The Press: Zaslavsky v. Baldwin

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The Wallace charges, said the Times, by "their very vagueness, are as difficult to refute as they are to prove.... If [he] knows of any 'American Fascists' he should reveal their names and present the concrete evidence against them. . . . Though he declares that American Fascism is 'not confined to any single section, class or religion,' and 'may be encountered in Wall Street, Main Street or Tobacco Road,' he yet manages to convey the impression in the greater part of his article that business leaders, 'young Wall Streeters,' and the officials of chemical concerns are suspicious through their very function. . . . To treat the word 'monopoly' or 'cartel' as if it were equivalent to Fascism is not a rational way to approach the matter."

Fascist-finding Mr. Wallace wrote: "Many people whose patriotism is their proudest boast play Hitler's game by retailing distrust of our Allies and by giving currency to snide suspicions without foundation in fact."

Advised the Times: "That generalization applies to retailing distrust not merely of our Allies but of fellow Americans. . . ."

Uncle Richard and Ernie

Two men, as unlike as any Chicagoans could be, made newspaper news this week:

¶ Richard James Finnegan, who started 43 years ago as a copy boy, prepared to take over as publisher of Chicago's peppery tabloid Times (circ. 403,000).

¶ Ernest Lessing Byfield, hotelier, swankster, who has never written a professional line, packed his bags to become a war correspondent for the Hearst-Chicago Herald-American (circ. 472,000).

Up Through the Ranks. Slender, white-haired, benign "Uncle Richard" Finnegan has done everything in newspapering except war correspondence. The late Edward Beck of the Tribune, often called Chicago's greatest managing editor, called Dick Finnegan its best newsman.

When the late Samuel Emory Thomason (TIME, March 27) broke away from Colonel Robert Rutherford McCormick, he teamed up with Editor Finnegan. Together they started the Times as a tabloid in form but not in sensationalism.

The Times was among the first on the New Deal wagon in 1932, waged many an editorial battle with Colonel McCormick. When Marshall Field tried to get an Associated Press franchise for his infant Sun, the Times voted to let him have it. But when the Government stepped in and, as Editor Finnegan put it, "tried to jimmy the Sun in," the Times turned its fight against the Government contention. On the Colonel's side this time, to his distaste, Finnegan led the fight for the A.P.'s appeal (now pending).

This week the Times's stockholders (employes own 37%) will elect Finnegan president-publisher, to succeed Mr. Thomason. This will change neither the policies of the Times nor of Editor Finnegan.

Up Through the "Pump Room." "Ernie" Byfield seldom, if ever, rides the El. He is vice president and general manager of a hotel company that owns and operates the Loop's huge Sherman, the North Side's plushy Ambassador West. A great & good friend of showfolk and other celebrities, he is the host at Chicago's super-posh "Pump Room" restaurant in the Ambassador East Hotel (also Byfield-operated).