Are Georgists Consciously Being Prevented
from Getting Their Views Printed by the Newspapers?

J. Whidden Graham

[Reprinted from Land and Freedom, July-August 1940]

Since the advent of our nation-wide industrial depression eleven years ago, I have written more than 10,000 letters to leading newspapers in all regions of the United States and Canada, urging the appointment of governmental commissions to investigate the causes responsible for over 11,000,000 unemployed; and to report on suggested practical and practicable remedies. A large percentage of my letters was published, and I was gratified by the numerous letters provoked by my suggestions.

However, since the formation of the American Newspaper Guild, which is affiliated with the C.I.O., and which has evident Socialistic and Communistic sympathies, I have found that many papers that had previously published practically all the letters I sent them were now turning them down especially the letters contrasting the Georgeist system with the Communist system.

Reading the letters-to-the-editors columns in many large cities of the United States, I find that, whereas a few years ago there were many letters from Georgeists, there are now very few. I don't think this is evidence that Georgeists have grown tired of writing, and can only draw the conclusion that newspaper editors or employees, influenced by the C.I.O., are deliberately excluding letters that contain intelligent criticism of Socialism, Communism, or that mixture of both in the paternalistic notions of the New Deal.

I believe that sending letters to newspapers is one of the best ways of presenting the Georgeist principles to the public. I would like to hear from other Georgeists who have been active in such letter- writing, as to whether they are experiencing the same difficulties.