PDF |
XML
University of Chicago Library
Guide to the Commission on Freedom of the Press Records 1944-1946
© 2007 University of Chicago Library
Descriptive Summary
| Title: | Commission on Freedom of the Press. Records |
|---|
| Dates: | 1944-1946 |
|---|
| Size: | 4.5 linear ft. (9 boxes) |
|---|
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
1100 East 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.
|
|---|
| Abstract: | The Commission on Freedom of the Press was appointed in 1944 to investigate the freedom, function, and responsibilities of the major agencies of mass communication operative at the time. The Records include copies of all Committee memoranda, reports, and minutes. These materials were distributed to its members during the tenure of the Commission as individually numbered "documents." After publication of the Commission's final report, Robert Redfield and Charles Merriam presented their copies of these unpublished papers to the University of Chicago Library. |
|---|
Information on Use
Access
No restrictions.
Citation
When quoting material from
this collection, the preferred citation is: Commission on Freedom of the Press. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
Historical Note
The Commission on Freedom of the Press was appointed in 1944 to investigate the freedom, function, and responsibilities of the major agencies of mass communication operative at the time. Funded by grants from Time, Inc., and Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., the Commission was chaired by Robert M. Hutchins, who appointed the vice-chairman Zechariah Chafee, Jr., and the remaining members. They included John M. Clark, John Dickinson, William E. Hocking, Harold D. Lasswell, Archibald Mac-Leish, Charles E. Merriam, Reinhold Niebuhr, Robert Redfield, Beardsley Ruml, Arthur M. Schlesinger, and George N. Schuster. John Grierson, Hu Shih, Jacques Maritain, and Kurt Riezler served as foreign advisors. The general report of the Commission, A Free and Responsible Press was published by the University of Chicago Press in April, 1947.
Scope Note
The Commission on Freedom of the Press Records include copies of all Committee memoranda, reports, and minutes. These materials were distributed to its members during the tenure of the Commission as individually numbered "documents." After publication of the Commission's final report, Robert Redfield and Charles Merriam presented their copies of these unpublished papers to the University of Chicago Library.
Related Resources
Browse finding aids by topic.
Subject Headings
- Chafee, Zechariah, 1885-1957
- Hutchins, Robert Maynard, 1899-
- Commission on Freedom of the Press
- Journalism-Political aspects-United States
- Journalistic ethics -- United States
- Freedom of the press -- United States
- Press -- United States
- Motion pictures -- United States
- Radio -- United States
INVENTORY
| Box 1 Folder 1 |
- William E. Hocking. Definition and Scope of the General Problems Before the Group
- Charles E. Merriam. Memorandum on Inquiry into Freedom of Speech
- Harold D. Lasswell. Memorandum on Problems and Procedures.
|
| Box 1 Folder 2 |
- Synopsis of the Commission Meeting of February 2, 1944, University Club, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding.
- Conference on Freedom of the Press, with Henry Luce, Eric Hodgins and Sanford Cooper of Time, Inc., with members of the Commission on Freedom of the Press, Commissioner MacLeish presiding
- Harold D. Lasswell. Required List of Books
- John Grierson. Memorandum on Problems and Procedures
- George N. Schuster. Memorandum on Freedom of the Media
- Statement of the Executive Committee on a Free Society
- Harold D. Lasswell. Statement on Research Possibilities
|
| Box 1 Folder 3 |
- Charles E. Merriam. Command Performance
- Harold D. Lasswell and Abraham Kaplan. Abstract, Propositions from Milton's Areopagitiua
- Harold D. Lasswell and Abraham Kaplan. Abstract, Propositions from Mill's "Essay on Liberty."
- Synopsis of Commission Meeting of March 21, 1944, Carlyle Hotel, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding
|
| Box 1 Folder 4 |
- Report of Meeting of March 22, 1944, Carlyle Hotel, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding
- Statement of Importance of the Commission's Work
- Supplement A, Chafee, Clark, Lasswell, Maritain, Niebuhr, Riezler, Schlesinger.Supplement B, Archibald MacLeish
- Supplement C, Charles E. Merriam
|
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Synopsis of Commission Meeting, May 8th and 9th, 1944, Carlyle Hotel, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Chafee's note on discussion of the Commission meeting, May 8 and 9
- Memorandum to members of subcommittee on relations between law and government. Memorandum on talk by Huntington Cairns, May 8
|
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Meeting of the Commission of June 19-20, 1944, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding |
| Box 1 Folder 8 |
- Jacques Maritain. Statement Regarding General Principles of Freedom and Democracy
- Letter from Mr. Curtice Hitchcock of Reynal and Hitchcock, publishers of Strange Fruit, to George Schuster
|
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Parts I, II, and III of First Draft of the Report |
| Box 1 Folder 9 | Summary of Discussion and Action, Commission Meeting September 18, 19, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, Commissioner MacLeish presiding |
| Box 1 Folder 10 | By-Laws of the Commission on Freedom of the Press
- First Report of the Subcommittee on the Relations of Government
- to Mass Communications. (Chafee Committee)
|
| Box 1 Folder 11 | Ruth A. Inglis. The Hays Office Control of Motion Picture Content Including Appendix, "Code to Govern the Making of Motion and Talking Pictures." Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, June 13, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 12 | List of Possible Witnesses and Consultants. Freedom of Mass Communications |
| Box 1 Folder 13 |
- Minutes and Summary of Discussion of the Meeting of the Commission, November 20, 21, 1944, Shoreland Hotel, Chicago. Chairman Hutchins presiding.
