Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-08
Evsrybody's Doing II.

Several months ago an effort was
made to force the Kennebec Journal
into publishing the various claims of
the publicity departments of the rail-
way brotherhoods, and the railways
themselves. Some Of the newspapers
were unwise enough to publish VOL
umes Of misinformation and prattle
that wholly confused the public. We
refused. and made our reasons quite
plain. II IL generally admitted.
But the fight of the press against
the publicity pest is not ended; it is,
instead. becoming more and more a
battle for existence. The government
itself employs a gang of press agents.
Every department is sending out its
CUFF" Indeed the Job of the editor Of
the newspaper of today is one Of pass
ing upon the worth OF such a mass Of
stun that no time is left for coustruc-
tive work. thousand business,
charitable. governmental. uplift. and
down. push organizations are prepared
to obtain. under false pretenses. the
only thing the publisher has to SELL
space. To sneak and to steal Is the
religion OF the up-to- the minute press
agent.
Louis Wiley, business manager of
the New York Times, in an address
before the annual convention Of the
Associated Advertising Clubs of the
World. at st. Louis. Mo-. Tuesday,
pointed the instant and growing ne
cessity OF a compact front against
the common foe-the seeker of pub
licity"
Free publicity, he declared, is illegal
forbidden by a United States statute
which requires that reading matter for
which money Is paid shall be plainly
marked as an advertisement. Be-
sides. he declared. 1t was a deception
upon the readers of the newspaper.
Every newspaper reader" he con-
tnued. has a right to expect that the
articles printed In the news columns
shall be generally news. The printing
Of advertisements. puffs. statements
which arc not news under the guise of
news, unless they are labeled as ad-
vertisements. as required by law, is
deceit. Newspapers which practice
imposition OF this kind always are
punished. Both advertisers and read
ers lose confidence in and generally
desert such publications
In almost every sphere of activity
there is a press agent whose duty it is
to take newspaper managers unaware
Advertising Is disguised as news to
trap the guileless editor
There were cases, said Mr. Wiley,
in which advertisers had threatened to
withhold paid advertising unless free
publicity was given. Weak minded
publishers had submitted to this sort
OF "blackmail' but. he added, no self
respecting newspaperman will allow
an advertiser 10 dictate what he shall
ar shall not print and he certainly will
defy any impairment individual who
threatens loss OF patronage unless
favors are granted
The American Newspaper Publish
ers Association. said Mr.. WHY, is con-
Quoting a campaign against the male
factors Of great and devious industry
among the advertising agents who try
20 utilize the news columns for free
advertising" The bureau of advertis-
ing OF that association had found that
the giving of free publicity is a menace
TO the further development of adver-
Using. The fact that so MANY pub.
fishers are still giving away their news
space 10 matters that should be ex
plotted through paid advertising has
hampered the bureau in its work of
developing newspaper advertising." he
asserted
contributor TO the American
Newspaper Publishers Association
Bulletin writes
The gang OF press agents hired by the
Hit Ap'iliE the a. 4. wires
with press agent dope of the crudest
varsity IN regard 10 Liberty Loan and the
mails also get torrent OF 'gun' WHY
print any of IT. Can Uncle Sam re, n
bullet Yr cannon or anything else freeP
Then Why advertising free? Morgan a,
90 always paid the press well for selling
bonds and got line line OF publicity in the
financial columns which was newsy'
A. H. Marckwald. Vice-President Of the
Bankers Trust Co. New York. writes