Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04
WRITER'S DESCRIBE
NEWS GATHERING
Correspondents Recite Trials
and Toys of "Covering"
Capital.
Continued From First PageD

They asked each other why it was that
the convention visitors appeared to be
going about from place to place IN
groups of three. Finally one suggested
that In each such group one was a
delegate and the two others were
boosters for The nomination OF Herbert
Hoover.
Shortly afte2ward, however, these two
curious observers came together again,
and one said to the other:
II have solved the mystery. One OF
the three is a delegate. but the other
two are Associated Press reporters"
I do not vouch for the authenticity
of this story, which was passed around
In the newspaper fraternity during the
convention. In fact, l am sure there
must have been mistake, for the dele
gates numbered something over thou-
sand, while the Associated Press re-
porters present numbered something
under a hundred But I repeat what
was noised about because, without refer
ence to exact mathematics, 1t illustrates
as we'll as anything could how press
association covers the news OF WASH
ington In oth:r words, the whole secret
lies in having an organization large
enough and Sharp-witted enough 10
have reporter wherever any news may
develop.
Varied Reports.
Ineren lies the eApldlldCLOIl VI WI
tain things each of you can observe
about the daily newspaper which you
NAV have laid aside few minutes ago
to listen to the radio. If you will recall
what that paper looked like in detail.
YOU will remember that 1t contained
dispatches from Washington on wide
variety of subjects. One dispatch may
have discussed what the Government
proposes to do about limitation OF naval
what a group of Senators. Shut away IN
a committee room. are doing about the
tariff: another may have come nearer
home and dealt with plans for new
Federal building or candidates for post
master in your own city.
Nine out of every ten of these dis
patches probably came to you through
the Washington bureau OF great
countrywide press association. Ihere
was nothing haphaZard about 1t. They
came to you in such profuSlon ana III
such variety because the press asso-
citation maintains in Washington far
flung. but very closely organized stan,
whose business it is day in and day out
to have reporters where news is likely
to develop.
You might easily suppose that in
undertaking to fill so large an order
in the country's greatest news center
the Washington bureau of press asso-
citation would be precisely in the position
of the Old Woman Who Lived In
Shoe. That in fact would be the case,
were 1t not for the circumstance that
modern day methods >of organization
have been applied with great vigor and
great effect to a profession which in its
earlier history was anything but orderly.
Today the competent newspaper execu-
tive. whatever else he may be, must be
q competent organizer. He must know
his men and must know where to put
them.
A Staff of 80.
The Associated Press of which I can
speak with definitenesS because / hap
pen to have had the privilege of serving
it for upward of 20 years, maintains In
Washington a staff of 80 editors and
reporters Their daily duties take them
everywhere about the Capital City, and
each knows what his duties and reSpon-
sibilitieS are just as specifically as
sentry knows the boundaries of his post.
They maintain communication with
central desk authority through prl-
vate telephone switchboard, with score
of branches radiating out to Government
departments. The reporters at the ends
of these branches are the fingertips OF
a highly sensitized system of communl-
cation. which in the end gathers in Tor
you readers of newspapers the days har-
vest of news about your Federal Govern
ment.
You should not suppose that the in
PRODUCTION of discipline and compact
organization has crowded out of the
business of reporting the romance and
the thrill of the days gone by What
could be more fascinating than to see
with the naked eye the history OF the
United States Government in the max
ing day by day, and to help in the task
of recording that history for the people
back home to whom the Government
belongs? Even in these modern years
when the tendency is toward the for
NAL announcement" handed out to re-
porterS on neatly mimeographed sheets,
there still remains bountiful reward
of adventure and Of romance for the
reporter who is willing to follow the
ever-new trail of the pioneer, and make
himself a proSpector for news.
Recently you have heard great deal
about the lack of secrecy in regard to Sc
cret sessions of the Senate. For years the
newspapers have been printing in more
or less detail what taxes place behind
those guarded doors. This has been
true because Washington is full of pub
lie officials who are ready to impart by
indirection news to which they think
the public Is entitled, but which for one
official reason or another is held under
the ban of theoretical restraint
Tells of DENLY Incident.
When President-elect Harding Sc
1ected the late Edwin DENLY 20 be his
Secretary of the Navy, DENLY was lit
tie known outside of his own commune
ty. Newspaper speculation never had
mentioned his name. One day a close
friend of the President-elect told
newspaper man that a selection had
been made, but that he felt he could
not repeat the name given him by
Harding.
But if you yourself we're selecting
Secretary of the Navy" asked the re-
porter, what sort OF man would you
choose?"
II can only tell you," was the reply
that I would take him from the
Great Lakes States; that would like
to have a former member of Congress
and a former member of the House
naval committee and man who him.
self had been in the Navy or Marine
Corps"
The newspaper man had his task cut
out for him. He never had heard of
DENLY. But several hours work leafing
the pages Of who's Who" were re-
warded with the discovery of one man
who filled the specifications. He be-
thought himself that he had seen some
time before cigar named for DENLY S
father. He sought out the friend of the
President and said to him:
do you like the DENLY cigar?"
young man." said the other, that
certainly is a most excellent cigar. ]
don't know how you thought of It,"
You will observe that the mechanism
for collecting news of this Importance
sometimes is as intricate as it is
fascinating. But beyond that, inn
portant news has way of spread
ing of its own accord despite the