Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-14
THE rTINERANT CENTER OF NEWS
BY Frederic ;. Tiaskin

-
Washington, Feb. -spccializeb
newspaper reporting OF events s'l
Washington has supplanted the for
mcr custom Of merely recording the
activity OF the floors OF the House
and Senate. At times during the past
Is years nine-tenths OF the newspaper
space devoted to the National Capital
was given TO the speeches on Capitol
Hill. Nowadays. however, the centre
Of news writing ~ the President and
his Cabinet.
Theodore Roosevelt did more to
about bring this chafge than did any
body else. When he became Presi-
dent, the change from a peace-loving
Chief Executive to one who loved
nothing moro than a fight turned the
attention of 1.-The writer's from "the
Hll' TO the White House. where there
was always news aplenty. Not alone
was It q relief for them TO get away
from the dull accounts OF what went
on in the House and Senate, but the
substitution OF fiery words for these
made better reading and more enjoy
ablo work.
4 Where many papers and all the
news services once carried every day
a summary OF tffe sessions OF the
House and Senate that was from one
to four columns In length. they nov
i have special stories on only the prin-
! cipal occurrences there. A. J. Balford
! was the last OF old-time reporters al
the Capitol. He made copious notes
of debates and individual speeches
in the House and his stories In ths
New York Sun portrayed the voca
efforts Of the national legislators. With
(, his death passed the system once s,
I general.
There are seats on the Senate ant
!. House floors for representatives Of tn
news services, but these are occupied
by newspaper men nowadays onl,
: when the President addresses Con
gress or something Of tremendous i'm
4 portance is being debated and vote
e upon. The pages use them through
O out the remainder OF the sessions.
: Mr.. Roosevelt sensed the usefulnes
OF the press and he always had a stor
n for their Monday papers. because o
y Wondays--the dullest news and atver
tising day-there always was plent
& Of space in them for whatever he ha
y to say. Roosevelt's Cabinet caught III
:. spirit OF their chief, making reams
ie copy" for the newspapers. This cor
p dition naturally turned the eyes
r. the country from the legislative 1
~ the executive end Of. Pennsylvan
!. avenue and almost threw into u
~ background the congressional side
" Washington.
%, Taft Poor News Source.
r With the incoming Of Mr.. Taft, q
ne press had more of holiday ths
au for the seven years previous, so {
as as exciting news from the VIII
House was concerned. The reporte
es went back 10 Capitol Hill, but tn
" sought Individual stories. The BE
r. linger- -Dluehot controversy took tn,
,st attention for some months, but ev
a. that did not measure up TO the form
ee hectic days when every mornii
of brought forth new nominee
ed Ananias Club membership.
II was the announced intention
Woodrow Wilson to hold two confe
ences with the newspaper men ca
week. This took them back TO {
White House again. Later, howev
Mr. Wilson stopped this practice.
- his Cabinet Members saw them oft
and generally had something intere
Ike ing TO say. In fact. one OF the offic
family confided 70 them differences
ind was having with other members.
know this won't be published
md said. and since I must tell If
/, someone and would not dare speak
in ii TO any Of the administration,
telling you boys about it." It Y
never printed.
and Only when President Wilson
dressed Congress was the press gall
cry filled and the same holds true to-
when President Harding goes there
and deliver his messages in person.