Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-04-21
PRESS LINE HALLMARK OF
 ACCURACY y-N0yES
Publisher Answers Critics Who Charge Bias in
 News

" ''o NAattA A>Asto HI
 News
 New York, April 20.-Members of the Associated Press met at the ! Waldorf Astoria hotel here today to elect five directors, four advisory 1 boards, and auditing and nominating i committees. In connection with the meeting President Frank B. Moves of the Washington Star, proposed a toast to President Wilson, saying, Gin offering a toast, the formal wish for health is usually of little sgni- ficance. With us this year, in our orly tost is our custom to offer. the case is profoundly different for, every earnestly, very hopefully and very sincerely we drink to the health the full restored health of the pres ident of the United States.
 Every season of the year is an open season for the critics of the Associated Press" said Mir. Moves. beginning his address to his associ- ate officers and directors.
 ''Wc are accustomed through long experience to the railings against our service of the uniformed, the notorietv seeker and the common or garden liar who charges bias or sup pression in the report of the Asso- ciated Press.
 Every newspaperman every in formed person, knows how preposter- ously untrue these charges are whoever may make them. To you, l need not explain that our very or ganization was in response to the de- mand of the newsnapers that their news service should be owned and controlled by themselves and them | selves alone, that it should be their servant and not their master. that it should give an adeouate and truth ful record of the days world hap penings free from bias and from opinion or propaganda. While no claim to lnerrantcy, our service has been singularlv successful in attain ! ing the objects we sought and the line by the Associated Press has be- come a hallmark of accuracy, wheth- CT the event recorded is the election of president. the signing of an ar- mistice. decision of the supreme court or the death of the none.
 Not for Any Candidate.
 Secure in our knowledge that our agency is serving us faithfully and competently, we may contem- plate the outbursts against us of radicals and .reactionaries.
 Their attacks are due to ignorance end contempt when due to malice ! "While at all times this open sea- son continues. every four years comes special period of tribulation. When the presidential campaigns rolls around, every candidate for the nom ination and the resulting presiden- tial candidates an devery manager of every such candidate finds clear evil ! dence in our report of bias against every candidate mentioned until aft er the election and then all agree that the Associated Press has been conspcuously fair This has been our experience in the past and there is every indication that present cam paign will be no exception.
 "T sav this for there is a measure of truth in the charge for on the theory. He who is not for us is against us. The Associated Press is against every candidate for it surely is not for any one of T them."
 MT Moves explained that while ev- cry one of the candidates will have the support of. individual members, the Associated Press will continue } serenely indifferent as to the out come of the nominating conventions and elections, contenting itself to <. supplying it's members with the news as it happens, playing no fa- : "The report of the Associated Press does not grow or simply come . into being without effort continued MT. Moves. ,"Every line, every word is the product of an individual worker of whom hundreds toll and adventure daily to supply fair pic | ture of the worlds happenings, every one of you know that at bottom these charges of bias are charges agains = our anonymous workers-Who 1t WI . are betrayed are the betrayers, wht T if these charges are true, are re crGanC to tHe tIuoI WV ""'S PA" !. in them. "You know them, you know then ' all. division chiefs. bureau chiefs e editors, correspondents, reporters t working tirelessly, faithfully, eff T ciently intelligently.
 Marshall Speaks.
 "You know that the men are tn
 salt of the earth. the pride of ou
 profession and neither your opinion nor mine can be fitly expressed ol a occasion of this sort of the ignora F mus. the blatherskites or the liar , who defame them." ~.
 MT. Moves, in introducing Vie > President Marshall, the principa $ speaker at the luncheon said: g "Some men shrink in stature O o further acquaintance, while fe' [ grow. As the people of this Unit 'si (Continued on Page 6.)