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Our Liberty Depends on It Since the founding of this nation, freedom of the press . has been a fundamental tenet of American life. The economic freedom that has earned us such great bounty and the precious freedoms of speech and assembly would have little meaning or be totally nullified^should freedom’ of the press ever be ended ^ There is no more essential ingredient than a free, strong, and independent press to our continued success in what the Founding Fathers called our "noble experiment" in self-government. Today, as we survey the globe, we find increasing hostility to the principles of open communication. Both the governments of many nations and certain international organizations advocate or enforce policies alien to a free flow of ideas This promotion of censorship reflects a manifest fe«ir of the truth and deprecation of the great importance of liberty to human advancement. TI|K THEME of this year’s observance of National Newspaper Week. “A Free Press - Democracy's First Defense." helps focus attention on the essential role of a free press to the progress and development of democratic

institutions

This occasion also serves as a reminder of the singular worth of a free press to the well-being of bur country. As Thomas Jefferson wrote. "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press." throughout National Newspaper Week, all Americans are pleased t.9 note the many contributions of the men and women of our nation’s press to the preservation of the First ^M.'ndmerit s guarantee of freedom of the press. Of th^forces shaping the destiny of our civilization, none is more crucial to our future than the responsible reporting and truthful analysis of the events of our era. I commend your dedicated efforts in pursuit of their goals. - RONALD REAGAN —

opinion.

Herald & Lantern 12 October '83

—Freedom of the Press—

It’s Not Isolated

ED. NOTE: This is National Newspaper Week. Two views of freedom of the press ap-

pear at the left and right.

What A Day 1 It’s Getting Harder And Harder To Find Bad News ”

Our Readers Write At B-T, Might Makes Right

To Tlie EditorThis is my rebuttal to Lilliam Fox Mayer’s critique of my Aug 31 letter concerning Burdette Tomlin Hospital. Regarding the $10 "donations.” I still contend that on the average, those whose high point in involvement was payment of $10 in response to solicitation by their doctors and/or newspaper ads are less well endowed wifli accurate in&ights and unbiased facts than others qualified to vote the issues, and-that by their involvement they are likely to detract from the likelihood of rightful action Further, my original letter already stated my grounds for suspicion that such calls for-involvement'relied to some extent upon subtle (or not so subtle) seduction and coercion. THE POINT THAT people donated who are in favor of one faction or the other.^iot both, and would resent equfil allotment of the monies is a valid one. I therefore revise my recommendation; only those contributions sent in without being earmarked for one faction or the other should be alloted equally. My letter mentioned that I began involvement with the hospital with a junior internship in 1958 A false impression is given when that fact is used as the basis for an assumption that my letter was a .product of a thinkskinned person corrected by older, more experienced doctors. I am 50 years old. and was a member of the hospital staff into the *70’s. That this did not continue into the '80's was my free choice, without blame or ^bitterness. To paraphrase the Peanuts" comic strip, "no institution is so held back by power struggles and imbalances that it can t be run away from IN MV CASE. 1 ran back to the Cape Kennedy area in Honda, where 1 had practiced for TWA/NASA in the

Apollo Program, and for most of a nine-year period did full-time emergency medicine in one^of two hospitals in the Central Brevard area. It is relevant to this subject that both those hospitals had about the same number of beds as Burdette, and were community hospitals similar statistically to Burdette in many regards. tl»e big difference being the attitude and modus operand! of the medical staff, which was much better at the institution where I worked than at the other two. with the result that in virtually every department, it is now head and shoulders above Burdette and the other local Florida hospital. The factors I’m talking afcout have little to do with the seniority system found in mosl institutions, or with heirarchy in general. To my knowledge, a conscious move from heirarchy to heterarchy has so far been tried only in some new, progressive computer firms, and doctors. condiUon-

(Page 39 Please)

Who Doesn’t Have a Skeleton?-

Freedom of the press? Most Americans hold it next to

motherhood and apple pie.

Free enterprise? Many of these same people are work-

ing hard to abolish it.

But can they nave it both ways? Can freedom of the press be preserved while economic freedom is being destroyed? Before the last businessman is burned at the

stake, let us give the matter some thought.

A good place to begin is with the quesUon of property. Who is to own the printing presses, the buildings that house the presses and the land on which the buildings are situated? If private ownership is abolished, then they

must be owned by the state.

Human nature being what it is, it is doubtful if government presses in government buildings on government land would print copy that displeased the government. Is it any wonder then that Soviet publications like Provda are little more than state propaganda sheets? EVEN IF a socialist government granted publishers the exclusive right to own property, this would by nc means ensure their independence. Where are the publishers to get their supplies? Who is the manufacture and distribute the newsprint, ink, spare parts and other paraphernalia

needed to keep the presses running?

