The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-01-06
''TEIE SEWER SYSTEM OF AMER
CAN JOURNALISM
From "THE NATIONn


tee on December Is to inquire into his charges
that $1,24O0y00 was taken from the Mexican treas
ury ostensibly to line the pockets of four United
States Senator's together with other sums to pro
cure the editor of The Nation, another editor al
yet unnamed, and a newspaper syndicate likewise
unnamed for the Mexican cause. On the witnes!
stand, under oth there ensued the following col
lOquy:
@. Now, Mr.. Hearst, when did you get the
papers which contained the names of United
States Senator's? Were they in the first
batch? A. They were in the first batch.
Q. What investigation, if any, did you make
to ascertain whether payments actually reach
ed Senators limited at in these documents?
A. We could not make any Investigations with
out entirely disclosing the documents.
Q. Well, did you make any? A. No.
Q. Did you interview any of these Senators
to find out their inside of the transaction? A.
No.
e. Did you make any investigation to find
out whether the money mentioned in certain
kilograms here had actually been transmitted
by telegraph to New York? A. l think we
tried to make such Investigations "
O. Have you obtained any evidence which
indicates any Senator accepted any payment
mentioned in these letters? A. No
q. Have you any reason to believe that any
Senator did accept any such money? A. l
have no reason to believe it at ALL AS mat
ter of fact 1 do not beve it. l believe they
did not. That is my personal opinion.
Y. Have you any evidence or have you
heard OF any evidence to show that any of
these Senators knew anything about this
transaction? A. No
.. How much did you pay in for all these
papers, Mr. Hearst? A. 1 imagine about
$4,000 or $4,000
Q. That was paid in instruments as the let
ters came along, was it? A. Yes. Z.
We here have Mr.. Hearst confessing that h
printed documents falsely assailing the honor o
American public men although he did not believ
IN their truth admitting that he did not make an,
investigation whatever, so far as the Senator
were concerned, to ascertain what the Senator
themselves had to say about these charges. Hi
pretense is that he published them with the name.
deleted, as he printed that affecting the honor o.
The Nation and its editor, in order to force {
Congressional investigation. He was willing anC
ready to set afloat thereby host of rumors which
filled the lobbies at Washington and affected fa1
more men than the four Senators named-in or
der, he says, to clear the honor of our public men
long ago been strangers to make it appear tina
they are now bedfellows. He printed those docu
ments because he had paid $4,000 or $4,000 ant
did not want to lose his investment He was afte
sensations to increase the circulation of his Jour
nails, and he took chance of escaping libel suit
by blottng out the names of the men he was will
ing to traduce. We do not believe that in the his
tory of American journalism there has been NOR
0IXT 1TI0f ~, Tho
American newspaper. He has shown himself. a
the New York World points out, unfair, cowardly
without scruple, and beneath contempt.
These adjectives and more besides he would nner
1T If his publication concerned only the honor of I'll
men directly affected. He deserves still wors
branding because the matter profoundly affect
two great nations The whole series of these dor
uments which began with an attempt to show tina
Mexico had been taking sides against us in tn
Nlcaraguan imbroglio was as if planned to iniur
the friendly relations between Mexico and ~
united States. For years past Mr.. Hearst
course as to Mexico has been tortuous in tba e1
IRENE. On May 8, 1916, he wrote over his our
name: "Our flag should wave over Mexico &c III
symbol of the rehabilitation of that unhappv cour
try and its redemption to humanity, and civilize
ton. Gu fright in Mexico is the right of human
1ty." But on February Z, 1922, this devil a mon
would be. He'll then asked plaintively questio
particularly apropos in view of his latest perforn
ance' Every human interest that appeals to
natlon calls on us to do justice to Mexco-politic
diplomacy, business, national defense WHY II
1hcC conspiracy and injuries on a government tbs
is trying to be friendly and from whose friendsbi
we can derive only benefit?" Now he prints do,
tored documents, the dates of one of which he a
ters and touches up" between editions. and seel
70 spread abroad the belief that Mexico is bent Il,
on corrupting for her own purposes the mbl
men OF America We do not know if he MO
moved to this because of anger over his failu,
10 have the titles to his Chihuahuar lands cor
flrmed, as is alleged by the head OF the Mexico
government news agency, or not He admitted d
the witness stand that he feared the libel law
ne printed the names of those involved and !
sought to break the force of this admission bv ..
sorting that he, as great property owner in Me,
lco' mad much more to lose by printing these door
ments. They might, he suggested, lead to hosti
tiles against him in Mexico.
Well, they ought to lead to hostilities AGAIN.
aim wherever decent men are assembled, whereve
men have some regard for the honor of tbei
country and the integrity of their public men. w
nave enough admitted sins by American publi
OFFICIALS to answer for, heaven knows, witbor
having baseless suspicious set on foot without Fl
slightest attempt at an adequate inquiry. AS
matter of fact, wherever we have heard the cas-