The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-07
Topeka Street Car Conductor
Made Light of Victory.
Said Newspapers Changed Fig
ures to Suit Themselves.
u. S. MARSHAL NABBED HIM
G.. C. Jackson Advised Him to
Go to Harvest Field.
Former Clay Co. Man Then
Admitted He ssDOne Wrong"


here that a machine gun company
killed off a thousand Germans and
only lost one man." It was the jubi-
liant statement of L. M. Barrett, 1913
Fillmore street to his son while rid
ing on a street car Thursday after
noon.
81 don't believe It," piped up the
pessimistic Perry c. Miller, street car
conductor. "The newspapers print
these stories of the war just as It
suits them best. Those figures are
put in and changed to suit the fancy
Of the reporters"
And this little conversation between
Barrett and the street car conductor
Miller resulted in Miller's being invited
to get off the car; invitation ignored; !;
and later in a request for Miller to
appear at the office of the United
States marshal
He appeared"
When told that the United States
marshal desired his presence at the
marshals office. Miller admitted that
he said IF they want me. let 'em
come and get me-" They got him.
C. C. jackson, who handled the
the u. 8. marshal, called State Jour-
nal reporter to the office before the
examination Of Miller began. In the
presence of the reporter Miller ad-
mitted that he had said that "the
story In regard to the American ma
chine gun company was untrue be-
cause newspapers changed the figures
in dispatches from the front to suit
themselvez''
Later Miller admitted "that he done
wrong and that he had just heard
that newspapers did these things"
~ Advised to Help Harvest.
Miller is about IS years old and is
a native of Clay county. Kansas. His
conductors number is 81.
During the session in the marshal's
Office it was suggested to Miller that
he apply for work in the harvest
fields. He was quietly informed that
he was not fit to mingle with the
public as his tendencies to be the off,
cial information bureau of everything
was liable to result In some disturb
ances of the peace. When last seen
Miller was carefully following out the
line of the suggestion and was max
ing an application for farm work at
the Federal Labor office on East Fifth
street
For fear that there are a few more
readers who cling to the
antiquated and ridiculous idea that
news is made to order" the State
Journal wishes to take advantage of
this situation to assure every reader
that the war news as coming from
France these days can be relied upon
absolutely. If there is doubt as to the
facts in a story 1t will always be
noticed that the item is written so
that is, it will be stated that a certain
matter "is reported" or "is rumored."
But when q news story is printed as
q fact it can be depended upon to the
best of the ability of the greatest news
gatherers of the world who ara with
the armies in the field today. News
from France is either given out by Of
hcial government communications or
is written by brave and fearless cor
of the press associations
front. The news is cabled to America
and is placed on the wires reaching
the State Journal office only a few
after it's arrival. This news
is printed, wcrd for word, as it is
cabled. 1t is not "doctored" or
fixed" within the newspaper offices.
No true newspaper man will do this.
and no true editor will allow it to be
done. In handling war news the edi-
tors of today are dealing with the life
of the nation-the nations greatest
sacrifice and purpose. 1t is not
matter to be dealt with frivolously or
carelessly. The news is all the in
formation the American public has on
the turn of the war. 1t is the breath
Of the life of America today. No one
feels more, appreciates more. guards
more his responsibility than the edi-
tors and correspondents.