The Press: Marion Davies, Consultant

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After old William Randolph Hearst died last August, his heirs got a jolt from Marion Davies, the Chief's great & good friend for over 30 years. A document, signed by the Chief, was produced that seemed to give her control of his vast publishing empire. At first, administrators for the estate made light of the trust agreement as worthless. A second look convinced them that they might have been hasty. But no one wanted to fight the matter out in court. Last week, after a month of negotiating, the Hearst heirs signed an agreement that gave Miss Davies the recognition old W.R. had wanted her to have.

Miss Davies turned over to the estate's trustees her rights under the trust agreement. In return, she was made a lifetime official consultant and adviser to the Hearst corporation on editorial policies, at $1 a year (Miss Davies, who is reportedly worth about $10 million, wanted no money). She will be given the same "courtesies" of the empire that other executives have. The agreement meant that Marion Davies would be brought back from Coventry by the Hearst papers (her name has hardly appeared since the Chief's death), and more important, she will again be able to have stories published about her friends and pet projects.

No Hearstling was sure just how much advice Marion Davies was prepared to give on Hearst operations. But she had no intention of trying to change present Hearst policies, and editors would probably go along with her on suggested stories on movies, entertainment, etc.-a field in which she is widely and usefully acquainted. Also, Marion Davies' ownership of 30,000 shares (15%) of Hearst Corporation preferred stock makes the former movie star one of the biggest stockholders in the empire.