Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
STRIKING BOSTON POLICE 0USTED FROM JOBS
ACCURACY THE BACK
BONE OF NEWSPAPER

The thirst for knowledge, absolute,
accurate knowledge, Of what is hap
pening and what men are doing is as
old as humanity. Means for satisfying
that desire were inadequate for cen
turics and the often repeated cry, 81
want to Know" found no satisfactory
response.
Today that condition has virtually
disappeared and almost instant knowI-
edqe of great occurrences throughout
the civilized world is at hand. daily,
under the caption "By the Associated
Press"
Readers Of the Free Trader-Journa'
perusing a three line bulletin or col.
umn article with the words "By the
Assoc lated Press" above it have Ger.
tain assurance that the statements
there made are correct.
There are good reasons for this as
surance. One Of the foundation stones
Of the Associated Press is accuracy.
Even in the keen competition to be
the first to announce an important
event this organization never hesi-
tates to sacrifice speed to accuracy.
Nothing is guessed at. No matter
how probable rumor may appear it
is cIassed as a rumor until its accur.
acy is definitely established. When
the fact is made certain it is an
nounced without hesitation no mat
ter how strange or improbable it ap-
pears.
A case in point was the lombard
ment Of Paris by German long dis
tance guns, The Associated Press
men in the French capital obtained
definite knowledge that shells and not
aerial bombs were doing the deadly
work. Military authorities scoffed at
the idea Of such tremendous, range but
the Associated Press flashed across
the sea the positive statement that
long distance sheIing Of Paris had
begun and the news was read by mil
lions in America before more than a
few hundred Parisans were aware Of
/ the nature Of the new terror.
! Rumors Of approaching peace, 50
widely hera|ded that they threw the
nation into delirum Of joyful ceIe-
bration, which for time disrupted
business. were cIassed at their proper
value by the Associated Press, which
promptly and authoritativey notified
the waiting world when the armistice
was signed and the hour for the cessa-
ton Of the world war was determin-
ed
The peculiar formation Of the AS
soclate Press, a cooperative oroani.
zation Of newspapers allied for eff
cheney in news gathering and dstrbu-
ton with no financial profit in view,
itself makes for accuracy. Over elev-
en- hundred pairs of editorial eyes
each day inspect the items carried
and do it before they are in type. A
thousand different interests observe
each statement sent forth. Each SEN
tence. each world, is under crti
csm all the more intense since il
comes not from one point alone but
from every angle.
The critics are Of different shades
Of political belief, Of economic opin.
ion and Of religious thought, and no
higher nor more convincing proof Of
the solid foundation Of accuracy which
the words, by the Associated Press"
symbolic can be sought than the fact
that even through heated political
campaign reported day by day, the
statements Of the Associated Press
90 unchaIleneed.
81 won't believe il until the Asso-
cIated Press says So" has become
more than a saying; il is a maxim
among well informed readers.