Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-04-26
new CABINET MEMBER
URGES BARE MAJORITY
TO RATIFY TREATIES
Secretary DdUis ASSdiis Old System
Enabling Senators to
Kill PactS
Niy The Associated PresxD

| NEW YORK, April 26.-The Hon
John w. Davis, in his address at the
Associated Press luncheon here today
spoke as follows:
Il am flattered by this invitation
to address you. Notwithstanding the
fact that | have received from the
generous hand of your general mana
ger your annual reports for the year.
from 1900 to 1920, inclusive, two
thick volumes alleged OF contain all
the law you have enacted for your
selves or persuaded others to enact
for you, and sundry articles from the
pen of the general manager himself
all of which, for the purpose of the
present argument | ask you to as
sumo that ! have read with minute
and exhaustive care - notwithstand-
ing all this. there is much concerning
your activities which it dwill be my
pleasure to study and learn. And yet
one would confess himself ignorant
past all hope if he had not some ac-
quaintance with the Associated Press
and its work, for verify there is no
speech nor language where your voice
is not heard; your line has gone thru
all the earth and your words TO the
ends of the world. Day unto day you
utter speech, and night unto night
you show knowledge. Yours are the
eyes of Argus, and into your ears are
breathed the secrets Of princes and
peasants, of prophets, priests and
kings. Carrying the classical figure
step further, yours is the voice of
Stentor at whose sound the earth it.
self trembles.
Manifestedly such an endowment
provides opportunities not enjoyed by
ordinary mortals, and equal and cor
relative responsibility for their proper
use. 1t is the rubbing Of your lamps
that calls out of the void that great
and powerful genie whom we call
Public Opinion, lord and master in
this democratic age of the lives and
destinies of men. Whether he comes
as benevolent despot or as a blind
and destructive tyrant depends pri-
marily-I had almost said entirely
upon the Press. The newspaper is the
great educative institution before
which even colleges and universities
must bow, and the immeasurable com
pany Of your readers are the voters
whose education is imperative if self
government is to survive. Upon the
information you give US we must or
der our lives Nor does il detract from
the devoted labors Of editorial sane
tums to say that their considered com
ment great as il influence may be. is
secondary in IFS influence upon public
opinion to the news column. The de-
cisive factor is the kind, quality. guam
tity and form of the facts which are
fed into the public mind in the guise
of news. To be the purveyor of so
vital commodity is a very great and
very solemn responsibility. / con-
gratulate the Associated Press be-
cause, by the general verdict of man.
kind, it has performed this duty with
out bias, without prejudice and with
out partisanship, and in an earnest
pursuit of the truth where it might
be found On this rests the general
respect and public confidence which
the Associated Press enjoys.
1T tages an experience in public
life to drive home the vital connection
between governmental policy and the
daily news. On the personal sideI Of
course politicians shrink from public
ity, even as the modest flower shuns
the sun, and although sometimes they
succeed in overcoming their aversion
10 the lime-light, it is not without a
struggle. But the essential and indis-
pensable thing when any line of action
is proposed is to get the facts to the
people. That done, the majority under
our theory of government must de-
eide, and |. for one, believe they can
be trusted to decide with wisdom.
Naturally, in view of the past
and present events, ! am thinking ar
the moment in terms of the foreign
relationships of the United States
To large and increasing extent these
lie in the keeping Of the daily press.
History, | think, will show that oc-
casions are rare when those in
charge Of foreign relationships can
blaze out an independent path In
the words Of Lincoln, they do not
control events, but are contralled by
them, and they must adapt their
course to events as they unroll and
to the public opinion of those whom
they are called upon to serve. If this
opinion is fed with distorted facts,
unworthy suspicious or alarming ru-
mOrs; if every careless utterance by
Continued on page four)