"The President may suspend or revoke any such license . . . for violations of the terms or conditions thereof . . ."—excerpt from the licensing clause of the National Industrial Recovery Act. "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech or of the Press . . ."—1st Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. A newspaper publishers' committee marched to Washington last week to thresh out with Recovery Administrator Johnson the contradiction which, they insisted, lay between the foregoing clauses and stood" in the way of adoption of a code by newspapers. The committeemen. representing the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, were Howard Davis, plump manager of the New York Herald Tribune, Amon Giles Carter, potent Texas Democrat and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, John Stewart Bryan, publisher of the Richmond News-Leader, Charles R. Butler, president of the Inland Daily Press Association.
Newshawks who tried to learn what went on in the meeting about their own industry were firmly rebuffed by both sides. But word got about that General Johnson had capitulated on the licensing clause and, moreover, that the publishers had won the right to continue using child labor (newsboys under 16).
Meanwhile the A. N. P. A. had incurred the wrath of various publishers by its advice to them fortnight ago to refrain from adopting the President's blanket code. The A. N. P. A.'s reason: newspaper publishing "is not an industry but an enterprise of such peculiar importance as to be especially provided for in the Constitution of the U. S. . . . whose independence must be jealously guarded from any interference which can lead to or approximate censorship."
Most important newspapers abided by the A. N. P. A.'s advice, but not all. The virile Philadelphia Record promptly signed, slapped a large NRA eagle on its front page. The lusty Manhattan tabloid Daily News, which had been on a five-day week for nearly a year, also signed (but not its big brother Chicago Tribune). Said the News in an editorial: "We do not think that the free press argument is a very noble excuse for paying your office boys $13.50 a week instead of the blanket code's $15." Likewise the Milwaukee Journal signed, hired 57 additional employes, increased its yearly payroll by $100,000, roundly flayed the A. N. P. A. for its "plea for special privilege." A cursory survey by Editor & Publisher tradepaper found about 50 signers, estimated hundreds more.
The status of newshawks, rewritemen, photographers et al. in relation to the 40-hr, maximum work week remained obscure last week. An assistant in NRA opined they were "professional" men, therefore exempt. Next day General Johnson called that a "slip."