Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-08
MIR. WARD TO MIR. BENT.

Editor Every Evening
| did not intend writing further
about the article Primitive Delaware
after my letter III your paper laEt ues-
dav, but since it's author has written me
DENYING the making Of certain erroneous
statements in shc article, and attempting /
70 Justify its>< publication, and has pub
iishcd his letter to me IN your paper OF /
Saturday, | may be permitted reply
shall not repeat my list Of his errors
nor support II IN detail The erroneous I
statements themselves are IN print, - be +
read bY anyone who may be Interested, T
in the Magazine Section Of the New York I
Times of sunday, December 1 They can I
speak for themselves
am concerned now only with the /
authors attempted Justification Ct the /
publication of the article.
He SAYS the code fight - not purely /
domestic question, as had asserted 1t
to be. and that it II matter IN which tho
nnblic outside the State r concerned, he
cailse the pupils in Delaware schools are
future citizens of the United states. r.
likens II tn n divorce suit winch the
parties thereto are likely 70 think
purely domestic question and to resent
publicity, but he says such proceeding
is 4 matter Of public concern and there
fore q matter Of news
The gentleman has missed the drift of
nv argument II he knows anything
about the new code he must know that
Il will be ineffective If it IS not accepted
i hy the individual school districts through
out the state and that the contest over
II il beng waged between the barkers On
he one side and these Individual COM
i fnunitIes on the other
Tie hackerv of She code, with whom !
am heartily IN sympathy. are trying 70
persuade the Eeople IN the school districts
fo accept IL Nv belief is that this must
10 done ~ argument and persuasion ad-
dresse 4 10 the various local communities
directly, and that undertaking arhcies n
the sun and Times can only nave the
effect af irritating such communities q
! lntensifyng existing opposition and Great
ing new enemies.
| feel very strongly that i anyone
interested in The success IF the coCie BE-
lievcs that he can accomplish The desired
result Nv this kind ~ publicity, he Is
doing his cause and the state and lot
lowing the authors slggestlon-the na-
ton an lnjury. Whoever voluntarily f'r-
nishos information for or gives encourage
ment 10 tho writing Of such articles de
feats his own purpose. much 10 the detrI-
npnt Of the cause of better education.
| know enough Oi the feeling which mas
been aroused in this city by these articles
in the New York papers 70 assert IN
gnaiifeaiv that they have produced
most unfortunate result. They have
aroused resentment III he minds ol many
persons who are strongly for the code
have heard it sad by men Of the highest
Standing whose UNQUALIFIED desire Is tol
the acceptance Of taa code. that lev
more such articles would bury i beyond
hope Of resurrection.
of course the education q future dtl-
zens Of the nation wherever situated, l.
matter OF national concern. nen 1 say
that is purely domestic question
mean that i Is 4 question winch can only
be settled dolucsticAIY and n the settle
ment 81 winch outside interference Is
most harmful and dangerous factor
HlS comparison aI the contest VIII
that between the parties to 4 divorce SUI
laa4s me ~ suggest that before the DIS
agreement between mau and vie has be
come hardened INTO detern atom !,
separate finally. and While th,re = sta
. chance Of reconciliation, no judlciou
person. desiring reconciliation. would con
s.dtr that beratIug the Offending party Il
tho newspapers Woa.d lead 10 3 re.1Sohao,
and peacefuI AZ Justmeut d the differences
Is a newspaper man. the author oi IN
article regards he matter merely IS
news item. From tins point Of view he !
right Il Is legitimate news item Is
newspaper man II makes no dlfferenc
- him whether the code be accepted o
not 70 me. as citizen of tins state
# makes a great deal Of difference. u
point IS that anyone desiring. to ettec
the acceptance Of the code, who thnk
that this KIND of publicity viii help e IN
desired end. Is mistaken in MS psyeaoleg,
and that anyone who aids OF abets It
dong great dlsserz1ee 70 our ot3te.
CHRISTOPHER L. Ward
Wilmington, Dec $, 1919.