The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-07-05

that it is a plain violation of the law
to use the United States flag in adj
vertisements, on collars and on hand
kerchiefs, etc. A paper by E. B.
Jeffress, business manager Of the
Greensboro News, on Newspaper
Business in War Tines, and further
discussion of newspaper problems,
brought the Thursday morning ses
sion to a close. Discussion of va
rious practical questions Of newspa-
per business occupied the afternoon
session Thursday.
Thursday evening Mrs. HUT OF the
State Department of Agriculture
talked interesting On food conser-
walton, Miss Herring Of the State
Board Of Health talked ditto about
health conservation, the most impor-
tant subject Of all, and then the prin-
cipal address Of the entire conven-
ton was delivered by W. B. Pitkin,
editor Of The New Republic of New
York.
Mr.. Pitkir stepped briskly forward
from the rear OF the hall when CON-
mittee appointed by President Brit
ton to escort him, to the platform
is no fuss and feathers about Mr..
Pitkin. ALFRED in citizens clothes
and with soft collar, Mr.. Pitkin was
entirely at his ease and talked till
he got through and then stopped.
He had something to say and said
it in a straightforward manner, with
no attempt at oratory. He quoted
an English journalist who told him
soon after the outbreak Of the war,
when he asked the usual question,
that the American editors were re-
sponsible for the war. That made
the editors sit up and take notice.
The theory Of the English journalism
was plausible, to say the least. He
said that the failure Of the Ameri-
can editors to grasp the meaning Of
foreign affairs and to infor mtheir
readers of world events was respon
sible for the attitude Of the Ameri-
can people toward England and to-
ward the menace Of Germany's prepa-
rations through long years for world
domination.
This English journalist told Mr..
Pitkin some diplomatic history that
he said was news to him, and it GER
tainly was news to the newspaper
men who head Mr.. Pitkin. He said
that journalist told him that when
the Spanish-American war broke out
the English government told John
Hay, then Ambassador to Great Brit
ain, that England would lend it's navy
to the United States to end the wal
in 80 days. Such was the state of
the public mind in America toward
England at that time, thanks to the
failure Of American editors to prop
erly inform. their readers of world
affairs, that Mr.. Hay did not even
dare to transmit the proposition to
the government at Washington for
consideration. Later, during some of
the many disturbances in China, Eng
land again proposed to unite with the
United States to do the very thing
that the United States wanted to
do anyway, but because Of the same
attitude Of the American public to-
ward things English, cais PROPOSE
ton had to be turned down without
being put up to Washington.
Most editors think they are doing
their whole duty to their community
when they cover the local field, and
consider that it is not their business
to go into foreign affairs, or, rath-
er, that it is not their duty to report
affairs that do not concern their
communities. Things that are hap
pening in foreign countries do affect
even remote communities in this coun-
try, and an editor who says that be-
cause things are remote from his
community in space they do not af-
feet his community has not gotten
the proper conception of what affects
his community. It is easy enough
to see, now, that foreign diplomatic
affairs do affect every community
We are talking about food conserva.
ton, e thing We never have paid any
attention to, because of what little
group Of men in long grey building
at: the erd Of Inter den Linden in
Berlin are doing.
The entire day Friday was given
over to the entertainment planned BY
the local committee. It was planned
to go to the harbor of refuge, ane
that is what kept so many of the ed.
itors over, but some seasoned sea
men were sent out in the morning tt
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