
Witness the almost complete bIaekout in Russia and its
satellites
Witness the executive order Of the president of the United
government as distinguishes from the military decide
what the public SHOULD and what it SHOULD NOT know
about the PUBLIC BUSINESS under their direction.
Yet people generally seem never to pay than
attention to the overcoming acts and threats against
freedom Of information.
They apparently have consciousness of the slow stransu
Ia+ion Of public information that selfish and vindctve interests
determined 70 bring about
WE AMERICANS can permit seIf-servng interests
to chse away precious rights bby than afford
TO permit those rights to be swallowed up suddenly by Stain
or Peron.
And the newspapers ALONE can't hold the line.
Our journalistic freedom comes from CONSENT on the
part of the people,
This consent born of the public NEED and DESIRE :
and RIGHT to be informed
The arrangement set up the Bill of Rights MUTUAL
obe eaon the consent Of the people implying OF course
clear responsibility the part Of the press
In that sort Of partnership each side obviously depends
Therefore. however c CONSCIENTIOUS however IN
eENIOUs and ENTERPRsNe they may be, the newspapers
MAINTAIN the freedom Of information all Of seek ONLY
If the public holsters its CONSENT with its ACTIVE SUPPORT
HAVING HANDED their newspaper vital function TO
perform in their behalf II important that Americans give all
possible help to the instruments TO which they look for the
truth.
The eass-roo+s authority Of democratic nation the
will Of the people through the voice and action OF the individual
clearly assert its determination not in degree to sur
render its RIGHT TO KNOW.
people support their Iawenfoeemeni agencies
in keeping PUBLIC ORDER
Just as they protect their churches and support their min
is+ers in the preservation of FREEDOM OF REllGlON-
So also must they uphold American ournaisms hands IN
the determination to keep open the channels OF PUBLIC IN
FORMATION
They must never forget that freedom Of information is
NOT sort Of special privilege eoneocted primarily tor
newspapers but that is the instrument by which
and INDIVIDUALLY may know the facts OF human at
fairs and thereby live inteisentIy, and in freedom
They must remember what is true that those who
would cripple and destroy freedom OF information would
by the token Intellectually and
the people,
They keep in mind with reference to punitive and
restrictive from whatever they arise that
quite much the it the readers individually
and collectively whose rights impaired whenever freedom
Of information obstructed by any in any manner in
any degree.
BY Charles A. Fell. Managing Editor The Birmingham News
Georoo w Naval =, RI