Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-05
NATIONAL PRESS
CLUB BUILDING
IS DEDICATED

IA
National Press clubs new building
an imposing structure of limeston
and steel in Washington's busines
section, was dedicated tonight witt
exercises which centered arount
President Coolidge while millions o
Americans listened in.
A radio hook up OF 80 stations haC
been arranged to carry to an unSeel
audience sound picture OF the dedi,
cation, in the auditorium OF the club
including addresses by Mr.. Coolidge
j. Fred ESsary Of the Baltimore Sun
as president of the club, and Fran!
B. Moves, president of the Associated
Press.
President Coolidge, who q; an hon
orary member OF the club, nearly twt
years ago laid the corner stone fo1
the building at 14th and F street,
northwest, on the site of the ole
Ebbett hotel, which was part of thl
newspaper row Of years ago.
In an address prepared for tht
introduction of the president, Mr.
Essary noted how the national capita
had become ont only "the great nerve
center" of American social, economic
and political life, but also ''the grea-
news center OF America, perhaps the
greatest news center in all the world. ;
1T has seemed to us fitting" he
said, that the press of the natior
should rear and occupy its cwr
monumental structure in this setting
not merely an ornament but botI
an ornament and great utility
designed to shelter under one roo
the fleet street of America"
Mr.. Noyes paid tribute to tn,
ethical standards and practices which
govern American Journalism today
declaring that in his so years o.
experience in active newspaper worF
these had never seemed to him highe'
than thy are at present
ut is of course true" he added
"that there are excrescences on thu
body polite OF journalism but ever
the armies of the crusaders had Their
venal camp followers and panderer.
and we recognize no responsibilit'
for the wrong doing OF those who
masquerade as journalists totally dis
regarding the high code tilas govern
real newSpapermen
ANY necessary apology should bt
made by those who make these prac
tices profitable those who buy the
wares .
Paying tribute to Washington cor
respondents, Mr. Moves said he con
Sidered it privilege to voice, OF
behalf of the newspapers through tn
country, the high appreciation 20
those who compose your wide flung
membership, of your ideals and finf
fulfillments of those ideals. Of you
courage and the high level of you
ability and your sense of fairness"
s'This latter is of great Importance.
he added with us OF the Associated
Press it is fundamental that ou
report must be free of bias, of par.
tiSanShip, of being for or against am
cause or any person. These restric-
tions do not apply to the Washington
correspondent who is decidedly nlort
than a crack reporter away from
home and who may properly be no.
only interpretive but argumentative 4
and usually is-but together with thD
greater freedom goes the obligatioR
of fairness and of good SportsmansI5
and think this obligation is helC
sacred with you with almost negligible
exceptions"
Humorously recalling the days Ion
ago when resident correspondents
the larger newspapers of the .6euntr
would wait around the old PIeSs clul
until "a Washington paper Appearecs
on the streets to rewrite their owr
articles to be wired home, dr Noye
told this story:
Many years ago the 531Washingto,
correspondents were not as alert anf
pervasive as in this daH and whel
Washington make Fno invidiouf
comparison as to theP present day
started its press nYthe afternoon
the first newsboysN ia secure paper
ran up Pennsylvania avenue anr
turned at 18th street to neWspape
row which then pcluttered up tn
site Of the stately building in which
we are now gathered, crying lustil,
to welcoming eaks: Here's your cor
respondents friend! Here's your cor
respondents friend
'sAnd tonight after all these years
I can think Of no truer messag
that I can hElng to you from thos
far away for whom I speak, thai
to repeat sthis cry: Here's you
correspondents friend; here's you
correspondents friend!'''
The building dedicated tonight wa
constructed at the cost of approx
mately $lO,OOOOOO and houses, il
addition ITO the club quarters, tht
offices Of correspondents Representing
$50 daily newspapers of the country
The federal government has leased
large Humber of offices for the in
ternal 5revenue bureau.
The club was founded March &c
1908, with a handful of members, ant
has grown to include within its
ranks. 1000 resident members, active
and associated, and an equal number
outside of Washington. The club
building covers an acre of ground
and is 13 stories i'll heigns.