Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17
DON'T ROCK BOAT"
EDITORS ARE TOLD.
Alexander p. Moore Urges
Press to Avoid Trouble,
as Sessions Close.

Closing its two-day annual meeting
! here last night with banquet in the
| New Willard Hotel. the American So
| ciety of Newspaper Editors heard
| three nationally prominent members
of the profession evaluate the powers
| OF the press: laud it's mission and per
sonnet. and. incidentally. received sew
! eral inside" portraits Of the King of
Spain. illuminatingly painted by Alex
a nder II. Moore. recent America Am
bassador to Madrid, and one of the
speakers
In addition to Mr.. Moore, who has
Just returned to America after re-
signing his diplomatic post. tie SO
ciety was addressed by Ken, Cooper,
general manager of The 4 s-ocia ed
Press. and DIR, John IL. Finley asso-
ciate editor of the New York Times
Can Tell the Truth.
Prefacing his address with the
| statement he WAS not looking for a
| job and therefore. | can tell the
truth, Mr.. Moore recited numerous
experiences he had Nhile serving in
Spain. and attributed any success he
may have achieved az a diplomat to
the fact that he once was A news
paper reporter and the training re-
ceiVed in that capacity followed him
through TO the present
Mr.. Moore closed his address with
charge TO the editors that won are
living in the greatest country In the
world and don't let anybody say any
thing that Ia going to cause trouble
President Coolidge has his fee, on
the ground; he knows what he is
doing and he is not hunting news
payer notoriety. He's now up in the
White House studying how To make
THIS country better All I ask Is,
please don't rock the boat"
Should Stand by Etchics.
Mr.. Cooper urged that through the
, newspapers themselves the public be
given clearer picture of the romance
of news gathering, go that readers can
better understand the ideals and the
emotions OF those who produce news
papers.. Il know that your society
has code OF ethics" he decla red
and that You are interested in that
code. But II YOU. editors of great
american newspapers. would con
stantly proclaim written code OF
ethics, moral stamp would be pla ced
on the profession OF value not only in
UNFOLDING reportorial standards. but
in raising the newspapers themselves
TO niger plane in public estimation.
II would give the layman measure
by which he could judge how well
| that code was observed"
DR. Finley. who before his advent
into the field Of Journalism. was
prominent educa tor. appeale To the
colleges to select the best students
and equip them with a we'll rounded
out education for newspaper service
Greatest Asset In L. :.
The newspaper Is the greatest as
set in America, Mr. Moore decla red
"Newspa pers are the only expression
| the people have" he added. The old
world is far hack OF the United
States. but no farther than it's news.
papers. Newspapers made the United
states and will save the United States
NO man can he great in this
country unless he has been a re
porter. an editor or had something to
do with q newspaper
We should he the most happy peo-
pie that the sun shines on | lived
for three years In one Of the most ro-
ma ntic countries In the world, but the
hricklayer in the United States has
more Injuries than the greatest
era ndee In Spain. Every editor in
this country should devote his time
to prea ching cententment to our peo-
pie. At times it may be necessary to
say things about conditions, but don't
say too much"
Mr.. Moore said the experience he
gained az newspaper reporter was
the most valua BILE he has had In his
entire life. He told of intimate con
tact with the mighty and the lowIy.
the rich and the poor. the joyous and
the sorrowful. adding there once was
time when. he had shaken hands
with a councilman and wouldn't
want to wash my hands for a week
just because | had shaken hands
with him
Watched a Revolution.
Turing to his tour of duty in Spain.
Mr.. Moore said he was dancing with
some senoritas at point away from
the capital when word WAS brought
to him that revolution was on and
the King was leaving the train for
Madrid. Leaving the pretty senorita
in the middle of the dancing floor. he
boarded the same train with the King.
went to the capital and watched the
revolution Later. he related, he
was approached by the King who told
him he was one OF the brave~ men
he had ever known. The Amba ssa dor
| replied he knew he was brave but he
didn't know the King knew it.
His majesty added Mr.. Moore.
explained that | had ridden on the
| a chance Of its being wrecked or of
| his being killed by bombs"
Mr.. Moore added that his news
paper training had taught him that
wherever there was trouble. get to
the scene Of ii as quick az YOU can.
l had to get there to report the mat
| ter to my Government and the United
States Senate. In Spain today | am
, a brave man because | was a re-
nnftA ar O.,f
didn't see any other diplomats and
knew L was going to have u scoop"
Audience With King.
Shortly after he assumed the post
OF Amba ssador Mr.. Moore said he
had an audience with King Alfonso
and asked him OF SPANS attitude
toward the United States at the pres.
ent time. reminding him that there
had been some unpleasa ntness in
1898.
THE King said Mr. Moore related.
that ! myself have No feeling In
connection with the war. | believe
you won the Philippines fairly and
are entitled to them. l believe you
won Cuba fairly and are entitled to IT,
But I don't believe you acted fair as
far ~ Porto Rico is concerned. as you
took It after the armistice and not
shot was fred
Speaking personally and not for the
American people, Mr.. Moore said he
replied: IF that's all. we will give
back Porto Rico and throw the Philip
pines in for good measure
You will like he'll Mr.. Moore
said the King replied.
On another occa sion Mr.. Moore said
he invited the King to engage in a
polo match in New York for the bene-