The Topeka state journal., 1921-04-26

that calls out of the void that great
and powerful genie whom We call pub
lie opinion, lord and master in this
democratic age of the lives and des-
TIMES of men. Whether he comes as
a benevolent despot or as a blind and
destructive tyrant depends primarily
i had almost said entirefy-upon
the press. The newspaper is the great
educative institution before which
even colleges and universities must
bow, and the immeasurable company
of your readers are the voters whose
education is imperative if self govern
ment is to survive. Upon the infor-
nation you give US We must order our
lives. Nor does it detract from the
devoted labors of editorial Sanctums
to say that their considered comment,
great as its influence may be, is sec
ondary in its 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 a commodity is a very great and
very solemn responsibility. L con-
gratulate the Associated Press be-
cause, by the general verdict of man
kind, it has performed this duty with
out bias, without prejudice ana WITH
out partisanship, and in an earnest
pursuit of the truth where it might be
found. On this rests the general re-
spect and public confidence which
the Associated Press enjoys
"It takes an experience IN puphc
life to drive home the vital connection
between governmental policy and the
daily news. On the personal side, or
course, politicians shrink from pub
Hcity, even as the modest flower shuns
the sun, and altho sometimes they
succeed in overcoming their aversion
to the limelight, it is not without
struggle. But the essential and indis-
pensable thing when any line OF ac-
ton is proposed is to get the facts to
the people. That done, the majority
under our theory of government must
decide. and I, for one, believe they can
be trusted to decide with wisdom.
Must Not Destroy Facts.
NATURALLY, in view of past and
present events, 1 am thinking at the ts
moment in terms of the foreign refa-
| tionShipS of the United Staes- To
| large and increasing extent these lie
| in the keeping of the daily press. His
| tory, 1 think, will show that occasions
are rare when those in charge of for
eign relationships can blaze out an
| independent path. In the words OF
Lincoln, they do not control events but
are controlled by them, and they must
adopt their course to events as they
unroll and to the public opinion OF
| those whom they are called upon to
/
torted facts, unworthy suspicious or
| alarming rumors; if every careless ut
| terance by thoughtful and insignifi-
| cant men is to be given prominence in
| print; if every casual difference OF
view is to be magnified into a crisis
sober judgment and deliberate action
become impossible. 1t is far easier
as most of us know, to raise storm
| than to quell it.
"It is ca good omen that American
| newspapers unquestionably are giving
more space to foreign news than ir
former times, and much more space
proportionately than are their foreign
colleagues. Perhaps at no time in oul
previous history was it more necessar!
that we should accurately know ant
understand what is passing in the res
of the world.
This is neither the time nor th'
! place for any discourse on American
foreign policy. Certainly those OIL
whose shoulders the burden rests ar
entitled to every opportunity t
formulate their policy without prema
ture criticism or unsolicited advice.
!, is clear, however, that among tn
problems which beset at the momen
this anxious planet, three stand easil.
in the front rank. The first of tfes
is the Germany indemnity. Until thi
subject is removed by rational agree
ment from the field of controversy