Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-26
WAR RuMORS

WAX kUMOkS
During these times ee5teus interest the public IL Il
be cautioned asainlt crsaiuns sshtoattns rumors u unt
known origin. Such rumors spring UP. no one know
how, and speedily gain such wide circulation that the,
are accepted as fact. and not only is needless anxict,
caused. but a distorted view Of the whole situation be
comes prevalent. ~ #
Two rumors which were in circulation in Crane
Forks yesterday will serve as samples. One, of these VA,
to the effect that thirty divisions Of British troops hat
been surrounded by the Germans and were about to b,
captured. as their case was hopeless. Another was tina
twenty-seven divisions of Germans had been annihilated
and that the kaiser and the crown prince had been kill
ed. @ 80 H
There was not a syllable Of truth in either of thes,
stories, yet both were passed from person to person, ant
seemed to be received with perfect faith. The Herald
was denied. an opportunity to observe what the result va.
when the two rumors met, as they probably did on sever.
al occasions.
The Herald is served, day and night, by the creates,
and most reliable mountaineering inatitution in the world.
The Associated Press las its special representatives in
every important city in each Of the allied countries. and
on every battlefront. These men have access to all Off
cial sources Of information. and receive the statements
Of generals, statesmen and all who are in possession of
actual news. Trained representatives are also at the front
as actual observers. These men are on the ground and
know Immediately when things happen. 1t is their bus
mess to state facts. and they do this and nothing else.
When a statement is made on the authority Of the Assoc
ciated Press it may be adopted as true. When the AS
ISOLATED Press says that this or that general or statesman
makes a statement. it may be accepted that the statement.
whether correct or incorrect, was made exactly ~ quot
ed, by the man. to whom 1t is attributed. Further, be-
cause Of the facilities Of the association foa gathering ana
transmitting news, its reports are in all cases prompt and
up to date. ..5.. 81
In the matter Of transmission, the Associated Press
excels all other organizations in the world. The war news
which The Herald gives to its readers in every issue is
first cabled across the ocean, and then, with the mass Of
other matter gathered from all parts of the world, includ-
ing our own country, is placed on trunk telegraph lines
and forwarded at once to the great cities from which dis
tribution is made. The Herald's daily reports, come to it
from St. Paul over a wire which runs direct from the st.
Paul office to The Herald's editorial rooms, and which is
used for no other purpose than the handling Of this long
report. In The Herald office one operator is on duty dur
ing the working hours of the day. and another remains on
layed by passing through several offices and being re-
peated many times.
If these facts were understood by more people Tess
attention would be paid to hair.raising stories which are
attributed to some man who came in on a train heard in
st. Paul, or which have been received in some other mys-
terious and indirect manner.
Just a word about The Herald's extra editions. One
OF these was published on Saturday afternoon, another on
Sunday afternoon, and another on Monday morning.
None was issued on Monday after the extra morning edi-
ton. Thousands Of the three extras were sold. Thou
sands more could have been sold on Monday noon, and in
the afternoon and evening. Many inquiries were receiv-
ed at the office ~ to, whether or not extras would be is,
sued. Extras were not issued. because In the opinion Of
those in charge Of the work, the war news received was
not of sufficiently pressing importance to warrant the pub.
LEGATION Of extras. The Herald quite frequently publishes
extras, but it never does SO unless it believes that the mat
ter treated is of such a character that the public will
want to be informed Of it at once. Extras are published
only when the news is of unusual and immediate Inn
portance. This policy we believe to be sound, and It will
be continued.