The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-16
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
IFrom Philadelphia Public Ledger.l

! Light and casual fiction always in
trigues us. We ran across a bit of it
in Golfers recently which held US en-
| tranced. It was a girl reporters rev.
| elation of her experiences on news
paper, and it held the old, sad, throb-
| bing story of the manner in which men
are broken on the wheel of newspaper
work We have read the story many
times. and SO many readers regard it
as authentic that it seems worth while
to give it decent interment.
Newspapering in the metropolitan
reaches of the profession is the LATEST
of Jobs. Wrecks are encountered
along its coast, but in a great pre-
ponderance of cases the rocks were
encountered outside newspaper har-
bors. The real workers in the news
paper business are the lads on the
small-town press-those who prepare
the printed word for Kankakee, Osh-
kosh, Fresno, Ypsilanti, Marion, Mus
kogee, Boise, Herkimer and Lexington.
But even the galleys of country news
paper toll reveal few human wrecks
leaning helplessly against the sweeps.
Years ago we ran the Atchison
Champion, a bright, snappy afternoon
newspaper, printed in the midst of a
busy, hustling community of $4,000
souls. We had a staff of five report
ers, including the society editor, who
doubled on the union station and the
police, rum But we were editor, gem
eral manager, managing editor, city
editor, telegraph editor, dramatic
editor and political reporter. We ar
rived at the Champion office at s
o'clock in the morning, and after read
ing the mail and hastily scanning the
morning newspapers, began the pre-
paration of the column and a halI of
editorial matter which the paper daily
demanded. Editorial writing on the
Champion was not a continuous nor
undisturbed performance We had to
stop now and then to read the early
copy turned in by the reporters, to
give them further instructions and as
signments, to talk to chance callers
and to sell subscriptions and want-ad-
vertising to those who came to traffic
at the front counter.
Usually, however, the editorial was
written and the early copy edited and
on the hook by 1880 o'clock. Thence
on until 1890 we read the further
copy turned in by the reporters and
wrote such items of news as we had
picked up in our rounds of the town
on the previous evening. At 1890
court house, and in other political
centers, on our way back to pick up
the political news of the day. When
we got back to the office we had moth |
such items of political news as had |
developed and edit the pony report of |
the Associated Press. For a time we |
read most of the proof, but the young |
woman who did society, the union |
station and the police run became dis |
satisfied with the manner in which we
did it and voluntarily took the burden /
on her own shoulders. After that
the paper went to press and we
from the office to scour the
town, for developments and tips on |
the next days news.
That was more than twenty years
ago. Even then we had behind US
some years of the heart-breaking toll
over which the sob sisters, male and |
female, moan and cry. We've been at
it ever since. And the only physical
worry we have is the fear that we're
going to outgrow the trousers of our
evening clothes. The talk about the
hard, grinding toll of newspaper work
is piffle floating in a sea of pish posh.
Meanwhile, our suggestion to the
and to the esteemed the
atrical profession is that they are TAX
inG the Rev. John Roach Straton too
seriously. In our diagnosis of the
Rev. Mr.. Straton's case, gentle laugh
ter is the medicament Indicated
They could laugh the Rev. Mr.. Straton
out of town in two weeks.
We don't particularly object that
4 league to prevent women losing
their names at marriage has been
in particular. What we fear is that
will try to pass another law
We are, we are frank to say, a trifle
but not cast down. Hav-
ng failed to win the Box award in
1921, we shall endeavor to do so in
1922. And, failing in 1922, there still
ire 1923 and 1924.
Wen need the money just as badly
hen as we do now. At any rate, we
always have.
Having practically finished casti-
eating him for the result of the con-
ference just concluded, those who OBJ
ect to President Harding are now Sc
,erely criticising him for declining to
sit in another.
We wish the Democratic party no
lard luck; it has had its share of that.
But if Senators Borah and johnson
'hould attempt to join it, we don't be- {
ieve any Republican would try to -;
top them.
! HEART AND HOME PROBLEMS i