The Washington herald., 1913-10-18
What IS news?
inquiries P. 0. D.
Second Assistant Seeks to
Classify Magazine
Mail.
FREIGHT OR FIRST CLASS
Monthly Trade and Business Publica-
lions Claim They Cannot Get
Information In Time.
FREIGHT OR FIRST CLASS
What is news?

What is news?
Here is a fine chance for editors. journal
lists. and cub reporters to make a hit
writer's in their laps and writing Second
Assistant Postmaster General Joseph
Stewart what they hold to be news. Uncle
Sam and DR.. Wiley have already settled
Such moot questions as What
Is whiskey?' when is beer?'' "why Is
Booze?" and the Treasury Department,
since the enactment of the new tariff law
Is wrestling with a question which frames
up something like this: when does an
egg aigrette?" (Answer-When II is not
worn on a hat at the customs-house)
But now the Po5toffice Department Is
about to emulate Will Irwin and Golfers
and determine finally and authoritatively
What is news? Throughout the United
States newspaper reporters, editors, and
near-reporters, TO say nothing of Journal
lists, magazine writer's, and publicists
hang breathless on the decision. And Mr..
Stewart, the only holdoyer of the assist
ant Postmaster General. has taken his
foot in his hand and started out to hnd
the answer.
Difference I'm Time.
Mr.. Stewart has to know. Because his
bureau OF the Postoffice Department has
tain a substantial amount of news mat
ter, shall be forwarded as second class
mail matter to certain distributing points
by fast freight instead OF by regular mail
cars.
But TO determine what periodicals. do
and what do not contain news matter, Mr..
Stewart first must decide what news Is.
And anyone who believes this an easy
task might relieve Mr.. Stewart of some
81 E-az
OF periodicals which Mr.. Stewart has
placed in the fast freight class
by the way, Mr.. Stewart. what Is
newsr" asked a reporter yesterday, edg
ing away from the desk in anticipation Of
an explosion.
News, as 1 see it," replied Stewart, rs
matter whose value TO the public depends
largely. IL not entirely. upon its transmits
sion and distribution in the shortest POS
sible time.
THE Postoffice Department has effected
a saving Of s.. .5OO. 600 annually in the trans
portation of mails by sending periodicals
which do not contain news matter from
the place of publication to certain dis
tributing points by fast freight, instead of
by mail trains as other second class mat
ter Is sent OF course a great many pub
fishers have no objection to this. as their
periodicals are printed far enough in ad-
&
cluding late matter.
There are however, before the depart
ment a number of protests from publish
ers who declare that this plan works in
jury to their publications by excluding
matter which cannot be obtained so far in
advance. These protests must be settled
by the department after hearings.
Delay Causes Trouble.
The question to be answered then is,
What is news?' The definition I give
seems to fit the case" said Mr.. Stewart.
''and II would seem easy enough to de-
eide whether the matter contained in the
periodicals whose publishers are protest.
ing is vitiated by delay incident to ship
ment by freight
But the question is not so easily
answered as might be expected" he con-
tinued. For instance, much Of the
trouble is from monthly trade magazines
and business publications. BY far the
largest part OF the reading matter in
these publications Is made up OF articles
which are prepared weeks in advance.
Then there is some reading matter by
way Of comment on conditions in the
trade None of this properly could be
classified as news. But at the last minute
each month the publishers will seek to
slip in something which does come under
the heading of news-market reports, last
minute legislative news affecting the
trade OF table OF importations.
with such matter included, the Ques-
ton arises, Does this constitute a SUBJ
stantial part Of the publication. or would
its loss work substantial injury? There
is where the real contest begins again.
THE protests now pending involve not
more than $5oo00 annually in transporta-
ton costs to the government. and We ex-
pect to settle them without any great
friction. The department has no desire to
injure any publisher. and is glad to grant
hearing to anyone who feels himself to
be injured by a department ruling