Newsboys’ Home

Rifle Edwards' father, a small-town sheriff, is slain by a big-city gangster. The tragedy drives Rifle into homelessness as he drifts toward a distant metropolis. Hungry and desperate, he is forced to fight the local champ Danny Shay at the Newsboys' Home to earn a meal, and he knocks Shay out, earning his place among the newsies.

Rifle goes to work selling the Globe, which is published by Howard Price Dutton, the founder of the Newsboys' Home. After Dutton dies, his daughter Gwen becomes the new publisher.

Perry Warner, a Globe reporter, is in love with Gwen. They quarrel over turning the Globe into a highbrow paper, with Perry warning that the move could ruin the paper, and Gwen stubbornly refusing to listen.

Tom Davenport, a crooked politician, purchases the opposition Star to swing the election against the Globe. He also tries to bribe Perry to work for him, but Perry refuses. The ruthless circulation war begins as Globe sales start to falter.

Perry quits the Globe and leaves on a trip. With his departure, the Globe can no longer support the Newsboys' Home, forcing Danny and some boys to move to the Star, while Rifle and Sailor stay behind at the Globe.

Perry returns to assume editorship of the Globe as Gwen tears over her earlier policies. He aims to outmaneuver the Star and save the paper, rallying the staff to a comeback.

Davenport hires mobster Francis Barber to intensify the circulation war. Globe trucks are wrecked, newsstands are smashed and burned, and the conflict grows increasingly violent.

The war erupts into a street fight between the rival papers' youths, drawing in crowds and leaving chaos in the streets. Police squads are required to quell the riot and restore order.

Anger over a friend's shooting by Barber drives Danny to quit his job. Rifle follows the gangsters to Barber's hideout and discovers that Barber is his father's killer.

Danny and the Newsboys stage a sensational rescue, capturing Barber and turning him over to the police. The dramatic counterstrike ends the brutal prizefight of the press war.

With Barber's arrest and the end of the circulation war, the Globe regains its popularity. Gwen and Perry’s collaboration helps stabilize the paper and restore the Newsboys' Home's support.

Gwen and Perry marry, sealing their personal and professional partnership. The Globe's revival culminates in a hopeful finale as the couple celebrates their success.