New-York tribune., 1918-06-19
Governor Gives
Singing Rebuke
To Hearst Paper
California Executive De-
nies He Deprecated Press
Quarrel, as Alleged
By BRIGGS

LOS ANGELES, June 18.-The fol-
lowing letter was sent yesterday by
Governor Stephens to "The Los Angeles
Examiner:
State of California.
Governors office
Los Angeles, Cal, June II, 1918.
ITO the Editor Examiner.
Los Angeles, Cal.
my dear sir: In this mornings is
sue of The Examiner is an article
purporting to be based on an address
delivered by me at the editorial din
ner at Monrovia Saturday night. In
cluded in my remarks, as published by
you, is the following paragraph:
II greatly deprecate the bitter news
paper quarrel which is now taking the
attention of the able editors of the
Los Angeles press, which the nation
needs now more than ever before in it's
history, and when the people look to
the press as to its school masters. It
Is lamentable that now, when the na-
t1on wants the very finest patriotic
philosophic talent to advise US. a bust
ness competition quarrel should have
sprung up"
"Ihat paragraph I did not read or
give utterance to in any form what
soever
"As my address was from mann.
script, and as copies were furnished
to the press, am at loss to account
Tor tnls gratultous addition to nv re-
marks. In justice to myself, l must
eheer protest against attempts, for
wnaseVer reason inspired, to attribute
words to me that I did not utter.
Yours respectfully,
WILLIAM D. STEPHENS
Ihe letter of Governor Stephens is
1alriy yself-explanatory. In an effort to
buildsup a defence against the storm Of NJ
popular Indignation against it and. othe r
Hearst publications, "The Examiner
wrote into the typewriter speech of
the Chief Executive of the State of
California words which he saws he
never uttered. The correction offered
by Governor Stephens was prompt and
couched in unmistakable terms.
Inc speech of Governor Stephens was
deilvered at the dinner Of the Southern
SaI1ornla Editorial Association. al
MoErovla, on Saturday night of last
flom a manuscript, manifold copies OF
which had been made and distributed
TO representatives of the newspapers
livery newspaper in this city GOV.
cred the meeting and reported the Gov.
elnor's speech in full. They all agreed
ever. t. The most unimportant comma
IN their quotations from Governor
SteI hens remarks, save "The Exam.
mer:" That paper, too, seemingly man.
eyed to quote him correctly, save in
respect to the paragraph objected to
Governor Stephens's letter is the sec.
ond correction to be made in state.
ments of facts as reported in "The
Examiner" within short time. Only
few days ago General Johnstone
Jones, local head of the National
Security League, said:
II was misquoted in Sundays 'Ex
aminer,' and doubtless, Mr.. Somne,
was, too, for he told me he handed
the minutes Of the meeting to 'Ths
Times man and there was no treacher
GUS act by The Times or anybod,
else"
This fiat contradiction followed
statements appearing IN "The Exam
:ner," in which an attempt was mad,
70 prove that "The Times" had beer
able to print copy of tine letter sem
BY the Summit IN. J) branch of tn,
National Security League, asking other.
to take steps similar to that which il
had taken against the Hearst papers
by stealing it from the local league
headquarters. AS the head of the loca
branch bears ample testimony, the let
Ter was given to the Representatives
| nf THE Times" and he did not steal il