Loyal Durand Hotchkiss (November 25, 1893 – April 15, 1964) was an American newspaper journalist who served as the editor-in-chief of the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

. The son of Willis M. and Jan Margaret (Ritchie) Hotchkiss, he was born in Bloomfield, Iowa, where he attended public school. In 1916, he graduated from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

. Hotchkiss worked at the ''

Des Moines Daily News ''Des Moines Daily News'' was a daily newspaper published in Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends int ...

'', the ''Rockwell City (IA) Advocate'', the ''Des Moines Capital'' and the ''Des Moines Register-Tribune''. In 1920, he moved to California, where he worked for

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...

’s ''Los Angeles Examiner.'' Two years later he moved across town to work for

Harry Chandler Harry Chandler (May 17, 1864 – September 23, 1944) was an American newspaper publisher and investor who became owner of the largest real estate empire in the U.S. Early life Harry Chandler was born in Landaff, New Hampshire, the eldest of four ...

’s ''Los Angeles Times'', where he would stay for the next 36 years. In 1926, Hotchkiss was named city editor. He became assistant managing editor in 1933, managing editor in 1934, editor in 1945 and editor-in-chief in 1957. Hotchkiss retired in 1958. In 1938, Hotchkiss, his publisher

Norman Chandler Norman Chandler (September 14, 1899 – October 20, 1973) was the publisher of the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1945 to 1960. Personal Norman Chandler was born in Los Angeles on September 14, 1899, one of eight children of Harry Chandler and Ma ...

, and the

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(owner of the ''Los Angeles Times'') were jointly found guilty of contempt of court for editorials that commented on pending court cases. The Times took its fight for freedom of the press to the

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

, where the newspaper was vindicated on December 8, 1941.http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/382123 Bridges v. California. Times-Mirror v. Superior Court (1941). The newspaper was awarded the 1942 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service "for its successful campaign which resulted in the clarification and confirmation for all American newspapers of the right of free press as guaranteed under the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...

Notes

"L.D. Hotchkiss, Retired Editor of Times, Dies," ''Los Angeles Times'', April 17, 1964.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hotchkiss, L. D. 1893 births 1964 deaths American male journalists 20th-century American journalists University of Iowa alumni People from Bloomfield, Iowa 20th-century American male writers Los Angeles Times people Editors of California newspapers