Omaha daily bee., 1914-02-22
Council Bluffs
WANT FEATURE NEWS
Western Editors Take Rap at Stand
Of Lincoln Newspaper Man.
W. o. JONES PUT ON DEFENSIVE
First Days session OF Association
Calls for Lively Debates and
Presentation of Interest
ing Matter.

ing Matter.
Iowa editors gathered here yesterday
to attend the annual midwinter meeting
Of the Western Iowa Editorial associa-
tion.
All Of the winter gatherings Of the as
ISOLATION have been held in Council
Bluffs and 1t has grown and its sphere
OF influence increased until II became
necessary to change its name to meet
its increasing membership. 1t was for
merly the Southwestern Iowa Editorial
association. It was a part of the pro-
gram yesterday 20 discuss the plan Of
still further increasing its scope and
make 1t the Iowa Editorial association.
This was not reached, however, on ac-
count Of the pressure OF other business.
When President f. II. McCabe Of the
Logan Observer called for order the large
room was nearly full. A score or more
Of those present were women who are
either publishing newspapers or are doing
practical work for husbands and brothers.
There was plenty OF shop talk. but It
was frightened by keen wit and well
loaded with common sense.
Banquet at Noon.
At noon the editors were guests of the
Commercial club at Grand hotel ban
quet, where they were given welcome to
Council Bluffs by Robert b. Wallace.
The response was by President McCabe,
who declared that he would lose faith in
Christianity II he should ever come to
Council Bluffs and not get genuinely
hearty welcome.
session was by c. w. Bays of the Wood
oine Twiner, one OF the sagest philoso-
piers Of the association. He chose for
his theme, Country Newspaper Dope
and it hit some hard blows 10 those who
imagine that the country newspaper is
not fair representative of twentieth
century progress and intelligence
Mrs. p. H. Brown of the Harlan Re-
publican read a paper on What our
Husbands Expect of Us and What They
Get" She had not reached the end of
the first page of her paper until every
one In the room realized that Mr.. Brown
was getting the assistance OF a brainy
woman.
In five-minute talk Editor Grlsell of
the Guthrie Center Guthrian presented
the Value OF the Country Editor" not
only to his community, but to the world.
The chief address of the afternoon was
by Will o. Jones OF the Lincoln (Neb) }
journal on Feature Stuff" A lengthy
discussion followed. Mr.. Jones opened
the gates to a large and inviting field
into which the editors rushed with en-
thusiasm. Mr.. Jones condemned the fea-
ture business of the great daily papers.
particularly the colored sheets, and,
quoting an Illinois college professor and
Lncoln High school man. found in the
colored supplements the sinister leader in
bringing about the deprayity of youth.
| The college professors, he declared, were
alarmed over the condition of the public
schools of this country and the growth
Of juvenile offenders. He said the colored
comic sheet made its appearance about
dozen years ago. Just a little in ad-
vance Of the moving pictures, and these
| educators saw direct connection be-
| tween the two and the increasing deprav-
| ity of youth.
Gets Subscribers' Sentiments.
| Mr.. Jones then proceeded TO tell of a
method employed by the Lincoln Journal
| to get an expression of the Judgment of
| it's readers upon the features they liked
best in their paper. For this purpose
| thousands of circular letters were sent
| to the subscribers with a list of ques-
tions. The work of tabulating the re-
sporses had not been completed, but he
submitted the statistics of 1000 replies.
| The figures showed that more than
800 never read the sporting pages,
the theaters or city society gossip, that
| they read a part or all of the editorials
and all of the general news The refer
| endum showed that a large majority
| condemned the featured stuff and the
| continued stories.
More than 1000 of the 1,02o wanted
more church news. social uplift and edu-
cational matter. He reached the conclu-
sion that the newspapers were wasting
their money on featured stuff. pictures,
| sports and comics, and that the people
wanted short articles, big type and solid
! mental food
! Mr.. Jones had scarcely touched his
chair until the editors were popping up
ali over the room and there was an in
teresting debate of an hours length. The
editors pointed out that the Journals
referendum was worthless for the pur-
pose intended and could have no value
until answers had been secured from the
boys and girls.
"You sent your letters To papa and
mamma" said Editor Campbell OF tho
Harlan Republican. "They wanted your
paper TO be a religious sheet because
they are nearing the sunset of life. Wait
until you hear from Nellie and from
! Bill.
| Wants of Nellie and Bill.
"Nellie will want fashions, society and
love stories. Bill. In the exuberance OF
his untried strength. will want the pink
and green sheets and will devOur every
word printed about sports"
Others pointed out that the paper must
be cosmopolitan. as much so as the
American people. and that TO print daily
paper that would Just suit slippered
ease of papa and mamma would drive
Bill and Nell TO reading the Menace. 4"
| Mr. Jones was on the defensive during
the whole hour.
The editors selected Audubon as the
place OF holding their midsummer meet
7 ing and elected II. J. Hoogenakker Of
the Audubon Republican. president w
/ T. Hanton of the Griswold American.
vice president. and reelected C. c. sheaf-
| fer OF the Randolph Enterprise. secretary
and treasurer
| In the evening Miss Flora Dunlap OF