Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-06
LOOKING FOR LEAKS
BY Frederic J. Hs-lin

washington, Juno s.--The SENATE
cmmittoe on Rules IL reported 10 be
making n quiet investigation OF leaks
of news from sources Of government
information. This IL n recurring ac~
tivity which on one or two OCCASIONS
has brought 10 light uneth'ca'
handling Of information by news
paper correspondents, prscuse
heartily condemned by tho profession
a. m whole However. II IN the usuei
thing for investigating committees 10
fail IN their search for organized leaks.
| A leak ia the obtaining Of advance
Information Of important government
activities and tho furnishing OF the
information either 60 persons VINO
will be able to make money out OF the
early knowledge or 10 newspapers
) which will derive tho advantage OF
beating their rivals. The word leak
! ia meant 10 imply that the informa-
ton IL obtained as the result OF some
, unethical or downright unlawful con
/
= the information and some government
employe.
The most famous recent leak was
I the Peace Leak which, II was alleged
e resulted In several million dollars be
g Ing made by Wall street spectators
who came into possession Of advance
information that the President in
tended writing Germany a note seek
> ing 20 induce peace. Tho investiga-
o tion revealed that some information
had ernanated from the white House
u premeturely. Even more recently,
u leak was discovered from the Su-
preme Court Of the United states.
However. most advance publications
. Of information, which appear on the
" surface 20 result from leaks. have no
" such explanations News in Wash
y ington which Ia Of particular value,
y both to stock exchange spectators
II and to newspapers desiring to outdo
their rivals In early publication, is
. tho news of decisions IN big cases be
: fore such bodies ss the Supreme
u Court, tho Interstate Commerce Com
20 mission. the Federal Trade Commits
- sion or special committees.
al How Advance News Is Secured.
o. Here is tho way advance news oi
" decisions not infrequently is publish
I'd ed. The big press associations, sorn'
IN OF tho important trade papers and
Ill newspapers have men assigned u
particular work who are especially
~ equipped for its responsibilities. 4
". lie recognized by news managers, foi
ms instance. that an advantage lies II
n having a man familiar with railroad
ar matters covering the news ~ the Inter
state Commerce Commission. biz
in case is filed. Hearings are held p
J. which witnesses for or against tn
er proposed rate change in question
al are heard. Lawyers argue the point
'er before the Commission. This is all pub
* lio and any newspaper man or an
,st member of the public can hear tn
ON testimony and the arguments.
Now n conscientious correspondent
OF covering the Interstate Cornmerc
ed Commission will be familiar with IN
'er general provisions OF the Act {
~. Rea,llate Commerce.. He Will kno,
I'd the inertia Of the pending case. RI
OF will hear and study all tho testimon
Of and the arguments. He will kno'
lts personally tho members ot the Com
INT mission who decide the case. with p
nd their prejudices and pet theories {
m regulation.
AN AS tho members of the Commissio
on study the case, the reporter will stud
tho case. Then when he thinks.
hears through gossip. that the decisio
Is about ready TO be announced.
viii write his own decision. followir
tho law and the force Of tho test
rnony and argument. Tho members
All the Commission are made Of the san
bts general flesh and blood that the r
A.. porter is made OF. In many cases th'
H. are no more careful and painstakiI
ooo than he. Actually, IN some cases th'
- are not as well informed on the la
and precedent. Il is not at all unlike
VI that the membera of the Comn.ssit
ieh and the reporter will arrive at q
same conclusion. The reporter "
write a news article forecasting the
ma clsion When the decision comes dow
IL, II will be found that, with minor al
his ferences. the conclusions are the san
in Someone. usually some less enterpri
ter Ing competitor. will claim a leak.
lue This can happen with any number
ing situations. To be sure the report
takes a chance. but II he Is conserv
tive and painstaking he will be rig
ava In a surprising number OF forecas
ing The same procedure can be follow
Sc. In stories about policies. BY stud
nv ing the policy Of such a body as Z
% Federal Reserve Board. which COVER
IT, credit conditions in the United Stat
20 10 a large extent, careful reporter G
forecast quite accurately what the ne
step in the formulation Of a policy "
be.
- Fine Scheme Goes Wrong.
One of the most elaborate arrans
ing ments to get advance news was ma
tnt some years ago, not by newspaI
correspondent but by broker who "
- eager TO obtain advance tntifnations
-. Supreme Court decisions. Some OF {
- justices Of the Supreme Court OF :
- United States lecture in law classes
'o' the Washington universities. tt
AS broker learned that Mr. Justice Harl
the lectured at one OF the schools and "
gers in tho habit OF illustrating his lectul
lam by references to the cases which
Supreme Court had under consider
ton. OF course, the learned Just
o IL would not mention the names OF I
eek cases. but a person familiar with
er7' ----------
han