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Show A FREE PEOPLE-A FREE PRESS This is Newspaper week in Bingham Canyon, in Utah itnd in America. It has been given official status by Governor Maw and by Mayor Ed W. Johnson. It is being recognized by civic groups and individuals. Newspapers all over the nation, large and small, thousands of them, are calling it to public attention. There is a concerted effort this year to let the people know about Newspaper week. Why? To invite tribute to newspapers as business establishments? To attempt to set up a newspaper on a throne for the homage of the public? Not at all. Newspaper Week is not set aside in order to Inspire tribute or homage to newspapers. Rather it has been created to encourage the American people to think about newspueprs and what they mean to the American people and to American freedom. Let's talk for a moment about the newspapers of America. Am-erica. What does a newspaper mean to you? Probably you think chiefly of it as an organ which brings you the news of your community that Johnny Smith has the mumps, Mary Brown has become engaged to that nice young lawyer, that Blank store has a new shipment of house dresses. It's the newspaper that made it possible for you to clip the story of your election as grand something-or-other of the lodge. It's the newspaper that told you about the proposal to build a new school building. All these things touch you directly in your daily life. They're important to you. That is what you think of when you think of your newspaper and what it means to you. And they are a very important and essential part of your newspaper. news-paper. That's the prime function of a newspaper to serve its readers by bringing them the news in which they are interested. But that isn't all that newspaper means to you. That's only the practical, everyday side of its service to you. It has a far more important service which is all too easily forgottenthat for-gottenthat is its service to you in protecting your rights and liberties as a citizen of free America. Newspapers are the great guardians of democratic freedom. free-dom. They tell you what is going on in the halls of government. govern-ment. They throw the light of publicity into dark places. They expose corruption. They offer the people and that means you a medium for protest and criticism of those who are in positions of authority. They help the people in a democracy to maintain their position as masters, not slaves, of their government.1 That's a very vital service the newspapers of America render to the people. How vital has been clearly demonstrated demonstrat-ed in many other nations in the world where the abolition of a free press has led to the abolition of all other freedoms until government is master and the people voiceless slaves. That must never happen in America will never happen so long as American newspapers are free to publish the truth, to critize and to protest. A free people- and a free press are a partnership. You cannot have on without the other. And one cannot long continue con-tinue without the support of the other. Throughout the years too the people of America have supported the freedom of the press. We know they will continue to do so thus perpetuating per-petuating this partnership for freedom which has made America great and given the American people the happiest and best way of life this world has ever known. |