South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-02
BEING UP TO THE MINUTE.

leading newspaper virtue is be up the minute.
Realizing this Bernstorn timed some of his most i'm
portant matter so that reached the washington Of
flee of agencies at the last moment
This its publication with little criticism, and
also enabled him counter balance entente matter
whenever it threatened to become troublesome
1t is a journalistic virtue to follow closely the public
taste. matter chiefly is published which hap
pens top in the public mind. Hence the need
press agent, for the most popular cause.
Again papers best keep the public interest
in controversy by alternately stating both sides and
giving them approximately equal They tend to
the present contest of civilization against
barbarism and will continue to do it until the public
calls change. Again, each correspondent justi-
fes his Job by making a big story of his assignment.
all played up by the
correspondents invOvled even when certain amount
of criticism IS attached SO the stockholm conference
and the pretenses of demOcratizaton in Germany are
actually featured. Again, it is difficult for headline
whose has measured by his ability
10 make his headlines striking" realize that there
are headlines that striking but also in
valuable 10 the enemy
SO it has happened that some of the most able and
energetic pro-American papers have frequent
y served the of the German propaganda and
must continue to do until they evolve special
organization that enables them to defend themselves
and us-efectively. Their habit of liberalism has
made them stand erect until they leaned over back
ward. They have offered Germany half their space
(unti actually at and given her the
benefit every doubt. They have held the wide
open policy. on the assumption that when everything
is printed falsehoods gradually expose
true only when the falsehOods conflicting and
disconnected To open your columns wide a vast
deception of many OF your readers-especally when
you have their confidence. liberalism. the foun
daton of democraces peace might easily become
the destruction of democracies a war.
Democratic government rests upon a democratic
press. our newspapers will never initiate the goose
step of the Prussians. But they can and doubt
less will, adapt themselves these war times II
would be extraordinary blow TO the prestige of
democracy if it turned that the press Of A
free country could not cope with the
rupt propaganda of a despotism
As Sir William Robertson says this trial of the ma
tiOns is not confined the military front: 1T is stiff
ing of nations. trial OF character. test of racial
quality. The side which lasts the LONGEST the
side which endures. is the side which will give its
character to the future OF civilization The quality of
national fiber will decide this war and decide the
future Of the world
If democracy is 10 win only must the armies
OF absoutsm be driven their frontiers but the
lies OF absOutism must be out within our own
borders For three years the has had the best
OF in in many parts OF this country. and he has had
the enormous advantage OF getting planted
first in the public mind in these sections To uproot
them will be Herculean task but not too great
for a nation that Is making the effort we are max
ing on the physical side of Certainly our effort
and our success viii not be less when begin TO turn
our attention equally 10 the mental warfare now
forced upon US by the power drove US into
physical combat. In his peace notes our
chief executive has already given about all the
leadership for this mental combat that democracy re-
Quires or allows But ne has able do no more
than 10 put in general denial OF Germanys position.
II is for the nation itself vast struc-
ture Of falsehood which that position now rests