Mr. Townes Leaves Town

Almost overnight, the namby-pamby Tacoma Times had turned into a crusading newspaper (TIME, Feb. 16). Many Tacomans, unused to forthright journalism, were confused by the new style. In an editorial, Editor William A. Townes tried to straighten them out.

"It takes little effort or risk," he wrote, "to wax indignant or to write platitudes about remote subjects. It is not so easy to live up to the highest ethics and responsibilities of a newspaper in the public affairs of its own home community. ... It is a newspaper's duty to show the bad so that the people can correct it, and the good so that it may be encouraged. ... Is this the kind of newspaper you want. . . ?"

Editor Townes was asking his bosses as well as his readers. When he took over six months ago, Owners Ed and Jim Scripps had promised Townes free rein. But cautious Publisher Frank W. Power was against crusades; they might hurt business. Townes asked the Scripps Brothers to back him up. When they hedged, he quit. Last week, Townes left town. He will become general manager of the Santa Rosa (Calif.) morning Press-Democrat (circ. 10,396), the afternoon Republican (circ. 2,053) and their radio station.

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