Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-08
Thursday. June 8, 1922.
FAIRNESS IN NEWS REPORTING

FAIRNESS IN NEWS REPORTING
Remember there are two sides to
every question. Get them both. Be
truthful Get the facts. Mistakes are
inevitable, but strive for accuracy. I
would rather have one story exactly
right than one hundred wrong. Be
decent, be fair, be generous"
This was the sort of advice Warren
G. Harding used to give to his news
paper workers when he was getting
out a paper in Marion. Now to be
fair and be tSuthful one should at
least comprehend both sides of the
question. The readers Of the press
should be wise enough to insist upon
this. They would be requesting no
more than what they pay for when
they buy the paper. The evidence
that the average reader, If he pos
sesses the wisdom, doesn't act upon
it. may be found in the huge sales Of
the sensation sheets which find the
filth OF China town more to their lik-
ing than the self sacrificing, courage
Gus and often brilliant achievements
TO which no community would be a
stranger if it considered what is real
~, going on. Does it consider it?
Would 1t be interested so to do?
These are not pleasant questions. If
the community doesn't care for those
things which really make life worth
living, only for those misfortunes and
iniquities which sometimes make it
seem unbearable, manifestly it needs
something very essential to its con-
tnuod welfare.
When President Harding the other
day urged upon newspaper men their
obligation not to eXaggerate the evil
mon do on the one hand nor overlook
the good they do on the other he
mildly performed a duty which he is
especially fitted to perform 1t should
have been expected there would be an
occasional yclp about his desire to
muz2le the press, but always some
dogs Will be silly enough to bay the
moon.
The press owes it to The public to
report law breaking; to pay due at
tcntion to the criminal. This pub
licity is a strong deterrent. But I'M
fair criticism reacts and in the end
arouses sympathy for the lawbreaker
a fow years ago certain publications
grow rich overnight exposing condi-
tons, some Of which at least merited
it. This " ork became known as
undertaking and was carried to such
extremes that it lost whatever influ-
ence for good it might have possessed.
1t has been said the desire for de-
tails Of cri.ninality is because they
are exceptional, whereas the deeds Of
the law observing are common place.
There Is n measure OF truth in this
but not all. by any means. A normal
appetite delights in clean, wholesome
food; 4 depraved appetite Graves APP
potizcrs. condiments and often results
in indigestion and general unhtness.
President Harding isn't asking the
press to suppress any Of the facts re-
spect.ng the approaching trials of the
war grafters. Those facts should be
cmhl12onod so that even those who
run may read But in fairness those
who suffered from serving should not
be forgotten. Thousands risked their
lives for the cause. Some Of them
paid the fun price. Many are broken
md suffering. Not one Of these
should be forgotten Any fact per-
tanning TO them should be news"
and the public should see to it that it
gives it's support to the press which
RECOGNIZES il, which keeps due sense
Of proportion. which sees in the days
events much to inspire love Of ones
kind MS well as horror 1t is all news,
and 1t MI happens; every day in the
year, there are good deeds as we'll as
bad deeds.