Evening star., 1926-04-04
BY BEN McKELWAY.


~ URING the current week some
$50 Latin American newSpa-
per men, representing as
- many influential newspapers
of the South and Central
American republics, will gather in
Washington to meet ana to talk shop
generally with Yankee members OF
the craft. The meeting will be the
first Pan-American Congress of Jour
nalists, and is held in accordance with
a resolution proposed by the American
delegation to the Fifth Pan-Afnerican
Congress three years ago in Santiago,
Chile.
The gathering is significant and In
teresting. For many years now the
doctors, the school teachers. the farm
ers, the lawyers, the postal authori-
ties, the manufacturers and the diplo-
mats of North and South America
have been exchanging ideas. opinions
and advice, all of which made for
more enlightened intercourse between
the people of the American republics.
But the meeting this week in Wash
ington is the first between men who
hold in their hands the recognized in
strument for molding public opinion.
And public opinion, in the end, Is
what determines the manner of ties
which bind peoples together. 1t is al
together necessary and fitting that
men who direct this important force
should have an intelligent understand
ing of each other through friendly
discussion of their mutual problems.
Harmony Assured at Start.
Such an opportunity will be afforded
in the forthcoming congress. Happily,
1nlF a
ing. There are no situations fraught
with danger. There are no crises loom
ing. There is nothing 10 deadlock the
discussions. nor Is there cause for any
delegation to leave the marble halls OF
the Pan.American Union in huff,
pack it's belongings and take the next
boat back to South America. The
conferees have no official standing,
they are attending the conference in
dependently, and the whole purpose
of their coming together is TO get
acquainted" and to talk TO each othel
of ways and means for making the
press play it's harmonious part in the
concert of nations.
The whole congress has been de-
signed to bring the Latin American
newspaper men into contact with men
of their profession in the United
States: to afford them an opportunity
of talking together, and, finally, 10
show them something Of the country
in the hope that they will carry back
with them to their homes a better and
more sympathetic understanding OF
the American people, their mode OF
life and their method of thought.
1t is difficult to conceive of sim.
pier, vet more practical. method OF
rurthering the cause of friendly rela-
tions with Latin America. The rlght
sort OF publicity is an efficacious in
strument. 1t is capable of accom-
plishing much good. But, to secure
this publicity, newspapers must be
won over by frank and open discus
sion of the subject, While those who
write of it must understand II.
Railroad Case Cited.
Not so many years ago a certain
railroad found itself constantly In no
water with the public. An accident
on it's lines was not portrayed in th'
newspapers as simply an accident. bu
as Another Accident" Something
naturally. had to be done about II. 4
Young man presented himself 10 th'
officials of the railroad and INDICATED
that he could correct the bad taste II
the mouths of the. public concerning
this railroad. filS SuSSSSliOH was O.
amazing scheme which first sent the
railroad officials into Mysteries an6
then led them to request, coidiy bu'
firmly, that the young man leave the
office. BY dint of much argument
however, he finally brought then
around to his way of thinking. Ht
suggested that the next time there
was a wreck on the railroad the news
naDers should be notified immediatel!
and a private car placed at their dis
posal TO convey reporters to the scene
of the accident. Somewhat doubtfullS
the plan was tried. \ slight wrecl
occurred and the astonished city
editors were notified by the RAILROAD
and invited to send reporters i'm
mediately to the station. At the sta
ton the reporters were placed in
private car. provided with cigars an6
hastened TO the scene of the wreck.
There, instead of being rebufed oN
hardboiled railroad detectives. they
were allowed free rein to so wherever
, they plea sed and to ask as many ques
tions as they could think of. Thell
questions We're answered. the cause O
the wreck was explained and they wit
messed. meantime. the machinery
brought into play by a railroad whel
wreck ties up it's lines. To thu
enlightenment of the railroad officials
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