As publishers throughout the Third World have found, government control of these supplies can be an effective

lever against dissent.

And where is the publisher to get his revenue? If he does not want to find himself beholden to the state, his sources

had best not include the government.

In capitalist countries the two main sources are sales and advertising. In fact, many free publications exist en " tirely on their advertising revenues. Without privately financed advertising, many independent voices would be

stilled.

In socialist countries there is little need for advertising because there is little or no competition. The government manufactures the only products offered on the market, aside from whatever imports it may permit. Being an effective monopolist, the state has little reason to advertise. And if the government does buy advertising space, publishers are well aware of where the money is coming

from.

EVEN IN a mixed economy like the United States’, government advertising can have a chilling effect ori freedom of the press. Most newspapers operate on the border between profit and loss. A contract for legal advertising can determine which local newspaper succeeds and which fails. Which brings us to the ultimate problem; staying in business. Government interventions in the economy frequently make this all but impossible. The publisher must contend with endless regulations, the politically generated business cycle, rising taxes and law's that discourage the hiring of nonunion workers. The last have been particulariy damaging. They have not only raised the costs of doing business, they have also led to lengthy strikes that have temporarily — and often permanently — put newspapers out of business. As even this brief survey reveals, freedom of the press, which so many Americans hold as sacred, is not an isolated freedom. Rather, it is based on the economic freedoms that many Americans, particularly members of the press, view with disdain. - BRIAN SUMMERS Foundation for Economic Education

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LANTERN

I Told Joe, Get the Hell Out’

By-JOE ZELNIK Twenty-one seems young to be having a “last chance." And losing a job — though rough — shouldn't "destroy” a young man. But that's the way Joe McCarraher’s predicament was described last week by a friend. The question was whether McCarraher, 21, of Rio Grande, could keep his week-old, $8,500 job with the Middle Township Roads Department. There were a couple reasons why he shouldn’t. Asked on his job application if he had ever been convicted of a crime, he said "no." He’s serving 24 months probation for a burglary-theft in April, 1982. Also, he was hired unilaterally by one member of the Township Committee — who also happens to be a candiate for reelection — instead of by a resolution voted upon by all three members. McCARRAHER’S “RECORD," hardly a secret to the Middle Toxvnship police who arrested him was leaked as soon as he started work. And it all came together in the Middle Township Committee meeting room last Wednesday The one-hour drama had everything: anger, politics, love, politics, sex, politics, emotions, politics. When it was over, McCarraher had his job — with a normal, four-month probation period — and two apologies. Committee member Pat Peterson apologized for telling him to lie on his application, which she filled out for him. And Mayor Mike Voll apologized "that this was made an issue." •T W AS AI.I. DONE in public because McCarraher said. ? doesn t matter to me ‘ Mt'f ’arraher’s most persuasive defender was his friend id landlord. James DePasqua’e. who has knoun him nee hi was 12 I told Joe DePasquale told the Herald and Lantern M A ‘ w, k. when >ou reach 18.'get the hell out of Cap** Max County cause there's, nothing here for ya." McCarraher stayed In April of 1982 he celebrated something with friends, he said, got drunk, and woke up

with a grandfather clock that wasn’t his. Value; $10,000. Sentence: $500 fine, 50 hours of community service, and 24 months probation. HE STILL OWES $458 of the fine. He faded to complete his community service. And he hadn’t reported to his probation officer since last February. The courts are supposed to decide this week what to do about all that. “I’ve known him since he was 12," said DePasquale. “He never had a chance." Mr. and Mrs. DePasquale befriended McCarraher. when he married, they gave him and his wife a place to sleep. When the McCarraher’s had a baby a year ago, they were its godparents. "I saw a lot of me in this kid when I met him,” said DePasquale. “I was the same as him, a no-good, rotten kid. My dad said to me, ‘You’re going to end up in jail or sue feet under.’ And tears came to my eyes. My life turned arond when I was 22. "Give this kid a break,” said DePasquale “Pm pleading with you. This kid will go straight. Give him a chance and this kid won’t make a move that will disappomt you. I would stake my life and reputation on it." .. " j P 1 ? WRONG”, McCarraher told the 'committee, "and I admit it. Who in this room doesn't have a sketleton in his closet? Nobody in this room is perfect. I never had a good job This is the first good job I've had and I’d like to hold on to it. You don't know what it is..." With Voll and Charles Leusner changing their minds at the last second, the three important''committee members voted unanimously to give McCarraher the job after he resubmitted an honest application. It’S going to lx- tough for Joe MeCarraher So many people taking a chance on Jum, relying on him to behave, depending on him not to be a disappointment But he didn’t look worried about the meeting He was thinking, he said, about the possibility that this job will help bring back the wife and baby who left when he was out of work and in trouble The baby’s name is Sara, he said with pride.