이같은 조선일보의 이해할 수 없는 행보는, 창간 직후부터 문제로 된 경영난에서 비롯했다. 창간 당시 예정된 출자금은 턱없이 적게 들어왔고, 구독료의 징수나 광고의 수주도 여의치 않았다. 3⦁1운동 이후 독립의 열기가 높아지던 상황에서 비록 중립을 표방했지만 친일단체가 발간하는 신문이라는 태생적 한계는 어쩔 수 없었다. 신문 편집도 경쟁지인 동아일보보다 깔끔하지 못했다. 무엇보다 독자들이 독립의 여망과 새로운 사조에 목말라하던 상황을 조선일보는 알지 못했다. 동아일보는 경찰의 검열 기준을 교묘하게 피해가면서 독자의 요구에 부응했다. 경영난을 타개하고 독자에 어필하고자 조선일보는 뒤늦게 ‘항일’의 대열에 참여했다. 하지만 조선일보는 아젠다를 제시하거나 선점할 능력이 부족했고, 동아일보의 뒤를 따라가기에 급급했다. 이 때문에 기사는 동아일보보다 과격할 수밖에 없었고, 총독부의 견제를 심하게 받았다.

영어 번역문

The inapprehensible attention of Daily Chosun was originated from its financial problems immediately after its foundation. A small amount of investment was collected contrary to its expectation when it first started. It was difficult to win a contract of advertisement and to collect subscriptions. Although Daily Chosun claimed to be neutral in the situation that the passion for independence increased after the 1919 Samil Independence Movement, it had the inherent limitation that it was published by the pro-Japanese organization. Daily Chosun was not ingeniously edited, compared to its rival Daily Donga. Above all things, Daily Chosun did not know the situation that subscribers thirsted for the passion for independence and for a new trend. Daily Donga acceded to its subscribers' demands sidestepping skillfully the standard of censorship by the police. Daily Chosun attempted to resolve the financial crisis and to appeal its subscribers; so, they participated in 'anti-Japanese' activities too late. However, Daily Chosun lacked in its ability to suggest an agenda or to take the advantageous position for gaining subscribers; it was busy trying to follow Daily Donga. So, Daily Cosun's put considerably radical articles compared to Daily Donga and was greatly checked by the Japanese Government of General of Korea.