Evening star., 1923-04-28

How to get supply of seasoned re-
porters and real copyreaders is the
biggest problem before the editors
of the country today. This was en-
phaSized during the discussions yes
terday and today of the conference
of the American Society of News
paper Editors, in the Willard Hotel.
Recommendation that the associa-
ton make an intensive study of where
the newspapers of the future are go
ing to get these workers who will
enable the daily newspaper profess
sion to advance was made by Paul
Bellamy OF the Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Striving for Accuracy.
This crying need of the newspapers
was voiced by leading editors from
all over the country, from the Pacific
coast state Of oregon to the Atlantic
coast state of Massachusetts,. when
the subject Truth and Accuracy in
News" was under discussion. Ralph
E. Stout Of the Kansas City Star
started the discussion and said the
newspapers are striving for accuracy
of fact, of expression and Of spirit
Caspar s. Yost Of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, president OF the assoei.
relative responsibility of the reporter
and copy reader for maintaining
truth and accuracy.
+. S. Beck of the Chicago Tribune,
treasurer of the association. empha-
sized that while the editors look to
the copy reader to catch mistakes, he
too often prides himself on speed and
, gets a wrong idea for his headlines
by not reading the whole story care
fully.
Not Sufficiently Educated.
H. j. Wright OF the New York
Globe held the executives or the
newspapers responsible in not en-
pIoying trained minds. He said the
city editor should be careful not to
assign a reporter TO cover a Suo1ecI
| he does not understand. He charged
the papers with not employing sum l.
ciently educated men.
c. w. Danziger OF the Pittsburgh
Gazette Times spoke in commenda-
tion of the reporters, pointing out
| that they do a good job in quick time.
to cover a scientific meeting the re-
| port would be dry as dust and no one
but n scientist would want to read
! it, while if a bright young reporter
/ was sent out he would probably md
a good news story and turn in a
snappy feature that people would
! read and talk about.
| Urges Better Pay for Copy Readers
Willis j. Abbott of the Christian
| Science Monitor warned the editors
/ that too often the copy desk job is
| not made one Of real opportunity in
a newspaper office. but is the last re-
/ sort of the superanpuated He said
the association should lead in an
| effort to attach more dignity and bet
/ ter pay to the men who read copy
| Paul Bellamy of the Cleveland
Plain Dealer focused the attention
of the editors on the frequently
1 reiterated necessity for getting ex-
perienced reporters and developing
| writer's. He said 1T does not pay q
paper to send a fiedgling reporter
just from school to interview a. big
| business man. You expect too much
ing them to be able to talk with q
bishop, to work with the police or
a murder, and then write learnedly
about the Einstein theories"
| A reporter must have breadth o,
experience, he said. He also empha
| sized that reporter must not only
bring in the facts, but must put some.
thing Of himself in each story or il
is not worth reading. There is too
much hothouse forcing of reporters
he warned.
Reliable Men Needed.
The question of getting a supply Of
reliable copyreaders is one of grave
concern, Mr.. Bellamy reminded the
editors. This whole question of sup
ply of new working material is the
biggest problem we have before u:
today"
other discussions today are: On ''Th.
| Distinctive Character of a Newspaper
led by Charles Med: Puckette of the
New York Evening Past, with Edgai
B. Piper Of the Portland Oregoniar
and John S. Cohen Of the Atlanta Jour
nal participating; on The Reader.
Part in Instructing the Editor" lee
i by ]. T. Williams. jr., Boston Trans
Toledo Blade and Marc A. Rose of the
Buffalo News participating: on Seek,
| ing and Getting Publicity" led by Her.
bert Bayard Swope. New York World
with Archer w. Shaw. Cleveland Plair
Dealer, and H. e. Newbranch. Omahs
World Herald, participating.
| Arranging the Editorial Work
SHOP" led by George E. Miller. De-
troit News. with E. S. Beack, Chicago
Tribune, and Joseph Garretson, Gin
on "Critics of the Newspaper" led b1
Arthur H. Vandenberg of tho Crane
Rapids Herald.
| Omcers are to be elected late thf!
afternoon.
| President Harding is to deliver al
address on Journalism" at the ban
quet tonight. John w. Davis. presi
dent Of the American Bar Associa
ltton and recently ambassador t.
Great Britain, will be the only othe!
banquet speaker.
Seven Salient Features.
"Canons of Journalism"-the sever
salient principles Of the journalist,
cial committee headed by q. 3. wriEh
Of tho New York Globe. Ate,
kzptEitAd dehatA thssA WsrA Eafaxxst