The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-02-15
JAPAN Is ROUGH
ON NEWSPAPERS

OF Missouri school Of journalism told
( the editors assembled al Kansas CITY
I recently some interesting facts about
journalism in Japan. Mr.. Martin re-
Gently returned from Tokyo after a
year's service as new editor Of the
Japanese Advertiser. the leading Eng
Hsh paper OF the Orient These are
some Of the conditions OF newspaper
publishers as described BY Mr.. Martin
with which the editors Of the United
States do lot have TO contend:
A literal ard actual muzzling Of the
press BY the government
Utter indifference to accuracy in
both news and editorial columns.
Lack Of journalistic ideals and
standards
irresponsible and inefficient report
ers
A more rigid censorship than that
in force in the warning sections OF
Europe
Literal government editing of the
newspapers
No ~rypesetti1g machines.
Frequent Jail sentences
And a list OF further prohibitions
50 long they would I'll a column Of al
average newspaper.
There seldom is a time when ey-
erzl japanese editors are not serving
AL terms. NJ. Martin said, "and
often many are imprisoned al a time.
jail sentences are so common that
many OF the newspapers have jail
editors. whose principal duty is 70
serve the sentences incurred by yiO-
Iztion Of restrictions imposed by the
government
In Japan no newspaper is permit
ted TO discuss or comment upon poll
tics without putting up a bond. OF
the SCI newspapers now published in
japan 607 have furnished such bonds.
Yet only about eight Of these pub
HcatlOns are influential or reliable IN
any degree. The tone Of the others is
exceptionally lowe They are inidner-
ent to accuracy. They possess only
one commendable trait in common,
and that is patriotism. The rest.
lacking standards and ideals. devote
their columns TO things calculated
70 interest and excite the less intelli-
gent people.
The japanese are the greatest
newspaper readers IN the world. The
average japanese reads half a dozen
newspapers a day. But almost all the
nespapers are carelessly and unreli-
ably prepared b. men whose eharac-
ter and equipment are lamentably in
ferior 10 those OF the members Of
other professions.
japanese newspaper men are never
taken into the confidence OF the lead
ers Of public affairs. They are not
permitted to quote public men DR. TO
publish statements coming from them.
No newspaper man was permitted 10
witness the coronation ceremonies
last fall. No japanese newspaper
ever printed the demands which Japan
made upon China a year ago. The
news which is sent out from Japan
by the great news associations is
censored and colored and often dis
torted.
Except the few influential news
papers. they all publish every day a
page of gossip and scandal which
would not be permitted in America"
There are no typesetting machines
on the newspapers, which are pub
lished in Japanese, Mr.. Martin said.
There are about 5000 characters in
the Japanese alphabet. 1000 of which
are in common use, and this fact
makes ~typesetting machines imprac-
ticable.
The actual circulation of Japanese
newspapers is not known to any d
outside the newspaper Offices.
only a few women have attempted
to enter journalism in Japan" Mr..
Martin concluded, land almost all Of
those who did attempt it have quit
because of hysteria.