Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-25
Melville Stone
Tribute Paid To His
25-Years Service

25-Years Service
As General Manager Of Associated
! Press, In Annual Meeting At N. Y
Presented With $4,000 in Liberty
Bonds.
New York, April 24.-In honor OF
Melville E. Stone. for 25 years gen.
eral manager of The Associated
Press, the members of that associa
ton made their annual meeting here
Thursday an occasion for paying trib-
Ete TO his services. The meeting also
was marked by an appeal by Frank
&. Moves, president Of The Associated
Press, urging the editors to support
President Wilson in the prosecution
of the war.
| Mr.. Stone was present in behalf
of the board of directors with an il
| Illuminated volume entitled M. (. S..
| His Book" work intended to set
forth in permanent form the record
of Mr.. stones service. life and activ-
tiles. Members of The Associated
| Press had also caused to be inserted
In the book in loose form what We're
described by Mr.. Noyes as very
beautiful impressions of steel engrav
ing" being 25 $1,000 Liberty bonds.
"milhnum milestones as it were of
! nf ,rpi5or
| Mr.. Noyes' appeal for support of
the President was received with
hearty applause. IF honest. con-
structive criticism would help the
President" he said, utter it, but let
us indulge in no determinations that
have partisan birth" He declared
it was inevitable that mistakes
should be made. Duties vital to us
have been entrusted to hands govern
\ ed by stupid malevolence that in
other times would meet with a swift
recognition" he said. This, howeve",
was not the time for controversy for
today every American lays aside his
partisan bias. Our one duty is to
aid him (the President in every way
in our power"
Mr.. Noyes' remarks were made III
opening the speaking at the luncheon
! of the members at the Waldorf-Asto-
ria hotel directly after the annual meet
| ing. He was followed by other promi-
nent editors who have been associates
! Of Mr. Stone in the building up of the
Associated Press, men whom he called
upon because, he said. we have thought
1t sweet and proper to devote a little
time this afternoon to considering the
service he has rendered us"
Each Of these speakers-victor f.
Lawson Of the Chicago Daily News,
Adolph S. Ochs Of the New York Times
and General Charles II. Taylor Of the
Boston Globc-gave Mr.. Stone the chief
credit for the success Of the Associated
Press. The" paid tribute to his genius.
integrity, ability. efficiency and other
qualities which he had devoted for
a quarter of century to the active
ment of a successful co-opera tive news
service-one which, it was pointed out,
was controlled by the newspapers and
not maintained for pecuniary profit.
Believe me. friends. Melville F.
Stone wears well''-'"The Associated
Press as his monument may it ever en-
dure. THE greatest general manager
of news association this country has
ever seen, or ever will see The sue
cess of the Associated Press is Mr.
stones success; its reports are only
! restricted by truth, decency and pa
triotism, and this is Melville +. stones
code These were some of the char
aCteriza lions OF Mr. Stone by the days
speakers
Mr.. Stone expressed his thanks for the
gift Of the book and the Liberty Bonds
! in voice that trembled with emotion
! He told something in the inception of
the Associated Press and Of a predic-
ton at the time that "a free. self-gov-
erning, ews-gathering organization
could not survive one generation He
said it was his belief that such an or
ganization might endure "if cooperative
m its character. resting securely upon
It's membership. not an organization of
any one, or two, or three men"
Il believe he declared, that in a
self-governing people an honest news
service is of the highest moment"
He spoke in eulogy of the corporation
Of the members Of the board of direc-
tors, saying: You could have nut a
bad man on the board Of directors and
inside OF six months, touched by the
right thinking and enthusiasm Of that
board OF directors. he would have be-
come good man
MI stone also paid a warm tribute
TO the employees Of the Associated Press
asserting that 1.-The badge Of the Asso-
c.ated Press or any employee in the
world is the badge of a gentleman and
an honest man"
lie told OF the risks taken by the men
VINO are covering the war in Europe an
OF the fidelity of the men in tho edito-
RAJ ana operating departments at home
VINO nave stood at their desks dav in
and day out. unfiinchingly..'
The Associated Press, he said ;rvi,.
ed criticism, for "a great deal ~ ,ho
criticism of the Associated Press 10 inc,
med. 1t is by no means perfect" he de-
ctared. "All of the frailties of human
nature attach to it. That sort of crit
lclsm is most helpful" Criticism born
OF ignorance could be easily taken care
OF by an explanation. Malign criticism
was a negligible fraction and .if vo,,
give an unfair critic rope enough he
will hang himself"
AT the conclusion of his sneech AZ.
FL