The daily worker., 1927-05-11
MURDER
The New American Industry
By CHARLES YALE HARRISON.

husband to death with sash-weght and the police prom
sed bigger and better details to follow the New York
editorial executives wiped the dripping saliva from their
ows and awaited the increase in circulation. 1t came
If it made to order the press could not have had
better story big blonde beauty feminine Interest,"
dapper corset salesman, comic relief; little nine-year
old daughter, human Interest," garden-oving murdered
husband, respectablity.
Sensational murder trials mean increased circuation
increased circulation higher advertising rates;
higher rates dividends; dividends mean
a successful industry, and newspapers among many
other scandaous things, thrive on murder.
To be quite that the public would be aroused to
the proper pitch of sadsc frenzy the newspapers began
a campaign of special writing" The ordinary
porting would not do TRAINED seals" and writers of
note were hired to increase the shrek.
Noveliss philosophers, evangelists reformers prom
inent panders and celebrated Divorces engaged
write "ange" stories The dull gaze in the public eye
turned to a bright glitter.
The ultra-respectabe New York Times devoted pages
Of space to interviews and coor" stories prominent
actress whose sole claim to fame that she had mar-
red" six times, and whose reputation is
too savory, gave vent to this bit of psychology "Gray
weak-Ruth love-boss." Half million New Workers
licked their chops and went to bed to dream.
Came the day of the trial Into the spacious courthouse
in Long Island City swarmed hundreds of spectators
Crowds med around the doors seeking entrance At the
presstabes sat 125 newspapermen and feature writers
In nearby room tangle Of special and leased wires
clicked the crazy tattoo to the utermos ends of the
earth. Everybody basked in the lmelight of the two
unfortunates' misery.
The New York Telegram (now a Scripps- Howard
Newspaper howed blood and thunder, engaged the
knock em-dead, up-to-the minute American philosopher
viii Durant-and waited for the circulation to go up
Quoth he, "How it illuminates the revived matrar-
chate of day-the control of by woman in the
home and in the street-that this gladiator of the cab
arets this corset corsair philosophical ALTERATION
Y H. should be led by the nose from madness to mur
der under the artistry of womanl and the elec
frTa of1ah cf f9rarro h fIoc
Professor Durant goes from The Story Of Philosophy
to the Telegram-or from bad to worse.
Mrs Aimee MACPHERSON the honest-to-goodness
Sharon Faconer said, "If only Ruth had known Jesus"
The Reverend John Roach Straton Christs first as
sstant here on earth said, IF only Mrs Snyder knew
the Ten Commandments"
Peggy Joyce the marathon matrimonial champion
said IF only Ruth knew how to love-"
The circulation departments said, "It's going up"
The spectators stormed the doors early every morn
ing Nor were they the riff-raff in
garden courtrooms. They were, what a journalistic
friend of mine calls the respectables They too had
husbands whom they despised slightly. They too had
luck (S450 still owng). They too, had stereo-
typed houses cast from the mould. And they too
had looked with beary bourgeois eye the gayer
things of life-and dared motor maybe they did.
They crowded into the spacious courtroom and behed
good show. Just imagine, she had everything a
woman could want-thats what happens to people when
they become unsatsfied always said if your husband
good living and treats you Christian-lke-why
hats good enough for any decent 1t her
ght leading him astray Oh, hope she gets it good
nd plenty"
'Whatl do tomorrow, honey, got two tickets to
keiths Palace reporter friend of mine says he can
let us in to see the Snyder trial"
The ampifers catch the testimony and hur it into
eager with metallic ntonation.
She told me that same night that she didn't believe
in God. / told her there must be a God"
Wo,r lid
your mother to live with you, and you had nice home
and good clothes and automobile and a motorboat.'
YES"
yet you say you unhappy"
you didn't do anything? You. were perfect lady?'
YES"
Laughter breaks out in the court room Cold, hard
unsympathetc, American laughter.
The show is Virtue is triumphant-respectabit
and the home vindcated disrespect for Buick and
mortgage and good clothes stands pillored. Hefty
matrons clasp their hands and tighten their mouths
Telegraph instruments click and catter in the neigh
boring room, reporters dash out for bite to eat
On the newsstands throughout the country special ed
ons are hurled off the Whee-ee the crcula-
ton's going up.
All day long in thousands of newspaper offices the
telegraph instrument ticks of the murder news hun
dreds Of thousands of words of testimony trained sea
stuff, yards Of special writing
Human interest stuff, "Mrs. Snyder broke down and
wept the stand when Hazleon asked her If her hus-
band was disappointed when Baby Lorraine was born
because she not boy. "Yes, that's right" said the
witness, breaking into tears.
On the third day of the trial the mob stormed the
police lines and tried gain the overcrowded
courtroom The redfaced crowd jammed the doors and
reporters who tried to get out with their copy were
showed back and manhanded Riot prevailed. Middle
class justice was being meted out
Downtown in the neighborhood Of Park Row, newspa-
per executives sit with tight smiles playing about their
mouths. "Yessir, it fails, play up murder and
nuka H. H. LrI.k .I..A