Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
DECLARES CRIME
NATIONS SHAME
Head of Newspaper Editors
Urges Care in Handling
of News Details.


in the United States a national dis
grace. Casper =. Nost, president OF the
American Society of Newspaper Ed
tors. in annual session AT the W Hard
liotel. proposed today that the mem
herS nf the association. which includes
editors of many Of the largest papers
throughout the country, adopt and
voluntarily conform 10 a code OF prln-
ciples in the handling Of crime news
in an endeavor to reduce that destr,c-
tive element in civilization.
Mr.. Yost who Is editor Of the - :.
Louis Globe Democrat. empha sized,
however. that IL would be neither wise
nor practicable for the society 10 at.
tempt 10 enforce code OF ethics
which would make of the orga MIA ton
reform society" and declared that
the publica ton OF crime news to he
part Of the public responsibilities Of
he newspa peIs.
More than 80 editors present Al the
opening session. vigorously appla uded
the declarat ions OF Mr. Yoat. The as.
ISOLATION will this afternoon hear an
address on "Segregating Crime News. .
by Harvey Ingham. editor Of the Des
Moines Observation-Disclosures. which re
emily fried an unusual experiment In
The suppression OF vicious crime news
IOimS Out IblIUtHVteS.
Pointing out the difficulty Of estab
fishing a system for suppressng the
deliberate pandering to vicious in
stincts" In the publication of crime
news, Mr. Yost declared the Guestio
inevitably is one OF educational and
spiritual progress, moving from an
ideali~tic conception Of what ought TO
he toward a realization Of that con
ception
enforcement is not flea sihle no,
into warning factions. destroying rath.
81 than strengthening the influence
This society should WELD for the bet
terment 81 Journalism. Collectively
and SeVerallN. We ire opposed to any
enCroaChme upon the freedom OF
he press nv mea sures designed 10
control or regulate newspape per con
iuct We condemn censorship in any
form We contend that il Is oar in
aliena bile right to conduct our news
pa pers we see fl
Matter 81 Ethics. lie Says.
Suppression Of news Of vicioms
crime is matter OF ethics. of
morality. he So id. adding that moral
itN cannot be created by law. and
whether political religious or social
government involved in diffiCul-
ties as the effort 20 enforce even
outward conformity with p mora en-
aCtment applying 10 individual con
duct
"Rut We can make effective progress
by underta king to create ~pecinc
rules Of practice ased upon princi-
piles of our Canons the system OF
ethics OF Journalism which the so
ciety has formulated).
The prevalence OF crime in Amer
lea is a national disgrace As news
paper men, whose duty II is Ia deal
with public affairs in news and
editorial this is matter in which
we are deeply concerned. and in re-
gard to which we have a dehnite
obligation to exercise our innnence
for the bettermcnt Of these conditions.
But il Is claimed by many that the
newSpa pers are, 10 some extent.
responsible for our CRIMINAL sit uaIton.
and they are being urged by many 10
ceas the publication OF crime news.
or to make such news as brief and
inconspicuous as possible.
Idea Not Endorsed.
I'm response to This dema nd some
of our newspapers have been expert
menting along these lines. Now !
do not agree with that idea at all. L
not only do not believe that the pub
ltcation Of crime news has had or is
having any material influence in pro
noting crime. hut | believe that the
publication Of crime news Is one ~
the most important duties Of a news.
paper as responsible agency of
public information. And | believe fur
n nf
occurrence is OF nature To warrant
publication on the first page. because
of the degree OF public interest in il,
the first page is where il ought to
60.
Suggests n Commission.
Mr. Yost then recommended that the
society appoint commission 10 draft
system Of fundamental principles to
be voluntarily followed by members Of
the society. Advancement of the pro
fession along this line also could he
and is being made. he said. in the de
velopment of schools OF journalism in
many Of the colleges and universities
of the Nation.
This afternoon the society will he
addressed by Wilmott Harsant Lewis
Wa shington correspondent of the Lon
don Times. on The Political lob of
the Old World Newspa pers and How
They DO It and by Villa IN Hard
Washington newspa perman, who will
speak on Are American Newsps pers
Doing Their Political Job and What Is
IT,"
Following an open forum. wire
problems will he discussed by Stuart
II. Perry. publisher and editor OF the
Adrian Telegram. and the matter of
crime news again Will come up with
the address by MIR. Inehsm Of the
Des Moines Regist er-Tribune
Speakers Listed for Tomorrow.
Tomorrow's sessions will he taken
up with addresses by DR.. George
Barton Cutten. president Of Colgate
University. who will speak on The
Modern Reaction to the Modern
Newspaper: George r. Armsteed.
ma sing editor of the Hartford
Courant. on Covering the City-the
State" and Walter VI. Harrison. man
aging editor of the Daily Okla homan.
on The Editorial advertising Space
Problem
Election of officers and other bust
ness will conclude the convention TO-
morrow afternoon. The present Off
GERS of the society are: Mr.. fost, presi-
dent: George r. Miller Of the Detroit
News. first vice president; Edgar B.
Piper of the Portland Oregonian, sec
und vice president: f.. =. Beck of the
Chicago Tribune. treasurer. and +. e.
Hopwood of the Clevela nd Plain
Dea Ter, secretary.
The directors of the society. which
has membership Of ia newspa per
editors are, In addition to the officers:
Arther NJ. Howe of the Brooklyn
Eagle: Ralph E. Stout Of the Kansas
City Star, Willis j. Abbott OF the
Christian Science Monitor. Charles II.
Dennis Of the Chicago Daily News,
Joseph Pulitzer. St. Louis Post-Dis-
patch. and T. ]. Dillon of the Mime