Arizona republican., 1922-01-26
The Pres, AGENT

The Press Agent
The Press Agent" whom DR.. Frank Crane
yesterday described in his reference to warning
by Professor Brown of the Columbia School Of
Journalism, againts propaganda, is neither as num-
nor dagnerous as Dr. thinks he is, and he
is bound to become less numerous That he Is less
of a than he is suspected to be is less his
fault than it is a consequence of the growing skill
Of newspapers in spottnig him.
The press agent Of today is Of recent origin.
For short time he flourished because he not
recognized. He put a good deal of stuff in
the guse OF news. Then he began to become
erous lie readily sold" himself to people who
wanted newspaper space for nothing and he estab-
lished himself in the palatia offices described by Dr.
Crane. His value his employer quickly declined,
but evidently the employer has not yet found that
classed as good, comparatively little OF it is
out The newspapers know 1t and the press agent
knows it, the while he hopes that 1T will be long
time before the employer is disillusioned
The average newspaper fights shy Of propaganda
without inquring whether it is good or bad though
OF it. very little which is openly and frankly
put forward is not bad But even IL it may be
classed good, comparatively little of it is "ad
available" for newspaper Newspapers in making
selections do not choose something because some
body wants it printed but because they think their
readers would like to read it,
We for instance find in mornings mail
about four-f -fifths of which from press agents
OF one kind another. much relating to movements
OF various kinds for the amelioration OF human
conditions We breathe prayer we toss the
stuff into the waste paper basket that the hopes of
the proponents may some how be realized but
know that not enough of our readers will be in
terested to warrant us in taking part in the move
ment. Most of the rest of the four-fifths of the
mornings mail goes into the waste paper basket
without prayer.
Now and then we find in the propaganda
thing that is OF real value for newspaper use. 1t
is something cevery prepared and is something that
we feel sure will be of interest readers. There
may be concealed in it something Of value to the
propagandist. If So are glad OF the opportunity
to repay him for the service. But II the value to
him is too palpable the propaganda becomes "un-
available
This we understand is the present policy Of daily
papers generally and when it becomes known to
employers of propagandists, we will look for a
diinution Of the volume of the mornings mail and,
what we regret. failing off of badly needed post
office receipts.
In towns of the size Of Phoenix and smaller
towns, the newspapers print a great deal OF local
propaganda-that is, matter which comes loosely.
entirely too loosely, under the head Of news. but
which is of little interest except to the per-
sons who offer it. In the larger cities where the
personal touch Of the newspapers with its readers
is lost there is none even this local propaganda.
There, everything except advertising is assayed
carefully for its content of news interest to sub
scribers. who supposed to pay only for news.
we do not hope and do not wish that the press
agent will ever become extinct. He will, doubt.
exist as he used to exist before the time Of the
propagandist He has legitimate place in the
scheme of Things But he work in the open
as he used to do and he must be armed with the
credentials of press agent. Then, IL he by
his personality put something across" all right
The propagandist the kind of press agent Dr. Crane
is talking about is doomed to failure because he
relies upon putting something over" These
classical expressions, across" and cover" by no
means synonymous