The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-17
Frederick Haskin's Letter
tppsak csz-espsaAass e IA Arwual
The Itinerant Center of Nevs.

! States into the World war a.
the augmentation of writers - 80 ~
national capital. Papers had rar ne
sentatives not only to "coyera ~ :. <
cial assignments at the capitol r..
to handle the White house news -
be present at the conferences ~ "
the executive branches of inc 81 -
eminent as well as to write o ~
special articles. Washinrton --'
the capital OF the world Tor n 80
than two years, or until Mr. WIZ
sailed for France in Decernboo.l
1918. 49, yer
Enter the Official Press agent
When this country declared mo-
there Immediately were creaia5 .
number of press agencies IN tba
government departments Tb 'Ie
number gained as the war went m
Few of them have disapDea-e5i'
They are in charge of former nav NJ
paper men and turn out das,v
enough material to fill the cnIuwn,
of the ordinary newspaper SpeciaI
iZing on features of the work com
ing under the department or b1
reau with which they are connecfs5
IS the duty of these agencies.
In the winter of 1918, the evss -
the world were focused on Paris
and its peace conference. Thitba-
travelled many Washington eorras-
pondents and many Of them 70
manned until the return of President
Wilson at the conclusion of tbs
treaty of Versailles. Those who "a
manned at the national capital sna1t
most OF their time at the senate
where every move made at Paris
had its reflection.
With the return of President vii
son. interest remained centeFed nm
Capitol hill for a time; then il went
across the continent with Mr.. vii.
son on his tour in advocacy Of the
peace treaty. Congress held a min
or place on the stage.
Since the defeat of the treaty in
the senate, there have been not
more than dozen occasions when
the press galleries of either house
were filled to capacity. The reason
is not that the legislative halls do
not provide as good news as they
once did. but that the executive
branches of the government usually
provide better stories.
What is more, most newspapers
devote the energies of their writers
here, as a general rule. to the a.
fairs of state and district in which
they are printed They depend upon
the press associations for the stor-
les on congress, while their Wash
ington writers concern themselves
more with the actions of their indi-
vidual legislators. Except when
some member of congress hurls an
ink bottle at another member. the
average correspondent is too busily
occupied with other matters even
to pause in his work.
How DAVIS Got Attention.
Here is an illustration: Brigadier
General Charles G. DAVIS was sum
moned to appear before a house
investigating some
phases of the war. He saw the
men before he went to
the committee room and told them
there would be interesting doings
there. When he appeared he deliv-
cred himself of a torrent of inVec-
tive against those who sought to
aetract from the efficacy Of the
war methods. 1t made
good copy" and there were col
umns of it in every paper in the
Later somebody asked
him why he had used such profan-
ity.
81 wanted 70 get the story and
my position on it in every newspa-
per-" answered DAVIS, so / swora
a attic and millions of people read
it. Had I not used the mild pro
family, nobody would have known
WIS in Washington.
All of which illustrates that even
big people at home frequently are
not heard about on their visits here.
1t is a far cry from the last few
weeks of President CIeyeland's ad-
when he rarely .was
asked to see anybody except his
private secretary and Queen Lii, OF
who was calling continual
y for some action assuring that Is
and kingdom the protection Of The
United States.