The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-23
Non-Partisan News Seruice
 Defined As A. P. Policy
Frank B. Moves, President of The Organization,
 Outlines Its Methods at Annual Luncheon

newspapermen that we should know it.
 T make no claim of inerrancy. Where the human factor is concerned, mis- takes are inevitable.
 What we do know is that as mem bers of The Associated Press we de- mand an honest. unbiased report and that we are getting.
 Tt is, of course, true that in the many years of the existence of The As sociated Press. there have been charges of bias. unfairness or misstatement. These charges have always been ex- haustively investigated. If an error has been made, as has sometimes inevitably been the case, that error has been promptly corrected. More often it has been found that the complainants was in error as to what The Associated Press had actually carried, or had at- tributed to it items which were the product of special correspondents of individual newspapers.
 From the most material standpoint, intelligent men do not poison the bread that they eat--the members of The As sociated press and the working staff would be doing that very thing if they defiled the news by which they live.
 Relates Story
 Turning now from The Associated Press and it's mission let me be re- minded at this point of story cur rent in Washington last year.
 "A very high official had a really underserved reputation of extreme re- ticence, and it is related that at dinner the lady on his right opened the conversation by saying that her neighbOr had it in his power to lose nr tx,f., fnv ~I, had made bet that, however, reserved he might have been with others. he would talk with her. Then came measurable pause, followed by you lose l have spoken of this reputation for taciturn- ity as undeserved.
 ''ln Washington. as elsewhere, we have many men who talk a great deal and say very little. We have a few who talk little but say great deal when they do talk.
 "We are greatly blessed < nation and as q group today flt8t our. honor guest has in superlative degree the faculty and the desire to make abso- lutcly clear his matured judgment with no unnecessary words.
 "Fugitives From Justice
 "A distinguished member of our craft. Mir. William Hard. has aptly described a large number of men now prominent in political life as 'fugi- tives from justice Certainly it may be said that our guest. of today is fugi- tive from nothing and that there is no need for surmise as to exactly what his words mean.
 T have, I think you realize. Mir. President, no commission from the members of The Associated Press au- thorizing me to give their views on any contrOverted question.
 Accordingly, cannot say to you that they agree with you in your stand on the surtaxes or on any other ques- tion now occupying public thought. al- though l do feel warranted in at least guarded approval of your Thanksgiv- ing Day proclamation.
 "On one subject. however, I am sure that l can voice the earnest feeling of the organization, collectively and in- dividually, and that is in the express sion of the high respect in which we hold the great office which you fill, and in you, sir, who are so steadfastly bearing the heavy burdens that are inn posed upon you.
 We greet you with great respect. with high appreciation and with real af- lection
 Our custom is to offer but one toast on these annual occasions.
 T ask you to drink the health of the President of the United States Calvin Coolidge, and to the gracious lady of the White House, Mrs. Cool idge"