Evening star., 1925-03-06
ATTACK ON PRESS
BRINGS NEAR RIOT
Speaker at Patriotic Confer.
ence Calls Washington
4 Papers Pacifistic.

Charging that the press of Wash
lnston is subsidized and that news
papers print more on the pacifst side
of a question involving national de-
Tense than they do on the other side.
Mrs. Fred l.. Nolland. who represented
herself to be from the Daughters of
the American Revolution, precipitated
=. near riot at the national patriotic
conference at noon today. Mrs. Vol
lands statement came at the conclu-
sion of an address by A. Cloyd Gill.
a Washington newspaper man, IN
which he advocated greater defense
measures. Her attack was Immediate
L. repudia ted by several women, who
rose in different parts of the hall and
denounced her onslaught on the press
of Washington.
Frank L. Peckham, commander OF
the American Legion in the District
of Columbia, attempted to calm the
two factions and said that, while Mr..
Gill was right in his assertions re-
garding the need for better defense,
he had probably laid too much stress
on the value of aircraft in a national
emergency.
Mrs. Potts Defends Press.
Mrs. Noble Newport Potts. presi-
dent of the National Patriotic Coun-
ell, issued a statement defending the
neWspape of the city from the at
tack by the "unannounced" speaker.
Mrs. Potts statement follows:
THE National Patriotic Council is
in no way responsible for the state
ment by a voluntary and unannounced
speaker at the morning session of the
National Patriotic Conference at the
New Willard Hotel intinating a
subsidy OF the press by pacifstic in
terests and to the effect that the
pacifists are able to obtain more space
in the press than such an organiza-
. tion as ours, representing the whole
some patriotic sentiment OF the COM
munity. On the contrary, the press
of Washington has devoted TO our
patriotic conference column upon
column, both in advance of and dur
ing the session of the present pa
triotic conference.
I'VE could not have anticipated a
finer response from the newspapers
both in and outside of Washington.
Particular appreciation is due to The
Washington Star for it's invariable
and splendid efforts to give TO the
people of this community good, clean,
accurate, patriotic news in every one
of its splendid issues"
While Mr.. Gill was referring to the
work of the Coast Guard several
women, who were said to be wives
of Navy officers, left the room.
Patriotism and the urgency for an
adequate national defense are bound
together in the minds of true Amer
leans, speakers declared at the meet
ing this morning.
Declaring that the war is not yet
over for the thousands Of American
soldiers still in hospitals recovering
from war wounds. Capt. Paul v.
Collins told the conference this Ma
tion has less to fear from the for
eign press in the way of radical
propaganda than from American pub
icatfons. Today's session of the
conference was devoted to a discus
sion of, the attitude of newspapers
toward patriotism.
Capt. Collins said the press of to-
day is not expected to take the lead
on public questions, but to follow the
lead of public opinion. He added
that newsFsapers of today have gone
from being 'one-man" affairs, ss they
wera In the days OF Greeley and
Pulitzer to mediums for the express
sion of the thoughts of their readers
"Ths newspaper which does not ex-
press the opinion of the reader is not
a success" Capt, Collins added. The
publications of today, he said, should
not dwell at such length on the hor-
rorS of war as on the dangers of
slackerism and pacificism.
Ccuuuends Gen. Mitchell.
A. Cloyd Gill, newspaper man, told
the conference that Brig. Gen. VIII
liam Mitchell exhibited a brand of
patriotism that should make Amer
leans think, when he told the House
aircraft investigating committee that
this Nation is not prepared in the
air The man and not the uniform
spoke in the illuminating words of
Cen Mitchell, Mr., Gill said, adding
that with the aid of the press Gen.
MitcheIfs words were given wide
disse ulination.
Americans talk IA good air service,
Mr.. Gill told the conference, but do not
have one" He said a poll of the flying
fields of the United States showed this
Nation TO have but Sc airpianes AIDE
quste for fighting purposes.
Says Press Has Been Honest.
The press of the United States has al
ways been honest, Fl. f. West of the
American Defense Society said, even
though in his opinion the tendency to-
gay is to follow public thought rather
than to lead it. Newspapers he said,
should be masters of the public, and not
servants"
Mr. West reviewed briefly the history
of the publication of newspapers in the
Io1l bot n