The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-08


fashion did the headlines announce the
findings Of the committee which had
in charge the investigation Of the mo-
'torious" leak" which Tom Lawson an
nounced as having tipped to Wall
street a presidential message which
seriously affected the stock list Out
Of all the members of congress and
Whitea House attaches who had fallen
under suspicion In connection with the
premature announcement of the key
note Of Mr. Wilson's peace argument,
not one was held guilty by the COM
,nittec of their associates.
Newspaper men only" were pro-
nounccd responsible for the leak and
newspaper men only" once again were
made the scapeEoats upon which were
loaded the transgressions of the multi
tude. One newspaper man In particu-
lar, man with Il years long record
that was clean and above reproach,
was discharged from his connection
with leading New York newspaper
sent out into the wilderness branded
with the stain of betrayal of trust
No Evidence.
AS we'll as could be judged at this
distance from the scene Of the hear
ing, there was no evidence against this
veteran correspondent more conclu-
sive than that which was offered
against men in official life. But. ages
ago, Aaron established the tradition of
the scapegoat and mankind has found
1t convenient to follow closely the
precedent that was then set up in the
Syrian wilderness. So, in the instance
of the leak, there must be n goat
Newspaper men only" served tho
purpose admirably.
Tho finding of .ac investigation
committee doubtless brought great re-
lief to the group of men In official life
who had been shaking in their shoes
from the beginning Of the inquiry, but
tho verdict did not, 1t may reasonably
except among that class Of readers
which finds It's chief amusement in
"panning" the newspapers.
Americans are rated as the greatest
newspaper readers In the world-thcy
must be or else half the printed news
papers would not be read. With the
growth OF tlfc ncwsa per- reading
habit, there has come a greater de-
gree OF confidence in the work of the
men and women who make the news
papers. There are not many people,
outside a little group in the Montana
legislature, who cavalierly dismiss an
important statement as "only news
paper story" For the American has
learned from experience that the re-
liability of his newspapers Is to be
depended upon.
The Washington verdict In the leak
case Is reversion to an old type of
alibi-blaming the reporter. But II Is
well enough to direct notice to II as a
passing type. 1t Is not often. these
days, that a man who has been quoted
In Il newspaper interview seeks to
dodge criticism which he has evoked
In an endeavor to shift the RESPONSE
bility to the reporter. II was not quot
ed correctly. Is not convincing aiibI
not. ut least, to the extent that II
was before the reading public became
acquainted with It's newspapers.
Blame the Reporter
AS a matter of fact. there are few
men whose interviews find place II,
the present-day newspaper who will
accuracy of the reporters with whom
they have come In contact. There Is
| not newspaper office in the country
in which accuracy is not made the
fundamental principle in the work OF
news-collecting and news writing
And there are few newspaper offices
in which the principle OF trustworthi-
ness has not developed as a natural
consequence OF the former essential.
Any man who has been long In the
news gathering service OF a daily pa =
| per- carries under his hat more in
formation regarding the people OF his
community than ever finds It's way into
print. II any reporter were to print all
he knows about his community and
we're to print it accurately. there would
be such an upheaval in that city as
would make the San Francisco earth.
quake seem "A modest disturbance II
comparison. The present day reporter
has established his right to reputa
ton for honesty and careful judgment
And most Of the people in every cit,
know this That Is why there is less ant
less of the sneers about "ncwspapc
stories"
Veracity tho Rule
The people who are most free In thei
criticism Of newspapers and who ar
most persistent in the habit Of blam
Ing the reporter are those who know
least about the topic under discus
sion, least about the preparation of ;
newspaper and least about the news
paper workers. 1t Is the rule rattle
r..