Milford chronicle., 1954-03-19

disguises. The majority of American news
paper men and women, particularly those in
the weekly and small daily fields have stood
staunchly against the sOcialistic betrayers
Of the American way of life. The newspa-
pers have not yet regained the freedoms
that they so blithefUly surrendered to the
government and the self-created bureaus
which made like" government. Let us be
honest enough to admit that some of the
publishers succumbed and ate the apple
They forgot that they were charged with the
precious and awful responsibility of pro-
tectlng and preserving the freedom of the
American people and of the press which
serves them.
1t is but one short step from suppression
OF the news and information to suppression
OF the press itself.
In America the great threat to our free
dom comes in less blatant ways than those
adopted by the Hitlers, the Perons and the
Stains of the world 1t comes bv stealth
little by little. 1t comes nicely shined up bv
soft soap promises of easy living. 1t comes
not by legislation nor by revOlution-but by
taxation. If this government will pursue the
Presidents announced intention of decen-
trallzlng, enormous reductions in taxes can
be safety effected, and the country, even
though slowly, can become once again finan-
cially sound. Newspaper men and women,
entrusted with the job of expressing the
voice OF the people, have a duty to insist
that this can be an accomplished fact. and
not merely pleasant sounding promise
For unless this Is done this country will
move toward socialism through the noiseless
subtilities of strangling taxation. And never
forget it, If we get socialism in this coun-
try the freedoms of the American people
including the freedom of the press-are gone
for good.
Remember that Thomas Jefferson said
Were it left to me to decide whether we
should nave a government without news
papers, or newspapers without a govern
ment, | should not hesitate for a moment to
prefer the latter" We think that President
Eisenhower is doing good job. But we do
not Tor one minute think we have to OK and
support everything the President proposes.
II he or anyone else in government-or in
educational, business or religious circles
proposes suppression of the news, any re-
strlctlon on the free press of America, anv
Arrangement OF the right of assembly and
Tree speech, or any other plan which we. as
newspaper people, honestly believe impinpes
ON the freedom of American citizenship. we
have got to oppose that person, even though
he may be our dearest friend.
The preservation of freedom in America
through free press is more important than
any other thing we can ever do.
TO the people who read our paper, we
are trying to say simply this: Mans most
priceless possession, his finest tool for TODAY
and his greatest hope for tomorrow. is his
freedon-his liberty. There can be no lib
erty where there is no God. 1t doesn't mat
ter greatly what a mans personal concept
OF God may be. God and liberty are svnOnv-
nous. Where you find the one, you will find
the other.
Today America stands alone-the onlv
really free country in all the world. Ameri-
can newspapers are proud to do battle for
our God and for our faith in freedom. And
II we preserve and protect oar freedom,
then some time, some way, America being
free, will show the rest of the world the road
to freedom