The Denison Press (Denison, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, March 25, 1955 Page: 2 of 6
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to, W55
DITORIAL
It Happened in Texas
It had to happen in Texas. What the bigwigs in Washing-
ton could not do with the liar that outclassed even Annanias,
it took a Federal Judge in El Paso to accomplish.
And it took only about fifteen minutes.
No sooner had the notorious liar, Harry Matusow, himself
making that claim, had made the appeal to the Fifth Amend-
ment the Federal Judge R. E. Thomason, gave the modern
Annanias five years in the federal pen. Also disbarred the
attorney for the liar, one Nathan Witt, from practicing in the
courts of the country. Witt claimed the Fifth Amendment also.
From where we sit, it seems that all that is needed in
Washington is for a man who will stand up and speak out.
If there will be none to stand up in Washington to handle the
big liars and Fifth Amendment dodgers, then let the dodgers
be sent to Texas for a round.
One thing about Texas is that we have men who stand
up and speak out. Jelly backbones may be in some other states,
but not in Texas when it comes to enforcing the laws of the
land. They don't get elected twiqe.
And if the crooks, liars, thieves, gamblers and dope peddlers
and whoremongers think they may have a rendezvous in
Texas, they are in for a drubbing that matches the demand of
the people for a clean country in which to rear one's family.
Texas Industry on the March
One of the finest statements of how industry is on the march
in Texas has recently been issued in the form of a booklet by
the Texas Power and Light Co.
It reads like a report brought in by the optimistic group
sent into the promised land by Joshua to spy out things. The
Texas story is told in such an entrancing fashion that one will
even drop his favorite book or turn aside from the baseball
reports to learn what the book reveals about the-state in which
one lives. All one needs to do is to start in with the front challeng-
ing statement and the booklet will not be laid down until finis
is reached.
IN TEXAS, we have 396,000 production workers employed
by Texas manufacturing plants. This is an increase of 216 per
cent from 1939 to 1953. ,
IN TEXAS we have 8,700 manufacturing plants, an increase
of 69„per cent from 1939 to 1954.
IN TEXAS the value added by manufacturing in 1953 totaled
$4 billion and twenty million—an increase of 784 per cent since
1939.
IN TEXAS new plants and equipment expenditures in 1953
totaled $503,036,000—this was an increase of 6.46 per cent
of the total of the United States.
IN TEXAS population increased 29.3 per cent from 1940
to 1954. This was 9.1 per cent more than the United States
as a whole. Texas is SECOND in population GAINED and its
percentage of increase was greater than 39 other states.
IN TEXAS are 7.8 per cent of the Nation's major cities.
Ten of more than 100,000 population; four of more than 250,-
000, and two of more than 500,000 population.
IN TEXAS retail sales are up! In 1953 they totaled $8,131,-
567,000, an ‘.crease of 241.1 per cent in ten years. This
increase was 69.4 per cent greater than that of the Nation as
a whole.
IN TEXAS there are 17 class 1 railroads,- 11 certified air
lines with more airports than any other state. Maintained high-
ways total 45,000 miles with 99 per cent of the highways
paved.
IN TEXAS mineral production ranks first over all other
states in the union and at the last check 240 counties of the
254 counties in the state, produce some kind of 11 different
minerals on a commercial scale.
IN TEXAS industry and the people are not called on to
pay yesterday's bills. Texas employment taxes are .5 of 1 one
per cent. The average in the U. S. is 1.3 per cent. Texas has
ample labor supply, and 97 per cent are native born American
stock, largely agricultural workers displaced by mechanization
of farms. Texas is known for its minimum of work stoppages
and absence of labor troubles. Growing seasons range from
180 days to 336 per year. Fifth in college enrollment; fourth
in number of colleges and eighth in college enrollment per
1,000 persons. ___
THE DENISON PRESS
“Entered ns second class matter May 15, 1947, at the Post Office
at Denison, Texas, under the act. of March 3, 1879.” _
LeRoy M. Anderson, Sr. ...
