The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-20
PRESIDENTIAL ADVERTISING
In Which Mr. Roosevelt Was The
Master Hand

submitted at the desks of the Wash
ington bureaus OF the various news
papers downtown, President Roose-
Welt was busy beguiling the so-called |
cuckoo correspondents at the |
White House They were gentlemen |
who regarded it as being more impor- |
tant to print the news as the presi |
dent furnished it than to be beaten
upon the important items of news the
astute executive was able, from time
to time, to bottle up in his private
Office and which he would uncork for
those who would write the STORY" as
he told it. No preceding president
had used the White House as a press
bureau, and employed the presiden-
tial power to exploit himself as deliv-
erer of his country, as President
he applied his philosophy of walking
softly and carrying the big stick. His
nose for news" is one that would do
credit to a star reporter. He was,
as a news bother and uncorker, fac
tor to be considered by men whose
daily duty was TO keep the readers of
their newspapers informed as to what
was going forward at the national
capital. His Sunday afternoon sean
ces with the "cuckoos" were events.
They invariably netted a beat" to
those who were in his confidence. In
evitably those who were beyond the
pale because of their recalcitrancy
were beaten And the news flashed
forth in the columns of Monday news
papers where it would be sure to at
tract the maximum attention
The president was practicing in
the White House what the journals
tic Hobbies" of such interests as the
steel trust were practicing through
the Offices OF their salaried employees
in the vicinity OF Newspaper row.
There was this difference The Jour
nalistic lobby" offered its copy I'M
disguised, as report to be used if
available and cast into the wastebas-
ket If not the press. The Roosevelt
copy was available just so long as it
was certain to be printed. A cores
pondent who put the official version
in the wastebasket and told the story
his own way was dropped from the
flock of "cuckoos." There were no
official proceedings. But the atmos-
phere about the White House became
( arctic. and his quest of news became
futile
If the news OF congress as written
by an agent of a corporation backing
bill pending in congress is tainted
news so is the output OF the press
bureau Of the politician There was
never any law that prevented any
newspaper from using an article in
favor of ship subsidy disguised as a
report OF a meeting OF the merchant
marine committee OF the House
There is none preventing the ppblica-
ton of reports from the bureaus of
politicians. II is very difficult in
deed to draw the line between what
is news and what is press agency.
| The advertising of presidents. and
| candidates Of various degrees of i'm.
portance will continue to find its way
into print despite the most conscien-
tious editorial supervision. But the
advertising methods of the candi-
'N''" htAfN bNiVltif 81 well hUbMD
that statement emanating from
a representative of one of them and
referring to his chief is open to the
| doubt that falls on the press story
( of an agent Of Miss Anna Held 10 the
effect that she preserves her com.
| plexion by taking baths in sweet milk
or keeps the coat OF her horse-or
touring car-brilliant by washing il
with dry champagne Emanations
from press bureaus during campaigns
are almost as harmless as the
milk bath tales told about prima don
mas. II is only when a man is in
office and has control of importan;
sources of news that he is capable
OF putting over" publicity articles
based upon news of events and devel.
opments of public Importance. Pres.
ident Roosevelt was an isolated ex.
ample of the project press agent in
the White House. Others who are
running for office may make their
claims. boasts and chaIsss through
press agents, but there will probably
never be another president who will
equal the Roosevelt press agency re,
cord in charlottesville Courier.
| Journal