The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-02-27
ships of this nation, then the posi-,
bilities of our being drawn into the
conflict increase immeasurably.
NEWSPAPERS AND WAR.

The charge was recently made in
Congress and repeated at a peace at.
any-price meeting in Chicago that
there is a conspiracy among the met
ropolitan newspapers Of the United
States to force this country into war
with Germany.
1t was said that J. p Morgan &
Co., the financial agents Of the Allies,
in the United States, organized and
financed the conspiracy in the inter
est of the Allies and the American
munition makers.
OF course, no proof was offered to
support the charge, and none will be
offered, for the very simple reason
that there is no proof.
We have TOO much respect for the
profession OF journalism 10 argue the
question Of the honesty of the Ameri-
can press. 4
But this charge makes the oppor'
tunity for calling attention to what
seems to us to be most significant
fact-that nearly, if not quite all, of
the daily newspapers, periodicals and
magazines, irrespective of their poll
tics or the character OF their clientele,
are lined up behind the President in
the gravest crisis which has confront.
ed the nation since the Civil war
Now, it seems to US that there must
be a good reason for this unanimity
of. sentiment the part of the news
paper editors of America, particularly
when we take into account that more
than half of them only few short
months back were doing their utmost
to defeat the President for re-elec-
ton.
We are too modest to suggest that
newspaper editors are more intelli-
gent and more patriotic than any
other class Of people.
But it will probably be conceded
that they are as WE'LL if not better,
informed than the average men en-
gagged in other businesses and profess
siOns.
The very nature of their work
gathering, distributing and interpret
ing the news of the world-puts them
in a rather advantageous position, so
far as being informed is concerned.
They are specialists in current his
tory, just as much as the lawyer, the
doctor, and the artisan are specialists
in their respective professions and
trades. Co..
That there is often wide disagree
ment among them as to the interpret
alton of the news simply proves that
newspaper editors have different men.
tai attitudes and different selfish in
terests, just as other folk have; that
they are no more free from prejudice
than are other folk. %E Y 'r
If this is fairs statement, what
shall we say when we find a practi,
cally unanimous sentiment among
newspaper editors of the country con.
corning a question which involves the
most vital interests Of the nation and
every individual in it, including them
selves? a5H 49,.
| Certain members of Congress have
already attempted to answer this
question.
They say that it means that the
| newspaper editors are crooks and
traitors.
We say that such an Interpretation
is so preposterous that it answers it
self.
And we suggest that the real an
swer is so obvious that it would be an
insult to the intelligence of our. read
ers to state it. ~
The American press neither de-
serves nor asks credit for urging the
nation to give the President undivided
support in his policy of defending Am.
ssrvIk