Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-24
MELVILLE STONE
CONTINUED from Page one)

/ (SOUkH0So btOffs -
structiye criticism would help the
President" he said, utter 1t. but let
us indulge in no recriminations that
have a partisan BIRTH" He declared
| II 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 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 10
aid him (the Presiden) in every way
in our power"
| Mr.. Noyes' remarks were made IN
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. I'VE have thought
! It sweet and proper TO devote little
| time this afternoon to considering the
service he has rendered us
! Each Of these speakers-Fictor F.
4 Lawson of the Chicago Daily News,
! Adolph S. Ochs of the New York Times
and General Charles II. Taylor Of the
Boston Globe-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 achive-
ment Of a successful cooperative news
service-one which. it was pointed out,
was controlled by the newspapers and
not maintained for pecuniary profit.
Believe me. friends, Melville E.
Stone wears well'-"The Associated
Press as his monument may it ever en-
dure THE greatest general manager
of a 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 L. stones
code" These were some of the char
acterizations of Mr.. Stone by the days
speakers
gift of the book and the Liberty Bonds
in a voice that trembled with emotion.
He told something in the inception of
the Associated Press and of d predic-
ton at the time that "a free, self-gov-
erning, news-g gathering organization"
could not survive one generation He
said it was his belief that such an or
ganizatIon might endure IF cooperative
IN its character. resting securely upon
its membership. not an organization Of
any one. or two or three men"
II believe he declared, that in
self-governing people an honest news
service is of the highes. moment"
He spoke in eulogy of the cooperation
of the members OF the board of direc-
tors, saying: You could have put
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
Mr.. stone also paid a warm tribute
to the employees of the Associated Press
asserting that the badge OF the Asso-
GATED Press or any employe in the
world is the badge of gentleman and
an honest man
lie told of the risks taken by the men
VINO are covering the war in Europe All /
OF the fidelity Of the men in the edito-
rial and operating departments at home
! who have stood at their desks day in
and day out. unflinchingly."
The Associated Press. he said. invit-
Cd criticism. for "a great deal of the
crit'clsm OF the Associated Press is Just
med. 1t is by no means perfect" he de-
clared, "all of the frailties Of human
nature attach to II. That sort of crit
'cism is most helpful" Criticism born
or ignorance could be easily taken care
OF by an explanation. Malign criticism,
was negligible fraction and elf yo,,
give an unfair critic rope enough he
will hang himself"
AT the conclusion of his speech. A.
Ter calling for a toast to the allies
and ito our allies in the work of The
Associated Press" Mr.. Stone intro
duced Charles Houssayc, a memncr
OF inc poaro or directors Of the Havas
agency OF France. Referring to MI
stone as tho faithful ally Of
France" Mr.. Houssaye said that The
Associated Press and the American
press generally deserved unlimited
praise for the manner in which they.
mad brought before the American peo-
| pie the cause Of France.
! on have shown to your people n
France without reproach and a cause
without fear he said. "You have
shown to your people France a
blood streaming from her wounds.
out stronger than ever. You hay.,
shown to your people the road of hon
or. No country has right to DC
prouder of its press than the Unit :
ed States"
The address of Mr.. Moves, inaus-
urating the speaking, was in part:
| I'VE meet today at a time when the
tate OF civilization as we understand
civilization, is trembling in the bal
ance
I'm this world crisis. it is but nat
ural that the strain of anxiety
should be shown in Impotence over
delay in bringing our great man pow
er into the conf1ict-whether such de-
Hay he avoidable or inevitable in the
| surrounding conditions.
| at is well TO remember that it is 10
no one of us that the nation has COM
mitted the command of it's army and
its navy and that no dissatisfaction
on the part Of any or all of us can
ltrapSfer thot command to other