The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-25
PEI CIrlIrTIC WRITER
PAINTyr BLACK PICTURE
Life Of Newspaper Woman Is Misrepresented
In Article in CoDier's Weekly
By MARY .ASHE MILLER


yourself to be ruled by sentiment or
sentimentality.
Another question is. Would you be
willing to sacrifice a sister woman's
reputation in order to gain a piece OF
newsy'
No reputable newspaper woman would
tell lie about any woman's reputation
to get news. but II the question. which
is vaguely phrased. refers simply to
the publication of a truthful but pain
full story. it is not the reporter but the
woman herself who has sacrificed the
reputation. Why need the reporter be
more careful than the woman? In
very many instances stories rejecting
on a woman's reputation are withheld,
but like murder. scandal win out and
that is the thought that keeps many
women and men from indiscretions.
+ Again Anne asks: Gould you bring
yourself to interview a murderer's
wife an hour before her husband was
executed and write up her sunerings
and agonies?"
1t is not always a joyful task, to be
sure. but 1t is one OF the things which
has parallels OF unpleasantness in
other professions.
1t is not incumbent upon the MUIR
derer's wife to be interviewed, either.
She could deny herself to the press rep
resentatives. Here again Anne Eliot
fails to grasp one OF the salient points
of human nature. She thinks that the
unfortunate woman would have the
same feelings in regard to talking that
she would herself. To many women
it is a relief to expatiate upon their
agony. Not that it Is any sense a pose.
but the outpouring OF their thoughts
frees their minds and relieves their
grief. 1t Is balm in sorrow to see the
pictures and to be quoted in print. A
newspaper woman must learn frst OF
all the touch OF sympathy. and this
may be extended without any self
humiliation or Interior motive.
There Is touch OF the Pharisee in
Anne, too, for, after telling how bad
it all is and what Is done in many
instances. she says: Understand. my
record is one OF unusual honesty and
straightforwardness- I can truthfuIly
say that during my entire experience
never knowingly hurt human being.
nor did I resort TO fraud or trickery to
secure what 1 wanted. I was scrupu-
lousy careful not to misquots or mis-
represent the persons I interviewed"
Anne also says she is good looking,
and that it might as well be acknowI-
edged that personal attractfveness has
its own value in the eyes OF an editor
seeking feminine talent to augment his
forces"
Chicago editors may be Of that type.
but not one do I know who would give
a good looking woman-used evil
IDENTIFY in the sense OF handsome or
pretty-the preference over an ugly
one. provided both were neat and well
dressed. An untidy or personally re-
pulsive woman is naturally handi-
capped. but beauty is not a necessary
or even a very desirable attribute for
practical everyday newspaper woman.
1t would be easy to write an article
as long as Anne's in an EFFORT TO miti-
gate the, effect of her statements which
show but one side. and that the I'M
pleasant one. Of a profession which
contains perhaps more delight than any
other for one who is capable OF laugh
ing at the funny things. shutting her
eyes as much as possible to the ugly
ones, studying them all and feeling
the bliss OF landing a good story.
Editors are men under a great strain:
generally in a great hurry; accustomed
to dealing with such big things that
tribes do not appeal to them; worn by
responsibilities which repeat them
selves day after day, and which they
must give out with great care among
their employees; nervous, sometimes
even cross; OF necessity able to refuse
appeals which their hearts bid them
accede to-; impatient OF most things
save results; yet. 1t has not been my
experience to md among them a man
who would willingly send a woman
into certain humiliation-save in two
instances-and even they could be per-
suaded.
II a woman wants to be yellow shs
can get all the experience in that line
that she desires; but II, on the other
hand, the extremes be disagreeable to
her. her tact and determination should
enable her to modify conditions.
Anne Eliot has apparently acquired
the yellow" habit. for she has. in the
language Of the editorial room. played
up the repulsive features with a skill
worthy of the breed I am no sentf-
mentalist as to newspaper work six
years In the good and bad places OF il
take that out of one, but there is no
necessity in any city in the world to
find 1t as black as It is painted in the
Golfers article.
l shall never forget the speech Of a
clever man. grown gray in the pro-
Iession, who told me when I was a
shivering cub" OF a reporter, to .Sticlx
to 1t II you like it. It's hard game
but it's good game, after ala good
game"