The Washington times., 1929-12-02
EDITOR SCORES
REPORTERS
JA|L|NG
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(Continued FROM rage ~
signed the men to the job Of
locating the speakeasies, stands
bekind his men and justifieS the
stand they took. He could not
and can not save them from the
Jail, and, doubtless his powerless-
ness in the premises Is as painful
to him as incarceration Is to the
boys" of whom he has good rea-
son to be proud.
We do not question the legality
of the proceedings against the
three spirited reporters. Rather
do we doubt the wisdom of the
Grand Jury action. We have re-
spect and admiration for the
young men, who, true to the
ethics of their calling, accepted
Jail sentences rather than betray
confidence. BY their conscientious
regard for the sacrednesS Of
their promises, they have proven
themselves worthy of their call
ing, and, without complaint, and
still retaining their respect for
law, they accept the prison garb
and discipline rather than be
branded as "infOrmerS," viOlatOrS
Of their solemn pledges.
AS all newspaper men know, 1t
is the inviolable rule of the pro
fession that a trust or confidence
must never be betrayed. So
sacredly is this rule observed that
reporters often hesitate before re-
vealing the sources of their in
formation to their city editor in
the seclusion of his office. and,
with tender regard for the con-
scientiousness of the reporter, the
manly city editor usually valves
his right to further questioning.
1t is not surprising then that
the spirited Washington men,
Hendricks, Burkett and Nevins,
coolly and deliberately held their
hands out for the handouts and
donned the striped suits rather
than be branded as unworthy Of
the newspaper profession.
Knowing, as most men do, the
obligation that reporter is
under to his informant, knowing
that his violation of trust makes
him a flat tire" in his calling,
and conceding that it might have
been good law for Justice Cor
don to commit these three young
men to prison for contempt of
court" the average citizen still
questions If wisdom was used to
leaven the law.
Editor and Publisher:
In Harry F. Sinclair'S state
ment upon being released from
Jail, he attempts by sophiStry to
twist the facts in the case Of The
Washington Times reporters, serv-
ing 45-day sentences for contempt
Of court, into an analogy with
his own case.
He asserts: IT note that the
American press cordially disap-
proves committing to jail the
three reporters who have just re-
fused in Washington to disclose
to the grand jury the persons
from whom they bought liquor IN
the many speakeaSies which they
visited as newspaper enterprise.
They were given forty-five days IN
Jail. They justify themselves On
the ground of newspaper ethics
against a betrayal of confidence,
and the American press is sup
porting them. The liberties Of
the American people are Of such
Importance that the press will Go
well to keep this in mind-even
in cases like mine. The prin-
ciple is much more important
than the individual. The prece-
dents set in my case are against
the interest of the American
people. If politics can railroad
me to jail, it can railroad others"
There is absolutely no Simi.
larity, Of course, between tie
cases Of the three reporters and
the Sinclair cases.
The sympathy of the press to.
ward the reporters is based on
the fact that they were engaged
In a public service and on ethical
grounds refused to answer ques-
tiOnS which would have forced
them into the position of becom-
ing complaining witnesses against
local SpeakeaSy prOprietors,
job that the dry agents are paid
to do.
Sinclair, a defendant in
Scandalous and brutally yenal
case, defied the Senate and
court and was guilty OF real con-
tempt.