New-York tribune., 1921-04-27
HardingPraises
Lofty Motives
OF L. S. Press
Message Expresses Hope
tor Continuance of Ideals
That Inspired the News
papers. During World War
Davis Addresses A. p.
Former Ambassador Says
Indemnity Dispute Bars
Return to Normal Trade

American newspapers were praised
as mainstay Of the Republic in a
message from President Harding, read
yesterday at the annual luncheon Of
The Associated Press in the Waldorf
Astoria. The message was read after
the usual toast to "The President Of
the United States," proposed by Frank
B. Noyes. president of The Associated
Press, who presided, and preceded an
address by John W. Davis, forme rly
Ambassador to Great Britain, now gem
eral counsel for The Associated Press.
Gas newspaper publisher" Presi-
dent Harding wrote. 81 am disposed
to arrogate to myself bit of special
qualification to judge the service that
the journalistic press has rendered to
our country in the difficult period
through which we have passed and
which is rot yet ended l know how
earnestly and effectively the press tried
to hold up the hands of all who were
carrying forward our nations actvi-
ties during the war.
"No more unqualified, intelligent and
patriotic service was rendered to the
nation and the great cause than that
so freely given by the newspapers. I
cannot but bespeak a continuance Of
the lofty motives that inspired it and
of the generous, considerate, helpful
attitude.'
Must Settle Indemnity First
Nr. Davis, opening his address with
4 similar tribute to The Associated
Press. expressed his views or the world
situation and on the responsibility of
the United States. His most concrete
recommendation was for majority
vote instead of the present Constitu-
tional requirement Of two thirds vote
in the Senate to ratify treaty. He
also favored higher compensation for
diplomatic and consular agents. He
discussed three current problems which,
in his opinion, were most important.
"The first" he said, "is the German
indemnity. Until this subject is re-
moved by rational agreement from the
field Of controversy there neither can
be nor wiz be any return to normal
conditions of trade and commerce and
no permanent return to international
peace.
"The second is Russia, where 49,
100000 persons, occupying some of the
most fertile areas of the globe, are
tolerable despotism into political and
social anarchy. 1t is a catastrophe
process which outside interference is
powerless to affect but whose world
wide results cannot be computed.
"The third, undoubtedly. is Anne RIGA,
whose attitude toward the problems
which have followed the World War
still awaits definition. although two
years and a half have passed since the
guns were stilled. What that attitude
is to be America alone has the right to
within its rights in calling upon US for
decision"
Expansion of A. p. Shown
The board of directors of The Asso-
ciated Press yesterday issued their an
nual report, asserting satisfaction with
its operation in these words: "The
Associated Press remains the most sue
cessful and comprehensive press as
sociation in existence, and nobody has
yet devised a more satisfactory ma
chine for collecting and distributing e
the news Of the world"
The report gave details of the or
ganization's growth. 'The mileage of
leased wires," it said, "was augmented
by 1000 miles, making the total SO, ,432.
The number of operators increased to
7S5 and the number OF automatic print
ing machines to nearly 200
"Abroad we expanded our news re-
sources as conspicuously as at home.
We depend less upon the European
news agencies and more upon our
trained staff men. At many Of the
important international conferences in
Europe, for example, our STATS have
been larger than those of the Euro
pean agencies. More than 100 mer
are now regularly employed in ou,
bureaus outside the United States"