Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-05
PRESIDENT
lContinued Prom Page one

Nobody questions this on the ju-
dicial side, but those who are SO
engaged are required to be licensed
and their appearance before such
tribunals is a matter of court record.
AS in the case of the federal govern
ment those who are analogously enl-
ployed in legislative and department
tai matters are not required to make
a like disclosure of the interests which
they undertake to serve, it is neceS-
sary to depend on the press for such
information"
AS time goes on, Mr. Coolidge said,
'the spirit of mankind" is more and
more demanding that government anu
society be conducted under the laws
of truth. and he cautioned that those
who. forget that precept "are bound
for a moral explosion
publicity, he said, "is not only
the main agency of reform, it is like
wise the main agency of prevention.
In it's true function it is not the
voice of the individual reporter or
editor, but the voice of public ex-
preston. It represents the thought,
the hope, the aspirations and the faith
of the people"
The press, however, should not only.
be fair, Mr.. Coolidge declared, but
it should remember in its criticism
that there is a need for discrinina-
ton. Constant attack upon the adj
rninistration of public affairs, the OPP
Grafton of commercial enterprises, the
conduct of social life and the foment-
ing of class distinctions and jealousies,
he said, disintegrate the spirit OF pa
triotiSln.
There is always need for criticism,
the president declared, "but there is
likewise need for discrimination. There
is a requirement for justice and truth.
Constantly to portray the failures
and the delinquents is grossly to mis-
lead the public It breeds an un-
warranted spirit Of cynicism. Life is
made up OF the successful and the
worthy. In any candld representation
of current conditions they have the
first claim to attention. In the effort
of the press to destroy vice. It. ougnG
not to neglect virtue"
Turning to description OF the new
press building, the president SAID IT,
was symbol of the development OF
the whole United States.
"The old, the outworn, the poorly
adapted, has been discarded and re-
moved to make place for the new and
the modern" he said. ut represents
an increase in power, not by any
means limitleSs, but very vast. Thef
process has transformed our press
club into a great business institution.
Something analogous to this has
taken place in the journalism OF our
country. The press itself, by the very
force of circumstances, in order 10
survive has ben cheanged from an Or
ganization of partisan and personal
opinion into a very great commerclal
organization. 1t has become mucn
more important, in fact Indispensable,
to the business enterprise OF the
country, but appears to have lost Vcry
much of it's power as q director o.
public thought. There are SO many
other avenues of information thaC
neonle are much less dependent than
formerly upon the press Tor Jnelr
knowledge of men and OF attalrs.
"Now that the transition has been
made through various consultations,
and through the elimination OF the
unsuccessful, the Journalism OF the
United States has on the Wnole %
>tablished itself according to tne, new
standards upon profltaple llnallclai q,
basis. 1t ought to undertake 70 r.
captIre the dominant position II 1ot
merlv held as distributor OF CUT
rent information and a dlrecGor VI
public opinion 1t ought to conCesC
with our universities as an lnIluehlce
for education and match the pulpit ~
its support Of high moral STANDARDS.
------C-----------
GUTrH