LeRoy M. Anderson, Jr.
Carey I.. Anderson
Mary Lou Cox .......
Marcelle Nelson .
Raymond Martin ......
Don Marcum
Linn Pescaia ......
Editor and Publisher
Plant Superintendent
.......... Auditor-Buyer
........... Society Editor
Advertising Director
... Intertype Operator
................ Apprentice
................. Apprentice
Telephone No. 300
Office of Publication, 205 W. Main
Issued Each Friday
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
gjJ Koglj3,i!r
DENISON and GRAYSON COUNTY
Grayson county, accredited by Texas Almanac 1955
of having the "most diversified economy of any Texas
county, with income from crops, livestock, manufacturing
and trade, oil, tourists and recreation seekers.''
Blackland soils and terrain in the southeast, grand
prairies characteristics in the southwest, gray lands on
divide in central section; sandy lands and hilly topo-
graphy in north part along Red River. Drains to Red
River on north, Trinity on south. Post oak, walnut, hickory,
pecan, elm, bois d' arc. Oil, brick clay, cemenf material,
silica.
Lake Texoma has six million acre feet capacity, many
bays for fishing, boating on large scale, lake 1300 miles
around perimeter, and declared the ninth ranking in
capacity among the world’s reservoirs. Lake four miles
north of Denison.
County has population of 70,000; 53.4 per cent urban,-
90.9 per cent Anglo-Americans; 8.7 per cent negro; .04
per cent Latin American. Annual rainfall 37.55 inches,-
temperature averages Jan. 43 deg., July 84 deg., mean
annually 65 deg.
AUSTIN—After prodding from
the head coach, line coach and
backfield, the Legislature got
busy on both the put and the take
phases of its money job.
House and Senate committees
reported the biggest biennial bud-
get in history. The Senate version
calls for $1.5 billion. The House
bill ran slightly less.
Ir. one day of debate, the House
passed its bill, calling for $212
million in two years from the gen-
eral revenue fund, now currently
in the red. It would require $33,-
600,000 more than current spend-
ing, for general purposes, plus a
proposed addition of $27 million
for highways.
Hearings by the revenue and
taxation committee finally were
held on Gov. Allan Shivers’ tax
recommendations—the Murphy 2-
cent per gallon gasoline tax in-
crease; and the Kirkliiu one-ccnt
cigarette tax increase.
Although the current House is
one of the “workingest” groups
ever, Speaker Jim Lindsey, call-
ed on the members to work hard-
er. He predicted that most of the
urgent program—water, insurance
laws, hospital, tax and spending—
could be achieved. He estimated
$60 million new taxes would be
required.
Governor Shivers renewed his
urging for the gasoline tax hike,
backed by the highway commis-
sion’s estimate that Texas needs
to spend $2,200,000,000 on high-
ways during the next 10 years.
Rep. Jerry Sadler who said he
was “authorized to speak for a
majority of the House,” told the
revenue and taxation committee
that the 2-cent gasoline tax hike
won’t pass.
Sadler prefers a one-cent per
gallon gasoline and condensate
processing tax. This, he contends,
would bring in $160 million a
year and permit repeal of the pre-
sent 4-cent gasoline sales tax. A
processing tax would reach out-
of-state as well as Texas buyers
of gasoline.
Sadler also has proposed a
$3.30 per barrel hike in the tax
on beer.
Heard by the oil, gas and min-
ing committee was Rep. J. B.
Walling’s “anti-waste” bill to set
minimum prices for natural gas.
At present rates this bill would
bring in an estimated $20 million
a year.
Under committee rules, the tax
and gas-conservation bills auto-
matically went to sub-committees
for a week’s study.
Veteran’* Affair*
Veteran land deals and then-
investigation resulted in an ever-
growing list of legal suits against
Bascorn Giles, former commission-
er of the General Land Office.
Filed by Atty. Gen. John Ben
Shepperd in 53rd District Court
here was a civil suit against Giles,
seeking a lien on property pur-
portedly owned by the former
commissioner in Falls County.
