A. S. N. E.

Growing newspaper chains (threatening death to oldtime, flavorful individualistic journalism),and further penetration of the so-called power trust into newspaper ownership or control (threatening death to the Freedom of the Press) were the headline subjects at the seventh annual meeting of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, in Washington last week. Few important U. S. newspaper editors are their own masters nowadays. Nevertheless, what they say illuminates the consensus of newspaper opinion. P: Editor Willis John Abbot (Christian Science Monitor) asked that the society inquire into the activities of the power trust with reference to newspaper ownership and to make a report at its 1930 meeting, by which time more data will be available on the program of the trust, especially that of International Paper Co. This company was named because of its purchase of a dominant interest in the Boston Herald and Traveler, because it manufactures more newsprint than any other company in the world, and because it is a subsidiary of International Paper and Power Co., vigorous participant in New England's "White Gold Rush" (TIME, April 22). P: Editor-in-chief George B. Parker (Scripps-Howard chainpapers) denounced the alleged policy of the power interests in omitting their names from publicity sent out to the press. Let the power men present their side in rate controversies, he went on, under the names of their officials, not under the names of paid press agents. P: Reading of Editor Abbot's suggestion, Archibald Robertson Graustein, President of the International Paper Co.--I. P. C. --telegraphed the Society that his company would be glad to cooperate in the proposed investigation. The Society decided nothing. P: A headliner on the subject of newspaper chains was suave and eloquent General Manager (Colonel) Frank Knox of the Hearst papers, largest U. S. chain. Speaking on the question, "Is the chain a menace to American journalism?" he protested: "No, quite the contrary." Said he: "Group newspapers have been gradually brought about by the demand for more, better and more varied newspaper content, a more complete coverage of the news and quicker distribution. . . . They have been in existence many years, and I do not believe the newspapers of the country, chained or unchained, ever had better editors than today, were ever edited more intelligently, conscientiously than now." P: Executive Editor Ik Shuman of the Brooklyn Standard-Union told how he was one of seven "ghosts" who wrote articles signed by Col. Charles Augustus Lindbergh. Said President Walter M. Harrison of the Society: "After this ... I would be ready to believe that former President Coolidge isn't writing his own magazine articles except that I know so capable an editor as Ray Long wouldn't hire a ghost who writes as badly.* I agree with Shuman that you fellows have been chumps on this big name business." P: Publisher-Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas (Topeka Daily Capital) pleaded for the maintenance of strong editorial pages. Editorials, he declared, exert a potent influence upon the governmental functions of the nation. P: After three days of speechmaking and conferring, and a visit to President and Mrs. Hoover at the White House, the editors trooped to Manhattan for two meetings this week more important than their own -- the Associated Press and the American Newspaper Publishers' Association.

*Editor Long has sworn that President Coollidge has no ghostwriter for his Cosmopolitan magazine article (TIME, April 22).