Several things form the basis of this story. First is the circulation wars of rival newspapers in the early 20th Century. It is hard to image the power of newspapers in a pre-television and pre-internet age. The only other mass media at this time was radio, magazines and movie news trailers. In 1946 according to one survey 85 percent of the US population read newspapers. Newspapers were truly very powerful in molding public opinion during this time.
Second, all throughout the 1930s and ever earlier there were Congressional committees set up to investigate subversive elements such as fascists, Nazis and Communists. In 1945 the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities was organized to monitor the activities of subversive groups. While the ideology of Mr. Ridgewood's Daily Chronicle is not delved into his unscrupulous behavior and bulling tactics earns Freddy's dismissive concluding comment (referring the Cap Jr. battle against the evil publisher), "He was just fighting for the cause of every real American!"
We also note that Freddy is head of the newsboy's club in this story with art by Bud Thompson.
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