The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-26
Annual Statement By Di-
rectors Gives Remark
able Facts to Public
MANY MEN HAVE
HARD EXPERIENCE
Unusual Tale of How
Greatest News Gather
ing Agency Works
- Aasociated Press.l }


New York, April 26.-The report Of
the board Of directors Of the Assoc
ciated Press this year is considered
Of such unusual interest as to war
rant publication. 1t refers among
other things to the experiences OF
some Associated Press men In the
foreign service ana in making this
part public the board authorized the
insertion In parenthesis OF the nafIae
OF the man concerned.
The report follows:
TO the members OF the Assoclaleo
Press
ored TO summarize briefly the most
important news events OF the year
we make no such attempt this year.
There have been months during
which more epoch making news has
developed than during some previous
years. and all newspaper men must
wonder whether we shall ever return
to former standards OF news yaAues.
Nor do we enlarge in this report up
an the news-pathering achievements
of the organization. With those
achievements have come many IN
evitable disappointments Overta1ea
cables. muddled censorships and
similar exigencies of war often have
uuset our plans and frequently neu-
tralixed the resourcefulness OF our
staff. Yet we have incomparapiy the
most. comprehensive machinery for
collecting and distributing news tnat
the Morld has ever known.
Men Abroad Make Good.
OF our men abroad. we gratefully
acknowledge our appreciation. Tot
pedoes and mines at sea ana shot
Nand shell on land have held no fears
Cor them. Their escapes amid aan- 11-
gers have been countless. 0he
Frank M. Americal was knockea
down BY a Zeppelin bomb IN Lons
don but worked all that niEht as
.-l,auaI--nsrely an incident of the
aAviE work n an office building
which has itself been hit BY such
shells. another (Robert a Sma1ll
fen into the lev Somme but roae
SIS miles to cable the story OF the
first American In Peronne; another
fCharles 7. Thompson) was on the
highest rampant OF the castle OF
Csorizia. when a shell buried It ana
him under earth. but on that after
noon he wrote a story which thrilled
the press OF Europe as well as OF the
United States; another CWalter
WTaiffen) was shot In the knee. on
Russian observation post another
CCharles 8. SMITH after q bayonet
and fist encounter at Hardin eseap-
ed with painful decorations. another
CJames Hickey was blown tnroush
q ~ a door bv the Halifax explosion
but before dressing his wounds was
resourceftll enough 70 find In . de-
uoiiRhed building the terminus OF
fhn cable 10 the West Indies and sent
bv way Of Bermuda and Havana 70
New York the first direct messages
out 81 Halifax. such incidents are
not unusual IN the service Of your
organization.
Preserved Tradition Of journalism.
Through the years the Associated
PRESS has by maintaining its stand
Ards of accurate reporting preserved |
the best traditions Of Journalism. |
The good name. of the Associated |
Press has not been impaired. The /
nubiic confidence in our dispatches /
has steadily grown. until millions OF /
readers now hesitate to give crenence /
to many published reports until as
sured that they we're carried BY our
association. The sensational lim- i
norman note with its report Of Dip /
Iomatic intrigue in Mexico was uni
versailv accepted as genuine because i
the Associated Press said 1t was. The
bombardment OF Paris at long range /
was ridiculed by other press assocla- /
ficns and by ordnance experts but Il
TIE Paris bureau OF the Associated /
Press. which for two days alone re
ported this startling development Of 4
the war TO American readers, con-
vinced the skeptical quite az thor
ouwhlv az did the official cOnfirma-
tion az its report When the gov
ernment's action In taking over the
Dutch ships IN American harborn was
ranorfed in Europe several chancal-
leries inquired in European capitals
whether the Associated Press an
nouncsd this fact This reputation
for telling the truth on the part Of
the Associated Press is recognized
now quite as generally throughout
DIPLOMATIC and journalistic circles
sbroad a. IL "A in the United States.
and Ill IA an asset Of membership in
this organization that Is Of the ut
most value.
Many in the Service.
During the last year the war has
naturally drawn heavily upon our
staff III has been the policy Of the
management not only not 70 seek eN-
emption from government service on
behalf Of its employees but TO enceurr
are such service.
In this period bf war. SIS the activt-
ties and responsibilities or our SER
vice have steadily increased 1t is a
source of great pride 10 know that
those upon whom the burden has
fallen have met their obligations
with a measure Of fafthfulness and
Justice for which the MANAGEMENT
rs deeply grateful. BY direction nf
the board Of directors and as a par-
tial recognition Of the efficiency Of
the staff the life of each employee
Is Tie United States. while ii the
service. has been insured for the
benefit OF his heirs or dependents IN
che sum Of $1,000 Because Of the +.
araatar risk involved established
companies win not accept insurance
upon the lives of our men ia foreign
sergice5 bat the board has itself as
stunned liability on their behalf.
While the growth in membership
was unusually large during the last
year the members should not mlss
snke The policy ae 10 growth. Unlike
Tile privately owned and prufitsmak-
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