Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-30
CITY EDITORS
0. K. ISM. c, SAYS
POLICE BOARD
A New and Novel Idea as TO
Fire Line" Cards Has
Been Adopted.
HAVE AVERSION TO BE
CONFUSED WITH REPORTERS
Preferred Friends of Commits
sioners, However, Anxious to
Enjoy Sightseeing Privileges.

Newspaper reporters and all other
specimens of the masculine gender
hereabouts all look alike TO the police
commissioners, or at least they will be
treated just like all others in some re-
spects. Then, again, certain other per-
sons of preferred class are not to
have their pride or feelings hurt by
an odious comparison with newspaper
reporters, who have to work hard
and industriously at fires while the
others simply attend fires to look on,
enjoy the show and hamper the work
of firemen and policemen.
That seems to be about the size OF
it. The police commissioners have
decided to draw the line at fires
henceforth, or rather remove the
line, when it comes to a matter of
Issuing cards for admission within
the fire lines"
Instead of the neat blue cards
bearing the signature of the presi-
dent of the Police Commission and
the signature of the city editor
vouching for the fact that the bearer
of the card is duly accredited
representative of the paper in the
case, there will be no more city edi-
tor business about it at all. What
does city editor know about the
man or men he assigns to cover a
fire, anyway? The new cards will
be merely decorated with the "John
Hancock" Of Frederick Breidenbach,
president of the Police Board, and
Will they will be issued tomorrow
will ear date of April 1 and will
be good for three months.
Must ObIige Friends.
But something must be done to
oblige the personal friends of the
commissioners who just want to butt
in the fire lines and yet who abhor
the very thought of being in any way
identified with the hustling news
paper men. 1t has not occurred to
the commissioners that these particu-
lar persons could not be confused
with reporters, as under no circum-
stances could they obtain credentials
from the city editor of any news
paper. The city editors voucher Is
given for alt around safety, and not
to permit irresponsibles to travel
under the guise Of q newspaper
worker.
zone radical change viii be no.
ticed on the new cards." remarked a
city official today. From the days of
old all police cards used by reporters
were countersigned by the city editor
for whom he was working. This will
not be SO for the new cards. No city
editor will have anything to say, no
name of the paper a man represents
will be on the ticket; only the bold
face type of the police commission
ers and the name of President Brei-
denbach. Under the new ruling re-
porter's card will be no different
than any other privilege card issued
by the Police Board"
This is verified by the secretary
of the board, James Kearney.
"You see," said Mr.. Kearney, in
explaining the matter, 81 am person
ally of the opinion that the cards
should be the same as of old. A
city editor should sign for his re-
porters so that there would be no
fakes 1t was the intention of the
Police Board to change the code SO
that a number of the friends of the
police commissioners can have these
privilege cards without being classed
as reporters. I will try to have the
system changed, but L am forced to
obey orders"