The Washington herald., 1917-01-07
That's Right; Blame the
Reporter.


and State legislatures have been sum-
moning editors and reporters to the
witness stand every time they print
ed the truth.
Where did you get your informa-
tionp has been the demand.
The luckless scribe who appeared
was confronted with the dire pros
pect of few days in Jail if he did
not answer. Some times he did but
most time he didn't and he never
went to Jail unless he had lied.
Now in the leak investigation, SO
spectacularly provoked by Thomas
w. Lawson, an elaborate program OF
investigation has been mapped out
by Chairman Robert L. Henry and
about a dozen able and skilful law
yers from all parts of the United
States who constitute the Rules Com
mittee.
Twas those ticker men that in
formed Wall Street of the Presidents
peace note" suggested one brain
power.
Bring 'em in" demands the COM
mittee.
So half dozen as honest, Jealous,
diligent and upright newspapermen
as there are in Washington are to
be hailed before the committee to tell
their sources of information.
The indictment is that they beat
the official time of the State Depart
ment by couple of hours in telling
the world what the President had
done.
Bring EN- In. Jail 'em. Cross
examine 'em. Raise Hail Columbia
with 'em. How dare they, news
papermen, paid to get the news, on
their Job every minute of a crowded
day, do their duty3 Give them a
taste of the law; show them up un-
der pitiless cross-examination.
Make them divulge the sources of
their Information. That's the stuff.
It's those pesky newspapermen who
did it.
Poor little Congressman, won't
you ever grow up?
The newspaper men who have
been subpoenaed are as honest, up
right, loyal citizens of the Republic
as ever lived and every man sum-
moned is so poor in this worlds
goods that if he lost his job for a
month he would have to go to the
bottom and build his way up again.
But how dare they be smarter than
the high priced employees Of the Unit
ed States government? How dare
they know how to anticipate the
moves of Congress and Presidents
and Secretaries of State? How dare
they presume to let the people of
the United States know their own
business before official red tape is
unbound and the official censorship
removed
These men summoned represent
newspapers of established reputa-
tions; newspapers performing one
of the most important functions in
the press of the country. 1t is their
contribution to the great financial
papers that give the baking and in
vesting public its opinions on what
is going on in government. The op-
probrious word ticker" is applied to
an automatic device which transmits
telegraphic information to your Of
fee instantaneously.
Kill off the ticker! Up with the
rural free delivery! Back to the day
of the pony MALL That's the stuff
Congress! Penalize the purveyor of
news every time you get the chance
because he tells the truth
And by way of closing.
Mr.. Gardner, astute lawyer, out
lined a case for the Rules Commit
tee but he overlooked one point. Here
it is. The Washington Herald offers
it gratuitously.
Chairman Henry and the Rules
Committee:
Ascertain if you can, after you have
discovered the expeditions way first
and the legal way second, If there were
any diplomatic representatives In the
American Capital of the United States
who knew of the note of December IS
before It was given to the American
public"