Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04

a right to see them in their proper
focus, to know them for what they
really are. It is the function Of the
special correspondent in Washington
to convey the true picture. whether 1t
be of friend or foe. II he fails to do
so. he must be venal or stupid, and
can forgive him only for the latter
weakness.
In the days of President Roosevelt
a select group of newspaper cor
respondents was called into the White
House every now and then to hear
what the President had in his mind.
His ideas were projected as trial bal
looms" If the popular reaction was
favorable Col. Roosevelt adopted them
as his own. If they fell fiat he said
he never heard of them and he left
the newspaper men holding the bag.
President Wilson surrounded himself
with small group of newspaper men,
who printed as gospel his personal
opinions. President Coolidge adhered
religiously to the principle that he
should treat all newspaper men alike,
and his personal popularity today in
dicates that he profited rather hand
somely from the experiment. President
Hoover has reverted to the Roose-
dertaking will be disclosed in due time.
Thought OF Murder.
1t comes down to a rather simple
proposition of protecting the American
public against the hokus-pokus which
politicians in Washington will put over
If the intelligence of Washington news
paper men drops below par.
recall day in the Senate In 1918
when "Gumshoe Bill Stone and Boss
BoieS" Penrose went at 1t hammer and
tongs in the first violent political row
after Mr.. Wilson had stated in his
brilliant war message, politics is adj
journed." The Democratic Senator
from Missouri and the Republican
Senator from Pennsylvania reconvened
politics with such emphasis that we in
the press gallery thought the two men
might attempt to murder each other
on the Senate floor before they closed
their heated argument.
AS reporters we were in a lather of
excitement over this great outburst of
partisanship-th first of the war. The
incident was historical. We insisted
on official stenographic reports of the
fighting words which Penrose and
Stone had passed on the Senate floor.
We obtained them. We left the Cap
itol stoop-shouldered under the burden
of the official transcript of the Penrose-
Stone combative language. A big red
automobile whisked by us and nearly
ran over us. 1t was the car of Senator
Penrose. On the spacious back seat
were Boies Penrose and Bill" Stone,
chatting merrily and quite friendly.
We reproached Senator Penrose about
it the next day. The Senator chuckled
all over. His giant frame rocked with
suppressed laughter.
bill Stone and are pretty good
friends" he said. then added signif-
icantly "after dark"
1t is the function Of the special cor
respondent in Washington to be alert
to incidents of the sort and. interpret
them for what they are worth.
We are told that the difference be-
tween a reporter and a journalist in
Washington is that the journalist wears
spatS, carries cane, has a silk hand
kerchief in the breast pocket Of his
coat and borrows money from report
erS. Having loaned as freely as my re-
sources permitted, while having precious
little luck at borrowing. hope still
may call myself a reporter.
There is, after ALL no real difference
between the press association reporter
and the so-called special correspondent
in Washington. Both are concerned
with the news. It happens that the
one sticks religiously to facts, while the
other sometimes INDUCES in opinions as
analysis, an item of news is far more
important to both than what either
might think about it.
Different Jobs.
They have different jobs to do, and
their respective responsibilities do not
conflict so long as both function eff
ficiently. The press association reporter
gets the facts as rapidly and as ac-
curately as possible and puts them on
telegraph wire The special correspond
ent undertakes to interpret those facts
to his readers, to elaborate them. to
convey their real significance. We fight
like the devil to beat one another, but
we are united in our opposition to any
body's contention that the radio, the
newsreel or the movietone can take
the place of the newspaper in the
American home.
Every newspaper In the country has
the service of one or more press
associations. About 500 newspapers
have special bureaus in Washington.
That means those newspapers desire
something supplemental to the general
run of the news. In most instances
the function of the special correspond
ent Is to supply local news. By that 1mean
news of special concern to a partic-
ular community and not OF great value
elsewhere; the appointment of post
master, or prohibition administrator.
items of State politics, the comings and
goings of Congressman or the sage