The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-31
WHAT Is NEWS2

Under this heading The world has on SOW
erai occasions venturod observations OF more
or less portnonce. The question OF Just what In
news and why news Is news Ia OF quite as much
importance to tho public as to tho newspaper
profession.
An Interesting contribution 60 the lasting
symposium was made tho other day by Reuters
one OF tho greatest and most dependable OF the
foreign press associations An Australian gem
tlcman by tho namo OF Gordon residing In
Washington for the purpose Of observing the
operation OF the prohibition law In the United
States, and with view Of advancing the prohi-
bition law Ia Australia, took exceptions to
story which reached tho Australian press
through Reuters concerning tho wholesale vlo-
latlons OF tho prohibtory law In this country
and tho graft so frequently discovered In en-
forccmont circles
When the story reached tho eyes Of Mr. Cor
don in Washington no dcssended on Reuters
Washington office very wroth, and demanded
TO know why tho conservative press association
was stressing tho violations OF tho prohIbItory
law instead OF tho more favorable aspects
with reference to prohibition enforcement,
Reuters representatlvo-and here is tho crux
Of the story-replled as follows;
Tho violation OF any law Mr.. Gordon, IL
news; the observance OF n law Is not news: II
you killed your wife. that would. be news but
the fact that you live In poace and harmony
with your wife Is not news"
Here is an illustration OF what news Is and
why It attaIns value so simple that every read
ing man womaH should be able to grasp It
thoroughly. Let us carry tho illustration a bit
further: n the man who happens to kill his
wife Is n minister OF the gospel. or priest. then
the news value OF the story is n.agnlflcd; or Il
no Ia distinguished in any other respect.
Labor adherents. sometimes part OF the great
newspaper fraternity in which evcry man ought
10 thoroughly understand the news psychology
involved. not infrequcntly complain that un-
usual prominence Ia given labor leader who
commits crime; and they draw from that
fact hostility to union labor. That Is an absurd
scnsativeness not at all justified by the facts.
A labor leader. protesting greater concern
for tho material welfare OF his fellows than
those without tho union. precisely ss a minister
or priest protesting immunity TO material af-
fairs and recognized as representatives OF the
meek and lowly Nazarene. when they yield TO
the baser qualities OF human nature attain n
greater dimension In tho news eye OF the world
than an ordinary citizen committing the same
act.
There are times when even crime story at
tains vast dimensions because OF the qualities
OF the story itself. but In the vast majority OF
eases news stores whether OF crime or any
other nature are measured by tho prominence
of the principal actors For Instance. plain
Bill Jones' opinion OF pending political con-
test is not news. but the opinion OF tho Hon.
william Jones, Just elected national committee
man OF his party. elected to congress, or the
governorship, Immediately becomes big news
Yet the views set forth in themselves may not
be of one whit more actual value than when
expressed by plain old Bill Jones.
Those complaining Mt the prominence given
them in unfavorable news and blaming the
newspapers for the misfortune are on inde-
fensible ground. Your worthwhile. experi-
enced newspaper mar handles and weighs the
days grlst of news with the same dis7assionate
unconcern as to where It came from or who is
involved. as docs the assayer with his samples
OF ore; It is only the actual value OF the prod
uct which counts. Precisely as a newspaper
adheres to this policy. refusing TO either sup
press or garble tho news, does IL rise in the
esteem OF It's readers.
:-----