Giles has been indicted by a
Bexar County grand jury on a
charge of accepting a bribe. He
also faces a Travis County indict-
ment accusing him of conspiring
to take $83,500 in veterans land
program funds.
Issued by the Travis jury was
a subpoena directing officials of
the Capital National Bank of
Austin, to produce Giles’ bank
records.
Other civil suits for recovery
were filed, making a total of over
$2 million that Shepperd is try-
ing to recover for the state.
Shiver* Teitifie* Again
Governor Shivers went back a
second time to appear before the
Senate investigating committee.
This time under oath.
He said that neither he nor
any of his aides brought “undue
pressure” on the veterans land
board to expedite processing of
applications for loans.
It is the policy1 of the governor’s
office, said Shivers, to refer ques-
tions about the program to the
veterans land board.
Shivers testified further that
he had never received any warn-
ing of any irregularities concern-
ing the program, and that if he
had, something would have been
done about it.
Commending the investigators
for their work, Shivers said,
“There i*n’t anything a* whole-
some a* bringing out the real
fact* and letting the public look
at them.”
Continuation in Doubt
Continuation of the Veterans’
Land Program is in doubt. House
—*
(Vaihuujton
•By PRTCE DANIEL
U. S. Senator
Texas-grown rice and Rio
Grande Valley ruby red grapefruit
were served in the House and
Senate dining rooms last week
through the courtesy of represent-
atives of these important Texas
farm products.
On Monday a bountiful helping
of rice and gravy was added to
every plate served in the Capitol
dining rooms. This was sponsored
by Senator Johnson and the writ-
er at the request of Marcus Maur-
:tz of Ganado, President, and
Kern Tips of Houston, Public
Relations Director, of the Texas
Rice Promotion 'Association. They
furnished the rice and a box of
rice recipes for each member of
Congress.
On Thursday Senator Johnson
and I arranged for each person
in the Senate dining room to re-
ceive a Texas grapefruit, and
Congressman Joe Kilgore did the
1 *••••;'
Great A^onomer*
COPERNICUS
Copernicus, the earliest of the
modern astronomers, if modern
he may be called, for he was bom
in Prussia on Feb. 19, 14f3, was
the first man to take the Ptol-
emaic theory, which made the
earth the center of the planetary
system and of the universe, and
which had been believed for six-
teen centuries, and disprove it.
The astronomical studies of
Copernicus convinced him of the
earth's annual motion and the
sun’s immobility as the center of
our solar system. Dreading the
prejudices of the world, he long
delayed the publication of his
theory. A printed copy1 of the work
in which he embodied it was only
placed in his hands a few hours
before his death, which occurred
on May 22, 1643.
Copernicus, the astronomer,
whose discoveries make him the
great predecessor of Kepler and
Newton, was the son of a trades-
man. He was educated at the
University of Cracow, and prepar-
ed himself to become a medical
practitioner, which he abandoned
to devote himself to science.
When he retired to Frauenburg
to pursue this study, his equip-
ment in the matter of instruments
for the study of the heavens seems
to have been of a very meagre
description. He arranged aper-
tures in the walls of his house
so that he could observe in some
fashion the passage of the stars
rendered for the
thing like a rational account of
the change* of the eeaeona. Nor
did certain of the more obscure
astronomical phenomena escape
his attention. Before the world
was to read <jf his. wonderful dis-
coveries Copernicus was seized by
mortal illntae, When a copy of
his book was brought to him he
was able to see it and touch it,
but no more, and he died a few
hours afterwards.
NEXTS WEEK—KEPLER
DENISON
81-71-54
YEARS AGO
EDITOR’S NOTE—The fol-
lowing accounts of incidents in
the city were taken from the
files of the old Denison News by
Miss Dulce Murray, whose fa-
ther, the late B. C. Murray,
established the first newspaper
in Denison.
same in the House dining room. across the meridian_
The grapefruit were shipped to
by Mr. Austin Anson, Exec-
investigators have recommended • utive Manager of the Texas Cit-
liquidation of the present set-up. lus ami Vegetable Growers and
Sen. George Moffett abandon-
ed “indefinitely” his plan to ask
Texans to vote another $100 mil-
lion in veterans’ land bonds.
