Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-30
Things You Want to Know E 3: $' e.:

twelve to twenty pages OF something he
doesn't care for. The usual effect Is. how
ever. to train the American reader 20 be
versatile and omnlvorous in his tastes.
1t Is interesting TO watch the people in =
public conveyance In London and TO see
what newspapers they read. There are re-
spectacle afternoon journals devoted -
news bulletins and book reviews. which are
not to be found outside Of the fashionable
West End There are miserable rags to
he seen only In the slum districtA The
Times is read at home, or in the office. and
is rarely to be seen at all in buses or
trains. The most universal appeal ls made
BY the pink sheets devoted either to pic-
lures or sports, A vast majority OF the
women are seen with one OF the picture
papers In their hands. These picture papers
publish the news OF the day In brief bulle-
tins and give the greater part OF their
space to photographs The weekly Illus
trated Journals Of London are by far the
best in the world. and the cheap daily pic
ture papers are the equals OF the best week.
lies In America or in other countries. But
in view Of their large circulation. It 10
amusing to hear a London Journalist crfti-
else American newspapers because they de-
vote so much space TO illustrations.
The real difference between American and
English newspapers is difference imposed
by law, and Is not the result of superior
morality on the part of English publishers,
The libel laws In Great Britain are so strict
that much matter commonly printed in
America Is excluded from English news
paper columns. Then also the British law
prevents press comment upon matters Sub
1udice," that Is, the papers may not discuss
case In court until after II has been
| Mt
corning such cases only what Is matter
of court record, This gives them the right
to publish the testimony taken in open
court, and exercising this right the most
| staid and respectable British journal some
| times Will print things which could not
| appear under any circumstances In the
| yelowest American newspaper. But at the
same time, the law prevents journalistic
Interference with legal procedure, and such
| a thing trial by newspaper" in a criIR-
| inal case is impossible. In this respect
British journalism, or rather British law.
is immeasurably superior.
In the matter of advertisements, the Lon
don press is more liberal than that OF the
majority Of American cities. 'Personala~
OF doubtful character are printed even In
high class journals, quite as freely as they
used to be. In. New York. Even the most
respectable newspapers carry the advertise
ing announcements of divorce spies and
private detectives, gentleman" or lady"
Loan sharks and usurefs also are admitted
to the advertising columns Of even the best
papers.
When it comes TO politics, British news
papers are both better and worse than
those In America. Because the English
journals continue to report public speeches
4 verbatim there IL no temptation to garbia
/ | op nnlOr ha atfta %
The interview has not made any appreciA-
BILE advapce in England So far as the news
} columns are concerned. the British press
! is on the whole superior to the American
In its treatment Of political affairs.
But in editorial expression the British
newspapers are much more partisan ana
J much more inclined TO be unfair Nearly
every newspaper is an out-and-out par
tisan, and is as Jealous in its support of its
, particular faction as were the republican
and democratic newspapers Of the United
States forty years ago The editorial
: writer always is serious, and the spirit OF
levity has not yet invaded the editorial
'sanetum as II has done in the United
States A British pert paFagrapheF- IL am
thinkable.
In the matter OF headlines the British
, newspaper differs from the American be-
its readers An Englishman looks through
his paper and finds the headline Naval
: and Military Intelligence" Then he pro-
ceeds 10 read all about the army and navy.
An American insists upon the headlines
: giving him comprehensive review Of this
. news, and II there is anything that par
I ticular morning In army and navy circles
!, which interests him he will read II, not
: otherwise. During political campaign Q
8 London newspaper will carry for months
0 the single headline. THE Political sltua-
) ton" Never more. never less. that head
It line indicates 20 the reader where he viii
Il find the political news but IL does not gIys
him any idea Of what that news may be-
n The British headline differs from the Amer
u lean because II lie designed for different
}, purpose.
" On the whole, It IL perhaps fair 10 say
5 that the English people, having the ysllowi
y IN mind. have the belief generally that
IS the American newspapers are much mohs
y wicked and indecent than they really are
II while the American people, having tbs
y Times In mind, think that the British news
h papers are much purer ana better thar
they really are.
Bx RREDERIC J. HAaxIN.
e Tomorrow-ThO British 0risis.-xxVl
h -sPoEt ara spoFtsmsH, IS a "A -. :.