People's Choice

Valley City is a conservative little North Dakota town (pop. 6,000) with a leftist little newspaper. In its editorials the daily Times-Record has hailed Henry Wallace, railed against the Truman Doctrine, the "big corporations" and "the campaign of vilification" against Russia. Angry businessmen of Valley City put it up to the publisher: either he would right his leftist policy, or they would put him out of business. Among the complainers were some who had lent him the money to buy the paper two years ago.

Last week Publisher Don C. Matchan, 37, put it up to the people. His paper printed a ballot form. The choice:

"1) I believe your paper is hurting Valley City, and that you should dispose of it to someone with a different slant on major issues; that in event you decline to sell it, another daily paper should be started.

"2) I do not agree with all you write, but I feel you have the right to express yourself freely."

This week the vote so far stood 470-to-89 in Matchan's favor. Don Matchan was pretty sure he'd win, but just in case, he had hedged his bet. In the trade paper Editor & Publisher last week he ran a for-sale ad: "Publisher retiring because of disagreement with business community. . . ."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.