- Articles by Zechariah Chafee, Jr., and Frederick Siebert, "In the Matter of the U.S. vs. the AP," and the Decision of Judge Learned Hand, before the U.S. District Court, New York, Oct. 6, 1943
|
| Box 1 Folder 14 |
- Report of the Subcommittee on Law and Government
- Llewellyn White, "What Will We Tell the World?"
|
| Box 1 Folder 15 | Report on International Communication |
| Box 1 Folder 16 | Minutes and Summary of Discussion, Meeting of January 22, 23, 1945, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, Commissioners Redfield and Chafee presiding |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Report of the Subcommittee on Law and Government (continued). |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | World Freedom of the Press and Mr. Cooper's Proposals; Letter from Mr. S.; Letters from Leigh and Riezler |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Draft Report. Chapters 1-3 |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Draft Report. Chapters 4-6 |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Draft Report. Chapters 7-11 |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Report of the Subcommittee on Law and Government (continued). |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Minutes and Summary of Discussion of the Meeting of February 16-17, 1945, Biltmore Hotel, New York City. Commissioner Chafee presiding |
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Outline and Memoranda re Major Areas of Discussion, Commission Meeting of February 26-27, 1945
- A. Schuster Memorandum
- B. Niebuhr Memorandum
- C. Merriam Memorandum
- D. Clark Memorandum
- E. Grierson Memorandum
- F. Riezler Memorandum (Stereotypes)
- G. Riezler Memorandum (The Mass of Mass Communication)
- H. Schlesinger Memorandum
- I. Riezler Memorandum (Freedom of Communication in a "Governmentalized" Society)
- J. Clark Memorandum
- K. Riezler Memorandum (Our Emerging International Role)
- L. Grierson Memorandum
|
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Hutchins Memorandum (Conclusions and Recommendations. Codes
- A. Code of the National Association of Broadcasters
- B. American Association of Newspaper Editors
- Brackett Memorandum
|
| Box 2 Folder 8 |
- Leigh and White. Proposed Standards for Mass Communications Agencies in a Free Society (a first attempt)
- William E. Hocking. Tentative Proposals for a Chapter on Principles
- Revised Outline, Report on International Communications
- Report on International Communications (revised). Summary of Recommendations (revised)
- Summary of Recommendations
- Robert Hutchins. Memorandum
- Questions for Witnesses
- Witnesses for Questions
|
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Minutes and Summary of Discussion, Meeting, April 16-17, 1945, Biltmore Hotel, New York City, Chairman Hutchins presiding. |
| Box 2 Folder 10 |
- Reinhold Niebuhr. General Propositions Deduced from the Investigation of the Freedom of the Press Commission
- Report of the Subcommittee on Relations of Government to Mass Communications (continued)
- Zechariah Chafee. "Where Do We Go From Here?"
- William E. Hocking. Memorandum and Unfinished Business Regarding the Frame of Reference
|
| Box 2 Folder 11 | Robert Leigh and Llewellyn White. Peoples Speaking to Peoples (A Report on International Mass Communication. Second Revision) Note on Sources. (Report on International Mass Communications - Document No. 53) |
| Box 2 Folder 12 |
- Report of Committee on Relations of Government to Mass Communication (continued). Preliminary Abstract of Special Topics
- Minutes of the Meeting, June 5th and 6th, 1945, Biltmore Hotel, New York City, Commissioner Chafee presiding
- Interview with Leo Rosten, May 9, 1945
- Interview with Lyman Bryson, December 21, 1944
- Meeting with Robert Riskin; notes by Ruth Inglis
- Notes by Chafee and Schlesinger on a dinner meeting with the Nieman Fellows of Harvard University, May 11, 1945. Appendix, Statement by David Botter, Nieman Fellow
- Interview with James Allen, staff executive with Warner Brothers, June 8, 1945
- More on Kennedy of AP. Llewellyn White. Memorandum
|
| Box 2 Folder 13 | Robert Leigh and Llewellyn White. Peoples Speaking to Peoples (A Report on International Mass Communication). Third Revision |
| Box 3 Folder 1 | Robert Leigh and Llewellyn White. Certain pages of Peoples Speaking to Peoples. Fourth revision. |
| Box 3 Folder 2 |
- The Decision of the Court of Appeals in the Esquire case.