Only 15,000 of the 971,000
eligible veterans have applied for
land to date, under the eight-
year-old veterans’ land program.
That is less than 1.6 per cent of
those who are eligible.
General Legialation
TOURIST BUSINESS—Texas
will be able to advertise for
tourists if the House okays a
senate-passed measure to permit
the State to advertise—and if
voters approve the constitutional
amendment next year.
INSURANCE BILLS — Sen.
Crawford Martin’s bill requiring
adequate financing of fire and
casualty insurance companies, by
ample capital stock and surplus,
passed the Senate. It also broad-
ened the supervisory powers of
the state insurance commission-
ers.
LUNACk TRIALS—Backed by
Governor Shivers is a proposed
constitutional amendment to per-
mit the waiver of jury trials in
lunacy cases. It would permit per-
sons of unsound mind to be com-
mitted to mental hospitals on the
basis of medical or psychiatric
testimony and avoid the mental
anguish of jury trial. House mem-
bers approved the bill 124 to 23.
LABOR LEGISLATION—Sen-
ate action is awaited on two
labor bills which have received
favorable committee reports. One
would deny unemployment bene-
fits to workers idled by a labor
dispute between the same union
and the same employer in a dif-
ferent plant. The other would
prohibit picketing by a union or
organization not representing a
majority of the workers.
SHORT SNORTS—Sen. Wil-
liam Shireman has proposed that
$1.5 million be spent for a State
Department of Health building in
Austin . . . Killed by the House
Shippers Association of Harlin-
gen.
Good Advertising
Sponsoring such special dishes
in the Capitol dining rooms has
become an accepted means of ad-
vertising foods of the various
states to the leaders in govern-
ment.
Copernicus was the first, by a
strict train of reasoning, to con-
vince those who would listen to
him that the sun was the center
of the system. The first of the
great discoveries which Coper-
nicus made relates to the rota-
tion of the earth on its axis. He
also saw that the daily rising and
setting of the heavenly bodies
could be accounted for by the
supposition that the celestial
Senator Leverett Salton-j .sphere moved round and that the
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4ny erroneous statement reflecting upon the character or reputation
of any persons will be gladly corrected if brought to the attention
of the publisher. The Denison Press assume* no responsibility for
error in advertising insertions beyond the price of the advertisement.
Dedicated to clean and responsive government, to individual and civic
integrity; to individual and civic commercial progress.
BOX NUMBERS, Care Denison Press, will be given advertisers de-
siring blind addresses.
ERRORS: The Denison Press will not be responsible for more than
one ineorrect insertion.
OUT OF TOWN ORDERS for classified ads are strictly payable in
advance.
SUBSCRIPTION RATls
By the month .................................................................................... 20c
By the year............................................................. $2.50
One year in advance........................................................................$2.00
Six months in advance .................................................................... $1.00
(Outside county add 25c each six months)
CHARGE ACCOUNTS are acceptable from persons having telephone
listed in their own name and upon agreeing to remit when bill is
presented. 10 per cent will be added on unpaid accounts after 30
days from date of first insertion.
stall has treated us with Boston
dam chowder. Both the Florida
and California Senators have serv-
ed grapefruit. Former Senator
Guy Cordon of Oregon last year
served an entire meal featuring
Columbia River salmon. We have
also enjoyed Delaware straw-
berries, Idaho potatoes, Wisconsin
cheese, and Michigan black cher-
ries, on special occasions sponsor-
ed by senators and congressmen
from these states. We are advised
that the next Texas product which
will be sent to us will be fresh
Rio Grande onions—a whole
truckload.
