The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-13
Thursday, January 10, 1916.

The remarkable steadfastness and
consistency with which the Berlin
Vorwaerts has adhered to the historic
position of the socialists against ag-
gressive warfare is emphasized by the
action of the executive committee Of
the party in repudiating the paper as
its official organ. The Vorwaerts,'
says the committee, does not fulfil
its duty as the mouthpiece of the
party" That its views are not those
of the present party majority has at
least been evident for some time. In
the United States, it may be said,
that the cid issue of 'party-owned'
press may be revived by the editorial
difficulties of the American Socialist
amid the conflicting views of party
leaders in respect to the war
Springfield Republican.
The palmy days OF the party news
paper organ are gone never TO return.
The Republican who reads only pratt.
san Republican newspapers and the
Democrat who fails to read any but
his WI party editorials are de
iberately pulling down the curtains
OF their mind and shutting ont light.
Practically all newspapers of any
value are independent in the main.
They take sides on issues as they
come up according TO the views Of
their owners but no longer stick
th.o,,o,l, t1,;nt- aud thin, IN anv oroo n -
zation There is another class Of
publications like the American Econo-
mist OF the Republicans. Mack's
Monthly of The Democrats, the Can
of the Socialists, the Issue of the Pro
hibitionists and similar organs which
nobody but the partisans OF the propo-
ganda ever read except by accident
They are like any other habit such as
smoking, chewing gum or overeating
Their duty and place in life is not to
present facts or discuss public ques-
lions from the standpoint of an open
mind but to supply their own parti-
sans with arguments and ammunition
and to hold them in line at all
hazards, and from this point of view
they serve a legitimate purpose and
receive the support which they de-
serve. The decision of the Berlin
Socialists that the Vorwaerts no long
err presents their view is about the
same as If a convention of high pro-
tectionists in this country should
solemnly resolve that the American
Economist is no longer to be trusted
as the mouthpiece of the high tariff
extremists. All during the war one
Of the favorite amusements OF the
partisans has been to quote news
papers from the country of the enemy
to prove some contention. In this way
the English have been able to show
from certain German newspapers that
Germany is starving, sthat bread riots
are of daily occurrence and that utter
defeat is near at hand. Likewise Ger
man partisans prove by certain Eng
lish papers that England is on the
verge of rebellion, that men won't en-
list and that England is about to give
up the struggle The lesson of it all
is that not much is tor be learned from
an organ or partisan publication of
any kind There are newspapers and
magazines. both small and great,
which are reasonably fair and which
try to present both sides. Their edi-
tors may not always get entirely
away from personal views in the edi
torial columns, but in general sense
they try to present a view of the
whole scene and not merely from one
point of view This class of pubiica-
tions are the only ones that are of
any particular value in the actual
search for information.