New-York tribune., 1918-03-19
? Private Publicity
(From The Editor and Publ;shcr)

out the country have been swamped
for the past year with an increas-
ing volume of press matter from Wash
ington. Every department, bureau, board,
committee or division Of the government
has its publicity agent and the mass OF
material which reaches the newspapers is
appalling.
Much of this matter is duplicated by
national, state, county and city commit
tees on various war activities; much OF
it is prepared in such way that it
must be wholly rewritten before it is
available for use in a newspapers; little
of it is based upon inherent news value.
The editors of the country "lcan back
ward" in their desire to further every
phase of the national way effort, and, as
rule, go to great lengths in utilizing
this press material which comes to them
from official sources, but they feel that
it should be better co0rdinated and that
the men who prepare it should have news
paper training.
"The Editor and Publisher" presents
herewith some expressions of opinion
from managing editors of leading news
papers in which their attitude toward this
press agency copy is shown, and in which
some helpful suggestions arc made looking
toward an improvement in the copy at its
source
Keats Speed, Managing Editor, "New
York Sum-:
"The press agents in Washington are
of no use to The Sum- and we find
that none of their publicity copy is worth
printing"
HI. J. Wright, editor, "New York Globe":
"Our news department, I find, has no
high opinion of the governments pub
llcity service. Whatever comes in about
the war savings stamps OF Liberty bonds
is read carefully for any information that
may be helpful. The hints for gardeners
sent out by tho Department of Agricult-
ure are used because they seem of prac-
tcal value For the rest | am afraid the
Washington press agents work in vain as
far THE Globe is concerned The
settled prejudice of the active newspaper
man against the explolter no doubt ac-
counts for most of this disregard of their
efforts. But occasional searches for good
stuff, however presented have not en-
couraged persistent examination of the
Washington press agents output Our
tasters find it aavorless and without sub
stance
II doubt if there is any sound sub
stitute for good journalism as a means
CT getting the attention Of the newspaper
reading public, but sec no reason for
not putting real news men in charge of
the jobs in Washington and allowing them
to function normally in close touch with
the makers of news. They wouldn't work
in vain"
H. M. Crist, Managing Editor, Crook
lyn Eagle":
"The Committee on Publicity has fur
nished to the newspapers one first-cass
story, the expose of the Bernstorf prcpa-
ganda previous to the war as shown bv
the Won lgcl papers. We gave more than
page to it, and the story was worth
the space. A great deal of ether matter
has been furnished by the same commit
tee, but it has been of little or no value.
1T might be found available by country
worth space in a metropolitan journal.
81 have taken the trouble to write
to Mr. Creel suggesting that he en-
deavor to produce other stories of the
Won lgel type Or to get at some of the
reports IN the navy, telling of the cx-
plolts of our submarine fighters with
Admiral Sims. | have assurances that
there arc many thrilling stories of the
achievements of our men in fighting IT,
boats gathering dust in the archives Of
the Navy Department. Mr.. Creel rcplied
that ne was unable to get permission 10
release material of this character think
that the matter could be pried loose and
that this ought to be done"
E. A. Grozier, Editor and Publisher.
Boston POST:
eve feel that the publicity material
in relation to war activities sent ont hv
the various departments and bureaus in
Washington is useful, desirable and fulfils
a legitimate public purpose.
III course, there is so much of II
that we are able to utilize only a small
Propoftlon' but we would regret to he
without the information that much of tbi.
material contains" '''
Charles Hopkins Clark, Editor. "rJsx.
ford Courant":
"a number Of other persons connected
win the oihce say that they find use for
ao''c VI 'he government publications. but
mere IS inc opinion of the publications as
'"lly Expressed and that entertain
very strongly from my own experonco.
we have received from tho na,.e.
ment pamphlet entitled Give Wavs -
Save Fuel" We can name the sixth. "p, ~
the documents that the government keors
sending in your office."" 'Neps
Victor Koscwater, Editor, "Onah, H..".
You are eminently corvect in your con-
cius'oh that the newspapers are ho;,,r
."""peu WIN government publicity mat.
Ma s.l' aa oa wnach very little gets into print
W. one OUTSIDE OF the editorial rooms
realizes the tremendous volume os @ .ooi"s
bureau and promotion copy constantl,,
pouring in and the utter impossibilItv ~
according 1T space. Even for tho n,. ~
ments connected with the war, with which
every newspaper - glad to co6nornta