New Britain herald., 1928-11-21
VICTORY FOR EDITORIALS

VICTORY FOR EDITORIALS
 Being in the business of contribut- ing a daily mite of interpretatire in- formation and comment, we natur- ally watched the experiment Of the Boston Traveler-thc afternoon cdi- tion of the Boston Herald-With more than passing interest. The Traveller. it will be remembered, re- gently eliminated it's editorial com- ment explaining that it would sub stitute therefore an enlarged ''peo- plc's forum department In other words, the readers or the paper were supposed to furnish the edi- torials, which if adhered to would save the paper the expense ot en- ploying an editorial writing depart ment of its own.
 We did not think this would turn out very W.ll, and based our notion on one important reason; People who write letters 10 the newspapers do not seek to interpret. the news-eN- cept in rare iustances-huta are more inclined to write about pet subjects. Many can write ably upon such sub iects. too. Admitting all this. it re- mains altogether likely that the ma iority Of ready Underwriters will not furnish lit substitutes for newspaper editorials. A letter from an indig nant subscriber may be interesting to read. but it is rare for the lay writer to give the other fellow credit for | knowing much, especially if he dis agrees. IL is the business of an editor to write with caution and restraint exactly the qualities which do not hedge the path of the lay writer, and there is no reason why they should. An editorial, which is statement by a newspaper. must be carefully con- sidered, and the viewpoint of others must be regarded as likely to be reasonable. In short, it must be dig nited and prudent to be convincing. Of course, there are times when such standards arc missed, chiefly because even editors are human.
 The Boston Traveller discovered within few weeks that it had a large number of readers who desired more than a hodge -podge of letters not related to news which took the place of it's former editorials We suspect, too. that every letter. writer who aspired to write something fit to be utilized as an editorial al-substi- tutc, and who failed to have his effusion thus utilized, became uncom- monly indignant at the obtuseness of the editor and was inclined to be an enemy of the paper henceforth. In city as large as Boston there prob- ably were several score of disap- pointed pseudo editorial-substitute writers every day. and in years time. had the Travellers innova- ton continued, there would have been a small army of foes within the city. The wise editor prefers to make friends rather than enemies.
 In concluding we will let the Boston Herald, morning edition of the Traveller, make the explanation as to why the editorials went back in the Traveller:
 'Time is on the side of the. edi- torial page. With immigration re- ment increased. education diffuse,l more widely. public questions dis cussed more seriously. and prosperity giving more leisure for the intangi- bles of life. the American people are bound in time to take the problems of the day more soberly. The tabloid and the large headline. each with its proper place in journalism. are no substitute for the dispassionate edi- torial. At times, an editorial writer may wonder whether the people read or remember his stuff. The experi- ence of the Trav"ler should remove some of the doubt"