Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-20
G,ssu,as'Se Gyso,ns Sesterday ersay 1920
Vendors of.'Fake" News.

In Philadelphia, Monday afternoon,
newsboy-or rather news man, as he
was 23 years of age-was arrested on
COMPLAINT of a citizen on charge oil
calling ont false news. HIS cry IN fur
ttrerance of his efforts TO sell hrs news
parers was: "All about United States
battleship sunk off Panama; terrible
disaster IN Uncle Sans macy" And on the
strength Of his startling announcements,
bis sales were generous. But when his
patrons read the papers they bought, they
found no such news The seller simply
had "faked."
In his defence, this purvcyor OF false
news had only to say he did not think
his vending of false news WAS Illegal
He resorted to the lying procedure merely
for the purpose of increasing his sales.
He bad no oompunctons as TO results,
as long as he could prof. by the pro
ceeds. He gave no thought 10 the undue
excitement he created among the people
bv his false cries Yet IN one instance a
woman who had son IN the navy tainted
when she heard him shout out about the
sinking of battlcship, and the scr
vices Of a physician were required to
relieve her.
The magistrate refused to accept the
excuse of this lying paper carrier. He
complimented the citizen who had made
complaint against the 'faker" and caused
his arrest, and hoped other citizens would
emulate his good example He gave
assurance that he would deal likewise
with other offenders.
So much for thus offending newspaper
vendor who yielded to the temptation
Of shouting out false news of startling
character, in order to aid him in getting
nd OF his stock. But what shall be said
OF newspapers that resort TO srInllar
fraudulent methods in order TO make
sale for their issues For example
last week, testimony was given by one of
the officers Of the shpbulldIng corpora
ton at Hog Island, before q committee
of the United States Senate at Hog Island,
that search over the yard premises had
resulted in unearthing. at different times,
about $50 pounds of dynamite, evidently
planted" with the object Of seriously
damaging the works and preventing prog
ress in shipbui1ding. That evening some
Philadelphia newspapers displayed this
piece OF information in the most sensa-
tIonal manner, with giarlng headlines
50 as to make 1t appear that dastardly
plot to blow up Hog Island hod just been
unsarthed So misleading was the man
ner in which tho news OF this mans
testimony was presented in these 'extras
that many readers inferred that the plant
had been saved from destruction only
by marrow margin. And there was not
the slightest necessity for handling thu
piece of news In such a manner
News Of thus character travels rapidly
and gains in sensationalism as 1t pro
gresses That night, Every Evening
telephones were kept busy answering
ANXIOUS inquiries about the great ex
plosion at Hog Island To answers that
the office had no information about sucl
happenings, came the reioinder: Don {
YOU know the Philadelphia papers bav.
extras on the street about it ?" Anc
so they Mad. And extras that the man
agements of the papers should have
been heartily ashamed Of.
Last night this city was oyerrun witt
the issue Of an afternoon newspaper o.
Baltimore, which presented farms
scare line head on the first page, max
ing 4 sensation Of an ordinary raid by oul
American troops in France on enemy
trenches. From the appearance of this
paper one might have supposed the entir'
German army had been put TO flight
But it was only an ordinary occurrence
of the war
Naturally, the vendors OF chis sensa
tional sheet took their hunt from the paper
and the announcements they shouted
soon had various communities through
out the city, especially on the north side
greatly excited Many persons bough
the paper. only to find therein nothinl
they had not already read IN Every Even
ing. But the taking newspaper" anc
the lying sellers bad accomplished thei
purpose They had sold lot OF paper
and possibly made little profit. Blu
at what a cost-a sacrifice Of dignity
self-respect and truth. 1t was poo
policy for the paper TO descend to thu
unprofessional trick.
1t is hoped the law will be alert here
after, and promptly punish vendors D
newspapers who shout false news an
nouncements in order TO promote sales
\ healthy public sentiment viii no doubt
IN time properly punish All newspaper
that resort to misleading sensationalisn
ID order to attract public attention