The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-13
THE PUBLIc,s PART.

One who reads Upton Sinclair's let
ter, sent out recently broadcast. for the
alleged purpose of the establishment of
| a newspaper, fearless and unafraid,"
must read between the lines a large
legotism, and keen desire for that
leadership in national affairs. which, 80
| far, Mr.. Sinclair has not attained.
Mr.. Sinclair has much to say about
the newspapers, most of which is de-
rogatory. and purposes to establish,
with the aid of those trustful souls who
will follow him, a newspaper, not for
profit, capitalized at from 100000 to
81, coo, 900.
One of the contentious made by Mr..
Sinclair is that the newspapers do not
print the news, yet elsewhere in his
article he purposes. by clipping num-
Der OF these newspapers, which it seems
that he reads most voraciously, to fur
nish a great part of the news for the
new publication. Also, he hopes to Sc
cure the services Of writer's on all pub
lie questions, among whom he mentions
Ray Stannard Baker, Ida Tarbell. and
others equally prominent. Yet, earlier
in his communication, he has freely
questioned whether or not the true in
wardness of the steel strike has been
|
it was Mr.. Baker, we believe, who COW
cred the steel strike situation for the
New York Evening Post. If that was
not covered thoroughly, why choose Mr..
Baker as a member of the staff?
What Mr.. Sinclair is really proposing
is a Forum, presenting both sides of
every public question: splendid Idea,
but one which could hardly be handled
along the lines proposed by Mr.. Sim
clair. or under the leadership of man
SO biased as he has proven himself to
be.
| Much discussion has recently been
aroused by the suggestions Of Mr.. Lipp-
man in the Atlantic Monthly, that
Trustworthy news agencies be estab-
lished in the interest of liberty of
opinion.
Neither Mr.. Sinclair nor Mr.. Lipp-
man give any concrete plan for the
establishment Of such publications or
agencies as they propose. What is
needed for better newspapers is fair
er reading public. While it is true that
the newspapers are far from perfect,
the fact remains that of all public
agencies, the newspapers today stand
out as less liable to censure than any
other.
While it is true that some news
papers are controlled and operated for
political purposes, or for the attain
ment of some personal end, the news
papers of the country, as whole, are
conducted on broader and higher
ethical plane than any other business
or secular profession, not excepting
that of teaching.
During the war the newspapers of
the entire country were called upon to
aid the government in keeping war Sc
crets, maintaining a voluntary censor
ship, which more than any other one
thing, possibly furthered an early VIC
tory for the allies.
Now that the war is over the news
papers are free to publish the news, and
they are doing so. But the day of "yel-
low journalism" and undertaking is
past. 1t had its day, and it was found
to have accomplished more harm than
good.
One of the Unknown newspaper
men in this country, who had spent the
early years of his life on a yellow
sheet" several years ago threw up one
of the most lucrative positions in the
paper more conservative. His reason
for this given out in an interview in
Golfers Weekly. in which he said that
with years he had come to the realiza-
ton that all sensation is not news, and
that the province of the newspaper has
changed.
He believed, after many years Of
undertaking" that little OF good was
Tor 80 =
he had resigned from the more sensa-
tional paper to align himself with one
which held to ideals of building
rather than destructiveness.
If the newspapers were edited along
the plans of Mr.. Sinclair this country
would be embroiled in civil strike with
in few months after the change, for
the simple reason that thoughts are
things,-the written word is more in
cendiary than the lighted torch.
The newspapers of this country have
made mistakes; they will make many
more; but they will never make those
mistakes that Mr.. Sinclair would urge
upon them: they will never go back to
evil days of showing up the bad, and
supDressing the good.
There is much good left yet in hui
man nature. 1t is the right Of the pub
lie to know the good as well as the bad;
it is their right to have a newspaper
enter their homes which is something
more than a cess-pool Of evil thoughts
and deeds.
The best way for the reading public
to get good newspapers is to support
those newspapers which are legitimate
purveyors of news.
The newspapers during the last five
years have been literally fighting for
their lives; where other commodities
have gone up one hundred per cent the
price Of newsprint and other materials
necessary to the conduct of news
MAJ nor ha1ya frch1ad