New-York tribune., 1922-07-16
The Letter-Box
A PROTEST

Rascoe's book reviews, butt confess
have read his comment on "Behind
the Mirrors" principally because it
was published seven days in advance
Of the release date stipulated in con-
fidence by the publisher.
successful predecessor, 1.-THE Mirrors
of Washington" obviously was written
by Washington newspaper core
spondent, your Mr.. Observation-Disclosures
he may be--takes it upon himself to
review the Washington correspondents
as prelude to his review Of the
volume. He says:
1T Is astounding because II appears TO
man Of sense and learning; he quotes Rous-
seau and Remy de Gocrmont he knows
Philosopher, student Keen observer.
and he writes e lively and !itera,e Eng
It. Aside from few notaSls exceptions
op the larger newspapera and maga zines.
Warrington correspondent Is usually
rushing to the telegraph ofhce with
Tnimeograph statements and filing them
he is lacking in common ability TO sec
tho essential drama behind the trasi-
comedy routine tat Of dsn,ooratic gsvernmsns
- hIo HSNEW VI CHS NoluIUG IL hS
accurate as his review of the Wash
ington correspondents, it ought to whct
no appetite to the advantage Of the
bookseller. Washington correspondents
and there are some two hundred and
fifty Of them--quite aside frem the
"few notable exceptions on the larger
newspapers and magazines" whom Mr..
Rascoe singles out as the supermen of
the herd, need no defense before the
sixty million daily readers to whom
they supply the materials which event.
ually compose the fabric Of public
opinion. But one Of che craft dislikes,
some one who evidently knows them
not ISLANDERS the corps en- masse.
Mr.. Rascoe evidently reads books
rather than newspapers, 80 he Is less
acquainted with the men who write the
worlds history day by day than he is
with those who later bind it up in
volumes. Obviously, many common
place things about the corps Of Wash
ington correspondents are unknown to
Mr.. Rascoe. 50 any attempt to convince
him that Washington correspondent
life" not "credulous," not "unobserv-
ant" and not to the same effect sd lib
would be pure waste.
Out of the thousands Of newspaper
writer's who have aspired TO the big
league stuff Of Washington work some
two hundred and fifty have been able
to maintain 9 batting average which
keeps them here. Many hundreds Of
others, unable to grasp the difference
between world history and small town
police, have gone away feeling that
"credulous" and "unobservant" and
"lacking in common ability to see the
essential drama behind the tragi-
comedy routine Of democratic govern
ment as it is practiced in the United
States"--whatever that mouthful may
mean.
"The Washington correspondent"
says Mr.. Rascoe, "is leg man, a copy
boy, messenger"
1t is true that there are leg men,
copy boys and messengers in Wash
ton correspondents, although they may
be some day. Did Mr.. Rascoe know his
subject he would know that the Wash
ington correspondent has always been
| star man on his home paper before he
| gets to Washington; that ne has ad-
vanced through the grades Of all work
there and comes to the national capital
as the highest reward his masters can
hestow. He is chosen not alone be-
cause he is not credulous and not un-
observant, and Is not all the things
Mr.. Rascoe dreams he is, or isn't, but
| also because he stands at the top OF
noney in "Noo Yawk''; he might make
moro money were he a trained seal,
presenting with grave gestures Inter
pretations" Of the news, explaining, as
it were, by some occult process what
really is in the back of President So
ard-so's mind when he does thus and
so. He might learnedly point out why
we are sure to have war within ten
years with Patagonia because of the
laundering craftsmanship Of Premier
Bazoozum; he might review books and
newspaper correspondents; but he
doesn't. He is too bosy doing days
work for his felloWnan and thinking
probably too little Of his own reward,
| service
Those gentlemen whom Mr.. Raseoe
dubs "The Gang at Washington" as the
caption of his review-they know the
Washington correspondent. If Mr..
Rascoe believes he is "the lowest form
of reportorial life" or ''credulous" or
"unobservant" or lacking in common
ability" etc, let MIR. Rascoe ask "The
Gang" He'll find that sometimes "The
! Gang probably wishes the correspond
ent was all Mr.. Rascoe thinks ne is.
1t was a Washington correspondent
who framed the imm ortal "Perdicaris
alive or Raisuli dead" which never
| will be erased from diplomatic history.
1t was a Washington correspondent
who in the course Of days work
wrote the epics describing the nations
mourning at the bier Of the Unknown
Soldier which are now being used by
municipalities and boards Of education
everywhere to SOW the seed Of pa
triotism and love Of country in the
hearts Of our youths. Il was a Wash
ington correspondent who gave to the
world the celebrated exposure Of Ger
many's zimmerman note at the high
water mark Of the war. One might
multiply examples indefinitely. 1t was
the Washington correspondents prin-
cipally who went abroad and gave the
country the real news Of the war. 1t
was the Washington correspondents
who were shipped abroad TO furnish
the country with it's information Of the
Paris peace conference. It's the Wash
ington correspondents who inform the
country each day what Is being done
by the public servants in Washington,
whether the public servants like it OK
not. And the men who are doing this
work are not ga few notable excep.
tions on the larger newspapers and
magazines" They are the common, or
garden reporters, who stand as the
sentinels Of our civilization and our