National Rice Week
In addition to serving rice in
the Capitol, the Texas rice grow-
ers joined the American Rice
Growers Association in a luncheon
at the Willard Hotel in celebra-
tion of National Rice Week. Sec-
retary of Agriculture Benson,
many members of Congress, and
representatives from the State
Department attended. A color
film on the rice industry and an
informative speech by Dr. J. Nor-
man Efferson, Director of the
Louisiana Agricultural Exper-
iment Stations, convinced every-
one present of the value of rice
as a food and the importance of
the industry to our country. The
only trouble is that we are pro-
ducing more rice than can be
sold, and additional markets at
home and abroad are being sought
by the industry and government
officials. Texas, Louisiana, Arkan-
sas and California are our lead-
ing rice-producing states.
Excessive Oil Import*
Independent oil producers and
state officials from most of the
producing states are urging Con-
gress to place a limitation or
quota on foreign oil imports. I
have joined Senator Neely of
West Virginia and 15 other sen-
ators on an amendment to the
reciprocal trade act which would
direct the President to restrict
excessive imports of any commod-
ity when it is found that imports
are damaging domestic industries
essential to national defense and
security. The amendment would
limit foreign oil imports to 10%
of domestic consumption
Excessive foreign oil imports
are today’s greatest threat to the
independent producers and to all
others in the industry who do not
own and produce foreign oil.
Texas has had to shut down its
wells to as low as 15 days pro-
duction per month, partially be-
cause of excessive imports. Con-
tinued restricted production at
only half capacity eventually will
ruin the independent operators
and throw thousands of Texans
out of work, to say nothing of the
serious loss in tax revenue*.
Some foreign oil importer* have
restricted their imports voluntar-
ily, but others have failed to do
so. Under present circumstances
it appears that legislation re-
stricting oil imports to a percent-
age of domestic production is the
only solution. We now have such
import restrictions on many ag-
ricultural products. The Pres-
ident’s Committee on Energy and
Fuels has found that serious dam-
age will be done to the national
security if future import* are al-
earth remained at rest, or by the
supposition that the celestial
sphere was at rest while the earth
turned round in the opposite
direction. The former was the idea
of Ptolemy. Copernicus was the
first to come to the actual con
elusion. Copernicus saw the futil-
ity of the arguments by which
Ptolemy had endeavored to
demonstrate that a revolution of
the earth was impossible. It was
plain to him that there was noth-
ing to warrant refusal to believe
in the rotation of the earth. It
had been urged that if the earth
moved round, its motion would
not be imparted to the air, and
that therefore the earth would be
uninhabitable by the terrific
winds which would be the result
of our being carried through the
air. Copernicus convinced him-
self that this deduction was pre-
posterous. He proved that the ajr
must accompany the earth, just as
his coat remains around him, not
withstanding the fact that he is
walking down the street.
Ptolemy had supposed that all
the stars were attached to the sur-
face of the sphere. Copernicus
argued that there was no conceiv-
able physical reason why the
distance of all the stars from the
earth should be identical, and that
it seemed in the very highest
degree improbable that the stars
should be so placed.
It was Copernicus who first de-
duced the important fact that the
stars and the other celestial bod-
ies must all be vast objects, and
that it was just as rational to
suppose that the earth should
turn round on its axis once in
twenty-four hours as that thou-
sands of mighty stars should cir-
cle round the earth in the same
time, many of them having to
describe circles many thousands of
times greater in circumference
than the circuit of the earth at
the equator.
Once the Copernican doctrine
had been fully set forth, it was
impossible for anyone who had
both the inclination and the
capacity to understand it, to with-
hold acceptance of its truth. The
doctrine of a stationary earth had
gone forever.
Copernicus having established
a theory of the celestial move-
ments which deliberately set aside
the stability of the earth, it seem-
ed natural that he should inquire
whether the doctrine of a moving
earth might not remove the dif-
ficulties presented in other celes-
tial phenomena. It had been un-
iversally admitted that the earth
lay unsupported in space. Coper-
nicus had further shown that it
possessed a movement of rotation.
