The Connecticut labor press., 1920-01-03
A Field of Profound Ignorance
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BY SAMUEL GOMPERS

tory, have been missed by most news papers.
 Going back of these major cases of newspaper misleading there area num- Der ot other cases not so large in i'm portance, but still of some moment. The Boston po1icenen's strike gave America taste of inconsiderate journalism. The railroad men have felt the same unfair ness.
 What IS at the root of this condi- ton? Any comment that is not to be purely destructive must not rest with a blanket condemnation of journalism It will not do to say that editors do not want the truth and therefore study methods by which they may avoid it's presentation. It would not be true to say that. The truth Is elsewhere, and deeper.
 Many newspaper offices do not see the news value of Q presentation of worknen's contentious as compared to presentation of the contentious of powerful corporation, or dominating corporation chief. Examples of what CTS out of their own knowledge.
 The news of Labor-of the ind1s- trial wor1d-has assumed an impor-
 
 dreamed of a few years ago. Ten possibly have attached to news of Labor. In most offices 1t was the task of the least skilled reporters to do the news of Labor and the Labor move ment
 The concept that obtained i'll those days hangs over into days when Labor frequently commands the better part of metropolitan front pages. Labor news has leaped into prominence that is out of keeping with the concepts and the training of the men who handle that news. This IS not the fault of individu- al men. At least they are not to be held responsible individuality A whole sys- tenn Is to blame.
 It may be said safely that Labor i'll news sense, is a speciality. The labor movement is a vast and somewhat-at least to the initiated-intricate organ ism. There is about 1t technique that requires special training of those who are to discuss or describe developments in which 1t has a part. There are but few newspapers that have come to real ize the need for specially trained men in the getting and handling of labor news.
 Another factor in the situation is the publicity agent-the man whose task 1t is to secure publication of the case of his employer. A high degree of skill has been devoted to this work, and often the skill of the publicity agent is super for to the skill, or perception, of the re- porter and the editor. No corporation engaged i'll a large industrial conflict neglects to have a publicity staff. The case of the employer is not only made easy of access to the reporter, but is made attractive1y accessible to him. It is made accessible repeatedly and in various guiSes. It follows him and makes itself unacceptable. And while in the abstract sense 1t is the duty of news paper men to secure facts with impar- tiality, in practice they get most fully those facts-and Opinions-Which are to be secured with least effort
 In addition tc a desire to be honest and honorable, the newspaper reporter who finds himself thrust into the work cf reporting an industrial conflict must have a Special knowledge of the or ganizatior, policy tactics and tradition of the labor movement. Without this knowledge he is but poorly equipped for his work And 1t is because of the fact that most men charged with the responsibility of reporting industrial conflicts are thus but half equipped that so much of such 1amentab1e reporting IS done.
 Tradition sends the strike news re- porter to police headquarters and to the main office of the plant against which the strike IS directed. The case