Evening star., 1928-02-01
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
JOYS OF JOURNALISM
BY JOSE DE LARA

Spanish humorist Of s,re rote. He has
been acclaimed as the greatest prose "riter
in Spanish literature OF the nineteenth
ccntury.1.
"At last I am a journalist" / ex-
claimed with enthusiasm. and imme-
dately began 10 conceive articles. fully
determined to grind TO dust any writer
who might come under my critical eye
and pen.
was a fool. II I but had known It,
After have told my story. shall leave
the reader 10 Judge whether 1t is not
really better TO subscribe TO a maga-
zine than 10 be one of those who have
TO write It's reading matter for It.
An article on the stage. II you
please" the editor commanded me. OF
course. write for the public. and
think the public deserves the truth.
Therefore believing as l did that the
comedy was asked TO review Is absurd.
the actor bad. and the actress worse
that is what / wrote about 1t. Naturally.
1t caused quite a lot Of excitement for
an obscure critic, such as /. TO condemn
play every one else liked. / was called
names. mind you. Just for being friend
OF beauty and truth--which could not
find in the play I reviewed!
All. yes. the joys OF journalism!
/ few from the stage TO literature.
reviewed book by some daring writer
who did not know how 10 write-anc so
said. He even wrote 10 me personally
and asked me TO be good to him. to be
easy on him. and so on. He asked me
TO dine, and all that To refuse him
meant that my portion would be in
gratitude-and falsehood. for calumny
cir al ia net 9tyt fafr
hood would be my portion If accepted
for then I should have TO lie about him
All. me. these joys OF journalism!
decided TO translate foreign news.
sharpened my pencil. stacked up some
foreign papers before me. and set to
work Three columns were soon written.
Did say three columns? When I
looked for my work in the paper next
day could not find a word OF what /
had written.
Mr.. Editor, what did you do with
my work." asked.
None OF your business!" he said 10
me. Here IL is We couldn't use II
II Is not suitable-this one is out of
date. that one is good but badly
translated"
But 1t has to be turned out under
such pressure. said.
If you cannot do work that way. you
are not the man for newspaper work. E"
he said.
But my head aches"
The head OF a good journalist never
aches" he said
Yes. indeed. the joys OF Journalism !
i decided 10 abandon such trifies. NV
work was 10 be made OF sterner stuff. I
would prepare a profound and instr>lc-
1--WE article-on political economy. for
example.
"A fine article" said the editor "onlv
don write anything more OF this kind :"
Because 1t would ruin my periodical
Who on earth do you think would read
tr Things must be funny. malicious
or artificial nowadays Besides, II would
lake flve columns-all the space / have
lflt. No, Mono more such articles
fou are Just wasting your time"
Yes, yes. the joys Of journalism!
My next article came from the editor
himself Revise these articles. espe-
cially those dealing with poetry or
p0etical subjects"
Yes, Mr., Editor" said do ]
have to read them?"
of course"
very good. But, really. you know,
ia rather fecite the whole I.itany so
times -
Take my word for Il. such are the
Jobs of J0urnalism
Poiitlch and more politics. What else
iiidced, Is left for me- True enough, |
kiio" nothing about politics vbut what
d'Hefence could that ever make? |
wont be the flfst man TO write teno-
fantiy about politics
10 bet 10 work and strung toeether
IA bunch of words like these protocols
representation. conferences. legislation
'oiih'ituiiohaiity, centralization, inter
national relations. Judiciary, treason,
armament. neutrality, revolution, pacific
Understandings, protectorates. executive
optiofi, economic necessity. royal Dre-
foghtlVe, propaganda, etc. etc, etc 10
wrote my article and then the editor
sent for me-
What are you trying To do?" he
asked Are you trying 10 make fool
III me by the ideas you have advanced
IN this articie?"
lLo you mean To Say that advanced
some Ideas" | asked, IN great aston.
lSImrni IF | had any ideas | did not
kiio" u What reason could | have for
advancing amy ideas"
he careful" he warned "Re careful :"
I'm sorry" ] said Il did not sun
pnse vas saying anything not quite
all right"
Anyway" he said. III anything
should come Of what you wrote YOU
would he responsible
II nnuid2" ! ehcisimed In more sur
prise. IT appeared that was 10 suffer