The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-05
SUGGESTS PLAN
TO LEARN TRUTH
OF RED SCARE
Newspaper Man Proposes
Testimony Be Offered in
Propaganda Case.
BIZ Times Special

ST. LOUIS, Mo. Jan. 5.-Congress
can easily learn whether or not the
State department persuaded the AS
ISOLATED Press to put out propaganda
on the Mexico Nicaragua situation,
for which the department was I'M
willing to take responsibility itself,
according to Paul Y. Anderson,
Washington correspondent of the
st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Anderson, who attracted national
attention by his story of the manner
in which Assistant Secretary Odds
persuaded this press association, and
failed to persuade two other press
associations-to carry a dispatch re-
lating an imminent threat of
Bolshevism in Central Americans
spending the week at his home here.
He was interviewed today, following
Secretary Kellogg's formal denial
that the State department had been
guilty of the charge made against it.
He suggested, in effect, that Con-
gress question the three press asso-
citation men who were called into
conference by Assistant Secretary
Odds prior to the dissemination of
the Bolshevist story by the Associ-
ated Press.
Anderson made clear at the out
set that he spoke only for himself
and not for his newspaper. 81 have
no authority to speak for the Post
Dispatch, which speaks for itself on
it's own editorial page" he said.
Knew Story Inspired
My account of the Odds incident
was a piece of routine reporting.
When the Associated Press stated
that the spectre of a MeXican-fos-
tered Bolshevist hegemony interven-
ing between the United States and
the Panama Canal had thrust itself
upon the American Mexican rela-
TONS and failed to give its author
ity, virtually every experienced cor
respondent in Washington recog-
nized it at once as an inspired story.
was one of several who started
cut to discover who inspired it.
From this investigation resulted the
dispatch published in the Post-Dis-
patch of Nov. IS.
In reporting an event at which he
was not present, a reporter must
gather information from sources
which he considers reliable. If he
misjudges the reliability of his
sources, he should be and usually IS,
held accountable by the newspaper
which employs him. On the Post
Dispatch the rule is strictly enforced.
Had Confederation
1.-THE principal source of my in
formation on the Olds incident was
a gentleman with whose personal
and professional character 1 was
thoroughly acquainted, and whose
word 1 would unhesitatingly accept
against that of Secretary Kellogg
under any circumstances that l can
imagine. 1t was subsequently cor
roborated from other sources, some
of them inside the State Depart
ment. I was perfectly satisfied with
the accuracy Of the information
then and I am perfectly satisfied
with it now. The terms of Secre-
tary Kellogg's denial, the lateness Of
it's appearance and his reputation
for frankness in public affairs, sug-
gests that he may have resorted to
the diplomatic device of constituting
the questions in the way that will
allow him to give the most conven-
lent answer. The device is not orig.
inal with him.
But why handy words? Does
Congress really want to know wheth-
err the State Department requested
press association representatives to
send out a story of the kind which
the Associated Press actually did
send out? If so. Congress can easily