Its stability being thus recognized,
it seemed reasonable to suppose
that the earth might also have
some other kind of movement as
well.
Thus Copernicus essayed to
solve a problem far more difficult
than that which had hitherto oc-
cupied his attention. This prob-
lem was to undertake to show
the movement of the planets uni-
formly around the sun, and that
the earth was also a planet ac
complishing a complete circuit of
the sun once in the course of a
year. This he set out to do, and
September 28, 1874
Adam Wicks & Co’s., Mexican
n.ulc-train, which arrived Thurs-
day evening, attracted general at-
tention. The train consisted of
eighteen wagons, drawn by small
Mexican mules, fourteen mules
to the wagon, four abreast in the
lead. They will haul about six
thousand pounds to the wagon and
are loading with government
Height at Fort Griffin. Mj. Walk-
er is the majordomo of the train
and has been heretofore hauling
freight to the frontier posts from
San Antonio.
Thursday afternoon late, after
Mr. Gnase’s barkeeper had closed
the Milwaukee beer hall, a party
of men ran by the building and
broke out a pane of glass in the
front door. This at the time was
supposed to have been accidental,
but subsequent events proved it
was done intentionally. About 2
o’clock in the morning, the bar-
keeper, who slept in the saloon,
was awakened by Mr. Gnase’s
Newfoundland dog, which is al-
ways loose in the house at night.
On rising, the barkeeper found
the door open and a man getting
outside at double-quick, with the
dog close upon his rear. The bar-
tender judged there were two of
the thieves. They had reached
through the broken pane and un-
bolted the door. The rascals prob-
ably had an idea there was money
in the till, but in this they were
mistaken.
The houses on the principal
streets of Dallas have been num-
bered.
September 28, 1886
Wednesday morning, John Den-
ny and wife were awakened from
their sleep at their residence on
Burnett avenue, by a pistol ball
crashing through the window of
their sleeping apartment, striking
the sewing machine and falling,
with its force spent, upon the bed.
Had the ball not struck the sew-
ing machine, it would have cer-
tainly struck one or the other of
the sleepers. The party who fired
the pistol is unknown.
Wednesday morning about 3 o’-
clock, fire broke out in a vacant
building owned, by Tom McCarthy,
on West Woodard street. The fire
department was promptly on hand,
but could do nothing to save the
burning building, their hose being
too short to reach between the
fire and the nearest pump. They
worked nobly, however, and suc-
ceeded in saving t he adjoining
building to which the flames had
been communicated. The damage
done to this building was slight.
Both houses were insured.
The Hebrew new year began
last night a 6 o’clock. Of the bus-
iness houses closed in honor of
the day are the following: M.
Waller & Co., A. Jacobs, I. Cas-
per, Weisman & Co., U. S. Cloth-
ing store, G. Burgower, Eppstein
& Westheimer, and Dr. Yeidel’s.
The foundation of the new
third ward school building is
completed.
September 28, 1901
The Denison Driving Park and
Fair association was formally
opened to the public on Tuesday,
the 24th. In accordance with the
proclamation of his honor, Mayor
Knaur, the business houses, pub-
lic schools, banks and postoffice
closed in the afternoon. Tuesday
was designated as Denison and
Grayson county day. More prop-
erly speaking, it was school child-
den’s day, for they literally over-
ran the grounds and exhibit build-
ing. The opening was auspicious,
nearly all the exhibits being in
place. Last year they came in
slowly,
In every respect it was a bet-
ter fair than last year. The race
program is the best that will be
witnessed in the state this fall.
Such a string of racers will not
be seen at either the Dallas or
San Antonio fair. Denison has the
best track in the state. From bus-
iness houses and private residences
the national emblem floated
proudly in the breeze.
The crowd on the opening day
wa* disappointing. The majority
of visitors to the ground* were
tiw state. Considering
the unfavorable season, it is aim-
ply a wonder.
