The Washington times., 1929-11-18
LUDLOW FLAYS
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Justice Gordon had It's beginning
many years ago when he held a
position in the pardon attorneys
office of the Department OF
Justice. I have always esteemed
him as a capable, high-m1nded
lawyer and juriSt.
"I have no personal acquaint-
anceship with the District At
torney and the members Of the
Grand Jury, but I can concede
to them honesty of purpose with
out agreeing with their inter
Of what constitutes
contempt. They are responsible
under their oathS of office, as I
am under mine. They are
entitled to have their acts re-
viewed fairly and dispasSionately
without having their motives
Having said this much. I
would not be true to my convic
tions If I did not express the
opinion that by invoking a jail
sentence on the three reporters
a colossal mistake has been made
that is pregnant with harmful
possibilities.
I'm my judgment this incident,
which is now creating discussion
all over the country, is bound to
react harmfuIIy against society by
SaDninR and weakening the bul.
warkS of law enforcement.
"A free, alert and courageous
press Is the nations strongest
safeguard. There can be no free
press in this republic If news
paper reporters are to live IN
terror of grand jury inquisitiOns
and Jail sentences.
Sees Danger
''It Is human to want to keep
out of jail If editors and re-
porterS are to be constantly over,
Shadowed by that fear, paralysis
will grip the press and it will
cease to function in its normal
and full extent for the protection
Of society against evildoerS.
Newspaper campaigns 10 rid
cities Of crime and vice are pro
ductive Of much good. but there
will be fewerA campaigns of that
kind IL reporters are to be jailed
for refusing to reveal their in
fOrmants.
when for any reason such
campaigns are interfered with.
society suffers and criminals are
the only ones who have occasion
to rejoice.
Il am a newspaper man Of 81
years continuous activity. I was
mothered in the arms Of the
press and after a few yearS-per-
haps a very few years-of wan
dering on Capitol Hill I expect 10
return to newspaper work. Times
almost innumerable in my Ions
newspaper career I have said TO
persons from whom I sought
news:
eff you will tell me what l
want to low, I will never reveal
the source Of my information
Kept the Faith
mot one of the thousands
upon thousands of pledges Of
that kind given by me has been
violated. and ! have always be.
lieved that I would suffer my
body to be broken on the rack be
fore I would break a confidence.
In that matter I am not diff.
ferent from any other true-blue
newspaper man.
IF we are faithful to our call
ing, and I think nearly all Of us
are. we cannot conscientiously re-
veal those who give us news with
the understanding that they are
to be protected. Respect for con-
fidenceS is in our blood. We
cannot think in any other terms,
We would hate ourselves forever
if we were to turn traitor to our
promises.
"Is this a fault, or is it a vir-
tue? I believe it is a virtue.
/ think 1t contributes to the good
Of society by permitting exposures
Of crime that would not other.
wise be possible, and I think that
if our grand jurieS could see q
little more of the reporters view
point and could have q realizing
sense Of the responsibilities the
reporter feels, their opinion Of
this whole matter would change
and there would be an end Of
Jail sentences for refusing to
divuIge sources Of information.
Will Help Capper
my unbounded sympathy goes
out to my colleagues Of The
Washington Times, MessrS. Bur
kett, Hendricks and Nevin, who
are sojourning with Major Peak
on the banks of the Eastern
Branch of the Potomac. l do
not think they should have been
sent to Jail. / think they should
be released.
"And will help Senator Cap.
per to pass q law to make per.
fectly clear that hereafter news
paper men are not to be subject
to punishment for seeking to pro
tect the confidence OF those who
give them news"