- Edition of Editor and Publisher containing the report of the three newspaper executives on their world tour in the interest of freedom of news
- The New York Times printing of the opinions of the AP case
|
| Box 3 Folder 3 |
- Summary of Discussion of the Meeting, June 5th and 6th, 1945, Biltmore Hotel, New York City, Commissioner Chafee presiding
- Addendum to Summary of Kent Cooper Statement Document 66, pp. 37-38, Based on Notes Made by Zechariah Chafee, Jr
|
| Box 3 Folder 4 | Report of the Committee on Relations of Government to Mass Communications
- Freedom of Communications by James Lawrence Fly
|
| Box 3 Folder 5 | Ralph Casey Interviews
- I. Wiggins
- II. Seymour Brothers
- III. Basil L. "Stuffy" Walters
- IV. Geo. Ferguson-Winnipeg Free Press
- V. John Bird-Editor, Tribune
- VI. John D. Ferguson, Milwaukee Journal, Will Conrad, Waldo Arnold
|
| Box 3 Folder 6 |
- Harold D. Lasswell. Memorandum: Standards for Mass Communication
- Report of Subcommittee on Relations of Government to Mass Communications (continued)
|
| Box 3 Folder 7 | Self-Regulation of the Movies, pp. 1-101. |
| Box 3 Folder 8 | Self-Regulation of the Movies,. pp. 102-185 |
| Box 3 Folder 9 |
- General Report Outline (Revised)
- Peoples Speaking to Peoples
|
| Box 3 Folder 10 | Minutes, Meeting of the Commission, Chicago, September, 16, 17, 18, 19, 1945 |
| Box 4 Folder 1 |
- Hocking, Report of "Committee on Untruth."
- Interview with Keaton
- Chafee on Group Libel
- Memo for Commission on Continuing Citizens' Agency
- Memo for Commission: Summary of Commission Discussion and Documents
- Comments by Charles E. Merriam with footnote by R. D. Leigh on Continuing Citizens' Agency
- Interview with Bosley Crowther
- Comments on Newspaper Guild
- Memorandum from W. E. Bade
- Memo on Motion Picture Censorship. Z. Chafee, Jr.
- Memo on Motion Picture Censorship. Ruth Inglis
|
| Box 4 Folder 2 |
- General Report Draft. Chapters I, II, III
- General Report Draft. Chapter IV
|
| Box 4 Folder 3 | Report of Subcommittee on Relations of Government to Mass Communication-Chafee |
| Box 4 Folder 4 | Report of Subcommittee on Relations of Government to Mass Communication-Chafee |
| Box 4 Folder 5 | Report of Subcommittee on Relations of Government to Mass Communication-Chafee |
| Box 4 Folder 6 |
- Statement of Principle by William E. Hocking
- The Sir Frederick Morgan Case-Margaret-Dunn
- The Sir Frederick Morgan Case-Margaret-Dunn. Sequel
|
| Box 4 Folder 7 |
- Review of Material in Commission Documents
- Secret Letter to R. Hutchins from Geo. Schuster
|
| Box 4 Folder 8 | General Report (MacLeish-revised draft) |
| Box 4 Folder 9 | Minutes-January Commission Meeting, Hotel Carlyle. Pp. 1-82 |
| Box 4 Folder 10 | Minutes-January Commission Meeting, Hotel Carlyle. Pp. 83-155 |
| Box 4 Folder 11 | Doc. 90a, Summary of Discussion-Commission Meeting, Hotel Carlyle |
| Box 5 Folder 1 | MacLeish. Comments and Suggestions on Document 89, The General Report |
| Box 5 Folder 2 |
- Redfield. Comments and Suggestions on Document 89, The General Report
- Dickinson. Comments and Suggestions on Document 89, The General Report. Ruml. Comments and Suggestions on Document 89, The General Report
- Hocking. Comments and Suggestions on Document 89, The General Report. Clark Report. Lasswell. Report
- Zechariah Chafee, Jr. Anti-Trust Laws
|
| Box 5 Folder 3 | R. D. Leigh. Press in Revolution (Sketch for a General Report). |
| Box 5 Folder 4 | Minutes of Chicago Commission Meeting, March 31 to April 2, 1946, Hotel Shoreland |
| Box 5 Folder 5 | Llewellyn White. The American Radio (draft) |
| Box 5 Folder 6 | William E. Hocking. The Framework of Principle |
| Box 5 Folder 7 | Leigh. General Report (5th Revision).Grierson. Suggested Revisions of Doc. 97 |
| Box 6 Folder 1 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. Section I |
| Box 6 Folder 2 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. Section II |