Judge Brown, of the Supreme
court, happily introduced the fair
to the world. 4ii* theme was
Texas, her past, present and
future.” The day was warm and
oppressive. There was a tremen-
dous jam in the afternoon, the
building being too small to hold
the vast crowd; at the race track
was another big crowd. The en-
larged grandstand was well filled.
The Low Down
From Hickory Grove
* *— -0
The Stock Market—I choose
it for my curient essay—every-
body is taking it apart and look-
ing for bugs. Must be something
wrong—they say—it is going up.
And everybody who has a share
of stock—and there are millions
now—say hurray and they should,
they been having a long, tedious
wait. And the folks who make the
mare go in this land of the free
and easy and opportunity, are the
folks who put up the do-re-mi to
build factories and power lines
and drill holes in the earth to
search out oil and metals. With-
out these folks who risk their sav-
ings in stocks and bonds, who
would do all these things. There
should be a “stockholders day” to
honor these people—like red rasp-
berry day or apple pie week.
But this INVESTIGATION, I
reckon it could turn out to be a
good thing—in disguise. Instead
of something wrong, I figure it
could be vice versa. If there is
a bug in the machinery it will
show up. You don’t put an alarm
clock in the ash can because it
needs a drop of oil or has a small
screw loose. You fix it. But small-
bore, windy politicians, thinking
they see opportunity beckoning,
sound-off with alarm—they are
rocking the boat—they best sit
down.
Above everything else, this
land needs high stock prices. They
reflect good business. It is that
simple.
Yours with the low down,
JO SERRA
Other Eds Thoughts
NEWSPAPERS MUST
REMEMBER RESPONSIBILITY
TO READERS
By Byron Cook, Editor
Publisher*’ Auxiliary
Two prominent members of the
staff of the St. Louis Post - Dis-
patch, in speeches they gave last
month, expressed the high duty
American newspapers have to their
readers.
One was Irving Dilliard, editor
of the editorial page of the Post-
Dispatch, who delivered the ninth
annual Eric W. Allen memorial
lecture at the Oregon Newspapers
Publishers assn, press conference.
In his talk, Mr. Dilliard said
a newspaper which is only ef-
ficient is not fulfilling its duty.
Unless that efficiency is combined
with independence and vigor, he
said, the paper will be a “blight
on not only the press but the en-
tire nation.”
Marquis Childs, syndicated col-
umnist and staff writer for the
Post-Dispatch, expressed similar
thoughts when he spoke at the
University of Wisconsin school of
journalism golden anniversary
banquet.
Noting elements in this coun-
try which could, if developed, de-
prive us of basic freedoms, Mr.
Childs said “There has been far
too much defeatism ... I believe
that the press in America today
has the greatest opportunity it
has ever had to help point the
way to sanity.”
We believe these are ideas that
need to be constantly kept in mind
by every publisher, every editor,
every reporter. A newspaper's
lesponsibilities are many, but its
obligation to present a complete,
fair news picture to its readers
is the greatest.
It isn’t easy to do. There are
so many obstacles in the way. A
lot of pressure is applied from
outside sources. Government agen-
cies, private businesses, civic
groups, individuals, often try to
influence an editor’s handling of
news.
They may even do so with the
best of intentions—but it is dif-
ficult for them to look above their
own individual interests, and see
i'vhat ultimate effect the suppres-
sions of news would have.
But the good editor is able to
take a broader view. And he does,
printing all the news hp believes
significant, as truthfuljy as hg pos-
sibly can.
In addition, he tries to help the
reader understand complicated
issues through wjsp editorial guid-
ance. He expresses the opinion of
his paper, but he does it in sqch
a way that those views, combined
with the new* on other page*,
will help the reader make his own
decisions.
It’s a hard job, but it’s one
that newspapers have to do. Their
country’s growth, and their own,
depend* on it.
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Anderson, LeRoy M., Sr. The Denison Press (Denison, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, March 25, 1955, newspaper, March 25, 1955; Denison, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth736918/m1/2/: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Grayson County Frontier Village.