The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-04-29


AN INTRrcArn rRoDEnx.
The Council OF Jswtsh women Of
Phiiadeiphia makes an urgent appeal
to the press through The Evening
Times Of that city. for the eiimina-
tion Of Indecent details In the publish
ed accounts Of murder and divorce
triais.' That appeal. though general.
about to begin. Probably without be-
ing aware Of II, these weli-meaning
women have touched on one of the
most difficult problems OF journalism;
the question Of what to print and what
not to print. A really conscientious
and heightened newspaper does not
wish to print anything that even APP
proaches indscency or vuisarity. but
II Is g wise newspaper man who can
draw the lire between news that
should not be printed and news that
should go to the public.
But are the readers of newspapers
themselves entirely biameiess In this
matter7 We do not 20 as far as The
Times does when 1t declares that "wo-
men are greedy readers Of the prurient
news OF the day" We do not know
such to be the fact. nor do we believe
II just charge against the women
of the country. We have better opin-
ion Of the sex In general than to adj
init the truth of the charge, though
The Times may be better informed.
Leaving woman cut OF the discus
sion. however, we come naturally to
the question as to why indecent details
newspapers when such publication 10
not absolutely necessary. II 1t ever Is
In other words. would the dirty stories
and details be printed unless such pub
lication paid the newspaper by In
ereasiag circulation and saies7 It
matters not how vileiy indecent the
news may be, II its publication Is not
without the pale Of the law. there are
newspapers ready to publish 1t II It
pays. II all the newspapers would re-
fuse to print anything not decent, It
would end. II all readers would refuse
to patronixe any newspaper or maya
zine which vioiated or overstepped the
bounds OF decency. such publication
would be discontinued as matter Of
business.
And SO we come back to the starting
point and repeat that the Jewish wo-
men who sent the appeal to The Times
brought up one Of the most dificult Of
all problems for the conscientious
newspaper man to solve: How much
must print ana how much must l
leave out? He does not want anything
In his paper that win offend decent
readers or tend to corrupt the morals
of the young. but the real live news
paper man doesn't care to be left be-
hind by his contemporaries In the mat
ter Of news. The motto--"An the news
that's Mt to print" which is adopted by
some OF the papers doesn't mean mucn'
because each publisher will have his
own ideas Of what is At to print. The
Times, in commenting on the appeal
from the women says:
We will not suppress real news any
| more than we viii pander to degraded
| tastes. We intend that The Evening
/ Times shall be found worthy to enter
every Philadelphia home, and to that
end we invite sueh criticism and CO.
| operation as the Council of Jewish Wo-
men and our other friends, may give
| to us.
There again 10 the real point Of the
problem. The Times declares that it
will not suppress any real news nor
pander to degraded tastes. Suppose its
news editor should be a man who
would look on the salacious details Of
divorce case as real news.'A and de-
eide that the readers Of his paper were
entitled to the benent Of 1t; who would
act as Judge and jury to condemn him
IL the public wanted to read the stun?
In short, who is to act as censor Of the
press or guide to the newspaper men?