Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-16
Melville E. Stone.

The American scene Is bereft OF an
other master craftsman. Melville e.
stone is no more. AS the creator OF the
modern Associated Press he brought
into being the greatest newsgathering
organization the world has ever known.
That is an achievement which would
have assured any man immortality.
None could wish or leave behind MIN
finer monument. Its beneficent infiu-
ence will endure and establish Stone 8
name in the hall of American fame for
eli time.
The late Napoleon of news considered
that his supreme accomplishment in
building the Associated Press was the
foundation Of its foreign service. Till he
applied his vision and organizing touch
to that branch Of the institutions work
Il was relatively insignificant. Stone
rirdled and regirdled the globe before
aatisfying himself that nothing could
happen anywhere on Gods footstool
thenceforward which the same day. or
At least the next day, would not be
blazoned to American mankind under
the authentic rubric Of "A. P"
He laid the necessary foundations
well and deep. The Associated Press
ranifcations, in consequence, extend
nowadays to the utternlost reaches OK
the earth. An episode in Kamtchatka
is reported with the speed and the COM
pleteness of a corresponding event IN
kansas City. A tidal wave that sweeps
Cape Horn is made graphic in print to
American readers with the electrical
promptness Of hurricane on Cape
Hatteras.
The Associated Press habitually an
nihilates time and distance, especially
where foreign intelligence is concerned.
Melville Stone saw to that generation
ago, with vision that accurately pene-
trated the future and recognized that
as she was marching with giant stride
into the rank of q great world power,
Columbia needed above all to be kept
abreast of affairs from pole to pole.
Stone began his journalistic career
from the bottom. It dated, broadly,
from the period Of his joint ownership
of the Chicago Daily News with the
late Victor r. Lawson--a companion
ship which lasted till that other tower
ing newspaper figure passed on four
years ago. Since the annual meeting
of the Associated Press in April, 1918. as
stone quantity expressed it in his FIFTY
Years a Journalist" he led "a post
epitaph life" But he rejoiced unceas-
ingly in the effectiveness and mcessant
suirit of improvement in which CO.
workers-tis boys" as he liked to call
them-were carrying on the traditions
of the organization Stone loved SO
much. At eighty-one his interest IN the
endless world Of news was managing
and unquenchable.
1.-THE Associated Press is not perfect"
read the closing words OF his AUTO
biography. Far from it! All OF the
frailties of human nature attach to 1t.
Inerrancy is not possible in this blum
dering world of ours. But neither is
the Associated Press corrupt. 1t lives in
the open. It's news service is published
In millions of words every month. 1t
wears its heart upon its sleeve. There
are no secrets about it. There Is no
mystery concerning 1t. 1t is striving TO
tell the truth about the worlds hap
penings. 1t is:
"Not a ladder from earth to heaven,
Not an altar of any creed,
But a simple service simply given,
To our own kind in our common need.
That was Melville Stones conception
Of journalism. There could hardly be
q nobler or more appropriate sentimen:
TO emblazon upon his honored tomb.