Applying to authors Major Bowes' principle of discovering latent talent, Reader's Digest magazine has announced a $5000 prize contest for non-fiction articles by persons who have never before contributed to national periodicals.

Since the announced purpose of the competition is the encouragement of new talent, the only restriction is that no one is eligible who has previously written for national magazines. Five prizes of $1000 each will be awarded to the authors of the five articles "judged most interesting by Reader's Digest Standards."

Magic Touch/B>

In addition, $500 will be paid for all articles considered acceptable for publication. "An illuminating human experience occurring to anyone in a position to observe human nature: the desire to recognize a fine accomplishment; all of these and more, if the magic touch is added, can be translate into articles of winning quality," the Digest announcement states, explaining the contest.

Contributions must be the product of unusual thought or unusual knowledge and must deal with subjects hitherto untreated or at least presented in a fresh light. Principally, however, each article must have a value which will "survive long after the month in which it is published."

Concise and Accurate

Conciseness, factual accuracy, and lasting interest are among the requisites for all articles submitted. The maximum length for each contribution is 3500 words. Full details of the competition, which closes on May 1, will be given in the March issue of the Reader's Digest, or will be mailed upon application to the editors in Pleasant-ville, New York.