Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-01
PRESIDENT DENIES
BANKERS HAD HAND
IN COURT PROPOSAL
Not a Grain Of Truth in
Charge That "Big Money!
Is Leading Him, Harding
Tells Editors

WASHINGTON, April 29.-Speak.
ing intimately as an editor to edi-
tors, President Harding, in an adj
dress last night before the American
Society of Newspaper Editors, de-
clared to be without truth state
ments\ that the administration had
proposed American membership in
the permanent court Of nationas at
the behest of international bankers.
The president touched upon a
number - subjects of especial in.
terest to the editors and said he
would rather be a. newspaper pub
Usher than anything else in the
world" for that reason he AIDED, he
was going to remain publisher of the
Marion Star until they settle up
my estate"
81 care nothing about editorial
criticism directed against the indi-
vidual," the president said, in lead
ing. up to his reference to the inter-
national court. ''but I read within
4S hours a very earnest editorial
wherein it was stated that the re-
cent proposal of the executive to
the senate that we adhere to the
international court of justice was
imposed upon the executive by the
influence and the cunning and de-
sign of the international bankers.
Well, there isn't word of truth In
it, and want to tell this to you, be-
cause it will enlarge your vision and
enable you to comment sometimes
a little more satisfactorily.
81 f~--o been president something
more than two years. 1 have yet
to be asked for an audience or inter-
view by a single international bank
err in. America. or elsewhere, And
the only exchanges Of opinions be-
tween international bankers and the
president of the United States have
been at the request of the president
and it is fair to say that in the
instances when they have been sum-
moned they have said, with just the
same patriotic interest and devotion
that you would say, Mr.. President.
we are at your sevice in any way
you wish to command u.s.
1T is fair to tell you that when
publishers and editors say with seem
ing sincerity and great emphasis
that the government is being led
astray at the behest or design of the
bankers there isn't grain Of truth
to justify the statement"
Mr.. Harding praised a code Of
ethics adopted by the editors today,
saying There never was time
when a fitting code of ethics was
so essential to the press of Ameri-
ca" He referred to the trans
formation which has been in prog
ress looking toward consolation and
estimation of newspaper and said
there were probably twenty-five per
cent less newspapers in the United
States today than there were ten
years ago.
IF my observations as president
OF the United States have taught
me any one thing" he continued,
1T is that there are too many men;
in the newspaper world who believe
one thing and preach another. And
that is not honest; and that is not!
a contribution to the coming Jour.
nalisln.
Il recently listened to an out
standing editor-pblisher Of the
United States who look my time for
two hours urging upon me the ne1
cessity of reduction in federal taxes.
notably excess profits and income
and surtaxes, particularly pressing
1t with every word OF argument that.
he could form, and his newspapers
at that very hour were clamoring
that the minions Of capital were
proposing to reduce the taxes on the
wealth Of this country. I would not
give rap for the conscience of a
man like that.
Think of the spectacle of a great
publisher appealing to the president
on the one hand for the very thing
which his papers were crying out
on the other.
1T is easy TO be a respectable
purveyor of news. That is not the
Journalist. There are fine ethics in
perveying news, but journalism cov-
ers the whole field, and an honest
journalist is never unfair in stat
ing the facts upon which he bases
his comment"