The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-05-24
HARRY HANSEN
DISCUSSES THE
BOOK REVIEW


part of the National government to tax,
over powers that were once exclusivel,
posse. sed by the States. but since tn,
condition exists the newspapers mus
meet it. So many interests peculiar to
given locality have Washington an
gle that the work at the national capi
| tai has become. in a sense. a necessary
adjunct of the work Of the local room
In my organization. there is no one with
whom | am in closer telegraphic con.
tact than with the city editor.
A typical sheaf of kilograms from the
home Office would tell that ST. Louis
politician is coming on to see about a
matter of federal patronage: would sug-
gest an interview with Henry Ford, on
visit to Washington, regarding his plan
for utilizing the great power resources
of the Mississippi River; would ask for
news of War Department plan to build
up a great balloon center at Belleville:
might suggest. perhaps, that it would
be fine thing if the correspondent could
manage TO get few exclusive words
with a prominent private citizen Of S
street, Washington, on matters now agi-
ta,ing the Missouri electorate.
1t might, | say, suggest that Mr.. vii.
son be interviewed. That would be,
indeed, a proper suggestion, for | can
think OF few greater news stories that
might be written today than an inter-
view with Mr.. Wilson. But it is, alas!
easier to make that suggestion than to
execute 1t. The correspondent. of course.
II he has remained an honest-to- goodness
reporter. willing to use his legs and the
Offices gasoline. and has not become.
through long association with politicians.
a statesman-repOrter who regards il as
his chief function to sit in his Office
and interview himself if the correspond.
ent is still reporter of the type that
Dean Walter Williams and Prof. Martin
are trying TO produce, he will of course
try TO penetrate the S street portals.
And it is conceivable that he will sue.
ceed. Scmeday somebody is going TO
tackle this job at a propitious moment
and carry il through. and those who
have tried it and failed will pay him the
need OF their admiration and envy.
Oh, yes, of course. we have all tried
TO put it over" and we are all on
level as yet. None has got by the outer
guard MIR. Wilson dwells, by choice.
on the lofiiest mountain top of isolation
that Washington knows.
have rambled away from the local
side OF the Washington reporter work. |
obviously, the correspondent keeps in
touch with the congressman and senator's
rom his state. After a while. he NAV |
get them trained so that they become !
volunteers on his news staffs.
There's danger that he NAV even 90,
hem overirained. The average congress.
nan or senator likes pubIicity-pub.
cIty oil certain sort. not the Kind
hat comes from ill-starred nominations
and he may get the idea that the
correspondent should make his paper
'ay tolls on half column of matter
very time he gets a pension raised.
mere are some congressman whom we
all publicity hounds Some even have
'ress agents to keep them advertised. !,
l have said there are two main reasons
or the existence of the resident snec;al
correspondent in Washington. One is
he fact that SO many local interests
cad in at the capital. The other is
he deslrability Of having at Washington
ot only a news gatherer but a news in.
arpreter.
lhe Washington correspondent of the
'pe | have been describing. the most
ommon type, is both reporter and an
ditorial writer. ,
But the stories by the press associa. {
ons. boiled down as they must be, can.
OF always give you an adequate idea of
he news. The news of a purely factual I
lpPening. like fire, NAV be told. and is 7
est told, through strict adherence TO the
lie that the reporter shall give the facts
nd withhold comment. But there I
another type of news. a type that we
re seeing exemplifed in our newspapers ,
eTer-increasing degree. that needs in.
'rpretailon for the reader. | refer TO {
lie news that deals not 50 much with S
aierial facts as with ideas; the news j
tendencies in our political life. of 7
'eat social changes heaying under the