| Box 6 Folder 3 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. Section III |
| Box 6 Folder 4 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. Section III (cont'd.) |
| Box 6 Folder 5 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications Section IV |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Clark. Comments on Chafee's Government and Mass Communications |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Clark. Comments on Hocking's Outline of Principles |
| Box 6 Folder 7 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. (Section V; Part II, cont'd.) |
| Box 6 Folder 8 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. (Section IV; Part II concluded, Part III) |
| Box 7 Folder 1 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. (cont'd.) |
| Box 7 Folder 2 | Chafee. Government and Mass Communications. Part IV. Proposed Commission Statement for the Chafee Report |
| Box 7 Folder 3 | Summary of Discussion on Chapter VI |
| Box 7 Folder 4 | Minutes. Commission Meeting, Del Prado Hotel, May 7-9, 1946. |
| Box 7 Folder 5 |
- Hocking. An Outline of Principle (revised).Clark. Comments on An Outline of Principles
- Niebuhr, Schuster, Riezler, Schlesinger. Comments on An Outline of Principles
- Doc. 100c, Hutchins. Comments on An Outline of Principles
- Hocking. Revision of Document 100, An Outline of Principles
- Hocking. Revision of Document 100, An Outline of Principles
|
| Box 7 Folder 6 |
- Inglis. Freedom for the Movies
- Inglis. Comments on Freedom for the Movies
|
| Box 7 Folder 7 | Inglis. Changes in Freedom for the Movies |
| Box 7 Folder 8 |
- Hocking. Freedom of the Press-Framework of Principle
- Clark. Comments on Freedom of the Press
|
| Box 8 Folder 1 |
- Consent decree in the Communications Industry
- Leigh. General Report (6th Revision)
- Llewellyn White. The American Radio (Revision)
|
| Box 8 Folder 2 | Grierson. The Voice of the State. Not Circulated or Included in Documents |
| Box 8 Folder 3 |
- Milton Stewart. Report to the Commission
- Minutes of New York meeting, July 7-9. 1946
- Summary of Discussion I, July 7-9, 1946
|
| Box 8 Folder 4 | Summary of Discussion II, July 7-9, 1946 |
| Box 8 Folder 5 |
- Doc. 108c, Summary of Discussion III, July 7-9, 1946
- Summary of Discussion IV, July 7-9, 1946
|
| Box 8 Folder 6 |
- R. M. Hutchins. General Report (7th revision)
- Responsibilities of Monopoly Newspapers in New England Towns and Cities
|
| Box 8 Folder 7 |
- R. M. Hutchins. General Report (8th revision)
- Chafee, MacLeish, and Leigh. Comments on General Report (7th Revision)
- Niebuhr. Comments on Hutchins Draft
- Merriam. Comments on Hutchins Draft
- Schuster. Comments on Hutchins Draft
- Clark. Comments on Hutchins Draft
- Classification of Comments on Hutchins draft
- Inglis. Comments on Hutchins Draft
|
| Box 8 Folder 8 |
- Clark and MacLeish. Comments on Hocking Revision of Document 100, An Outline of Principles (100f)
- Grierson-Crandall. Afterthoughts of a Newspaperman
- Hocking. Summary of Principles-Revision of 100f
- Points at Issue in Outline of Principles (114)
- Hocking. Additional Revisions of An Outline of Principles (100f)
- Hocking. Revision of 114, Outline of Principles
- Draft for Commission Statement on White's Radio Report
- Draft for Commission Statement on Inglis' Movie Report
- Suggested Footnote of Dissent for Document 102
- Classification of Commission Recommendations
|
| Box 8 Folder 9 | Summary of Discussion, Commission Meeting in Chicago, Sept. 15-17, 1946 |
| Box 9 Folder 1 | Hutchins. Ninth Revision of the General Report |
| Box 9 Folder 2 | This consists of some revised pages of 120 |
| Box 9 Folder 3 |
- Hocking. Final Revision of Freedom of the Press, A Framework of Principle
- (Not numbered on cover) A New Chapter for Hocking, Freedom of the Press, A Framework of Principle
|
| Box 9 Folder 4 | White. Final Revision-The American Radio |
