New Britain herald., 1927-04-26
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH
 TO THE. PRESS

I at the dinner Of the United Press in New York was a handsome apprect- alton of the value Of the press in a free country.
 one of the first efforts of all kinds of absolutism is to control the press and the schools as the sources of information and edrca- ton os the people" was trsnchant phrase from this part Of his ad- dress, the truth or which we in our time have abundant opportunities for observing. T have come to have q profound regard for the American press because it represents Amer ica," was a handsome compliment rom the first citizen ot the land.
 As the President at the same time added. it behooyes the press to per form a reciprocal duty" to the government and the people, to give true reports. Tn America the gen. cral sources of information are go numerous and on the whole SO cor rect that any publication which con- stantly misrepresents very soon be- comes marked as unreliable and loses it's influence both for good and for harm"
 That is one 0. the results Of a democratic attitude toward the press and nullifies entirely the fears Of absolutism when it happens to gain power. Absolutism's first act is 10 stamp out the power Of the press because 1t fears the light it sheds: democracy encourages that power, does not fear the light, and permits the common sense Of the people to negative the harmful in- huence Of that minority of publica- ton which through it's own acts makes itself powcrless for good or harm.
 The greater part of the Pres ldent's address, however, was not devoted 10 the press. IL was a de fense of the administration's foreign policy as Illustrated in Nicaragua, Mexico and China. And it was an able defense, having a tendency to ameliorate fears of imperialism, and was a reassurance that the tradi- tional policy of the nation--a policy O. good will toward all-would not be transgressed in those regions.
 Whether the address on all these points was convincing will depend upon the individual opinion. The circumstances in Nicaragua and Mexico are too well known to be lightly explained on the score that our attitude is governed absolutely by the most noble of sentiments The President relies upon the pre- gopts Of international law for sup. posing We have q right to object tc the character o' the Mexican con. stitution and asserts the difference; between the two countries are not arhitrable, as the Senate resolution desired We prefer 10 agree with the senate on this point.
 There was a faint recurrence o inc recently expressed irritation a the press for crtcislag the admin. ietrauons Mexican policy. Thii occurred in the phrase, An Amer ican press which has all the priyi leses which it enjoys under our in s'i,uuons. and which derives it support from the progress and well being Of our people, ought 10 b. first Of all thoroughly American"
 Perhaps the phrase is open tt various lnt"rpretatious. but f l means that newspapers are un American when they do not aere with the policy Of an administration regarding foreign nations, then tn impu'atioH Is entirely wrong. Ther are times when 1t is the height 0 Amcricanism 10 be critical ot th policy O an administration. II is no the boundeu duty of any newspa pers 10 be satellites Of the people servants who happen 10 hold oHics A large section Of the America press has been extremely critical 0 inc administrations attitude in boil Nicaragua and Mexico, and on th whole this criticism has been whole