The Commonweal, politically liberal Catholic weekly, last week was in deep trouble. The magazine told all in its lead article under the headline: OPERATION SURVIVAL. Commonweal's "continuance is in jeopardy," confessed the editors. For the first time in its 27 years, the magazine's fate hinged on a circulation drive. Another 4,500 subscribers added to its 12,000 might save Commonweal, they hoped.
Like most magazines of opinion, blunt-speaking Commonweal has always had hard sledding. For three years (1943-45), it managed to break even. But it has never been nearer folding than nownot even in 1938 when, unlike most Catholic journals, it refused to...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
