The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-10-23


press of the world can materially aid
in the movement for permanent peace,
& T.. f. Brodie, of Oregon City. Ore,
president of the National Editorial
Association told the Press Congress
Of the World delegates here today
In speaking on the subject "Interna-
4 tional Comfy Among Journalists"
"On the next anniversary of the
close of the World War there win
meet in Washington. at the call of
President Harding, conference
which we, all OF US, hope will be
the beginning of the biggest news
story the newspapers OF the world
have ever been privileged to print
said Mr.. Brode This news story
if events work out as we devoutly
wish, will tell of the first general
move of the nations not alone for
peace, but to end war for all time
ut therefore seems fitting to me
that perhaps one of the most impor'
tant subjects that the editors Of the
world gathered here can discuss is
what can the press of the world do
to materially aid in the movement for
permanent peace.
Can Do Many Things
''We can do many things, fellow
editors. Not only can we print the
news of the gathering at Washington,
and spread among our readers fairly
and squarely the aims of the Dis
armament Congress, explaining, the
difficulties that must be overcome,
the jealousies that must be stilled
and the distrust that must be queted,
so giving support to our national
representatives at that meeting, but
we can go much further. In short
we can make peace permanent IN
this world. or we can nullify the
accomplishments of the Washington
conference. whatever they may be-
81 do not speak hastily, / am not
an idealist. Nor am | endeavorine
TO say something nice to you, some
thing timely something that SOUNDS
well. am in earnest. The press
of the world has it in its power tc
stop war; and the plea ! want tc
make before y1u is that we no'
,only support the efforts for perman'
ent peace that will be made at Wash
lngtoN; but that we, as editors, re-
solve to do our part in making wal
an impossibility in the future.
Press Control of Public Opinion
You will admit, 1 think. tina
without the tacii consent of thu
Iress, war would be a very difficui
thing to carry on war is no longcI
declared by monarchs by absolute
rulers. War when it is declared
is entered into at the behest of th'
representative body that is the mod
ern government of every civilized ma
lion. This representative govern
ment responds TO public opinion Ant
it senses public opinion through TN
press-while at the same time tn
press itself, very largely. forms pub
lie opinion.
Perhaps there are people VIII
think the press reflects public opin
ion. / do not think it does. | be
lieye the press reflects the opiniol
of the leading minds in any nation
and that the readers Of the press
thus obtaining the ideas set forth, al
sorb these views and so form publi
opinion Sometimes the readers, III
stead of absorbing the views @
some leader, are impressed with tn
inevitable consequence of some even
which is recounted in the news CO
umns. and so public opinion is forme
i'm that way. AS examples OF I'M
later method of crystalizing the put
lie mind. might site the news c
the attack on Fort Sumter before IN
American Civl War, or the new
Of the explosion that sank the battle
shin Maine in Havana harbcr befor
tae Spanish American war
After reading each of these new
items. tie people declared this mean
war" ANA publc opinion was cr!sta
led
so. yay the ncwsparers-tf
prcss of rat.on-cr"ate public opil
ion. Tl newspapers place befol
their r,alers a daily digest. in or
form on another OF the nations
hralth, { The relations the natio
bears To- u.lcy nations OF the fecl'n'
toward Be- ,cmr nation OF the rest
The wor ".
This in .mlfion. unon which pul
lic opinion iS par'u Nn"ulu 81" W 81
else be accurate. Unforunately. "
must. all OF Us. a Unit It is not AWAY
gocuratc--and oui of the inaccuruci'
many evils come. We. all Of us. kno
low inaccu.ac,o"- mark me, do n'
say untru hs, but inaccuracies-eng
der public feeling at elections. TT
opposition pmty ls always made To a
p,ar in the wrong and oar own part
I'm the right Aud To the degree
whlca We are successful IN mouldir
publ.c opinion de ends he success
our party at the polls
Peace i Right
Apply this same thing to war ON
instead OF insisting that we al
right and the enemy is wrong, let
Insist that peace Is right
Il do not argue that we should
pacifists. Hut every question has tv
sides. and 1t should be- the duty OF Il
pre.s, in an international dispuI
to net only present both sides, but
point out the terrible costs of wa
So that the people may Judge wheih
The game is worth the candle lio'
svcr. II the press does It's duty
ward world peace. as | see IT, al
as 1 want to see It, disputes Will n
irvelop To crises. and We VIII n
have to plead for peace What, the
mus We do
"ln the fret place, let Us insist
accurate. uncoored news let
handle the events of the day tn