The Sentinel=record., 1913-09-25
WARNS PRESS OF THE cOUN. TRY AGAINST ERRONEOUS
 NEWS AND OPINIONS.
QUOTES PRESIDENT HUERTA
In His Recent Message to Congress. Secretary of the Navy Addresses Members of the Associated Press at Banquet.

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 24.-With Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels the principal speaker and guest Of honor, the annual banquet of the Indiana member sof the Asso. ciated Press was held at ocal hotel tonight The banquet hall was decorated with American flags and back Of the speakers table was draped the flag of the secretary Of he navy.
 NIT. Daniels stay in Indianapolis was brief. His train was three hours and half late. not arriving until 3:30 and he was to start on his return to Washington at 10:45 to-. night He lef. for his train shortly alter concluding his speech, which Mas given long applause.
 The other speakers of the evening vera Governor Ralston, President William Lowe Bryan Or Indiana uni lersity and Melville E. Stone of New York general manager of the Asso. ciated Press. Former Vice President Charles w. Fairbanks acted as toast master
 An appeal for loyalty and patriot ism in The American press, with phases of the existing Mexican sit dation presented as an example of the result of unwise or misleading newspaper publications, marked the address of Secretary Daniels
 Himself an editor, MT. Daniels talked freely with his fellows about the privileges and duties of the newspaper man. dealing particularly VT n the part 10 be played when the interests of the nation are at stake in an international controversy.
 Provisional President Huerta in his recent message to the Mexican congress- said the secretary, made a statemen. which arrested the a. Iention of every American when he said: Besides the fratricidal strife which eXhausts us, the tenseness of our diplomatic relations with the government of the United Sta.es. al ,hough not with that people, has put ds in state Of apprehension and re- tarded the complete justification Of the republic
 This official utterance of the act ing head of the government in Mex. ico City not only attracted national attention but challenged national de- nial that any sentiment existed in the United States to warrant the dec. laration. But what plausible ground did Huerta have for asserting that public opinion was no. behind the president of the United States in the latter's efforts to arrive at an amie- able understanding with Mexico?
 or courSe, the wish was father to the though with General Huerta, but it must be admitted that the attitude oi some of the newspapers of the United States and occasional expres- sions by well known Americans might have given he impression that the people were divided in their opinion on this subject of the recog- ntfon of the Huerta regime.
 Tt is far from my purpose to call in question that the editors Of these newspapers and others were consci- en.ious in their convictions" MT.
 
 most excellent gentlemen and patri- ott at Aheart, but they were mis- guided by misunderstanding the true situation and misiudging the senti- ment of he people of this country as has been demonstrated by the practically unanimous sentiment ot members of both houses of congress.
 The representatives of the repub- lie of Mexico were quick to jump at the conclusion that these agencies represented large par. of public opinion in this country, and' or course. the views of this segment ot the American press were telegraphed to Mexico, copied in the Huerta press and were eagerly seized upon by that government to maintain its positions
 TO be sure. free speech and free press are TWO of our most precious possessions. 1t must be rememDered' however, that liberty in this respect Is at all times restricted by the manifest rights of others liberty oi speech and liberty of the press m attack upon the government can never be permitted to weakeh tne authority of the nations responslpie head dealing with foreign power.
 T raise the question:
 What is the duty of the press ol the United States when their gov ernment has delicate internatloha problem to solve? That is a question which every editor in America ha' been called upon to answer twief since the fourth of March. It has not been difficult for most editors for they regard themselves as citi zens before they are editors, ant