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

him under any circumstances His sin
certify in the matter was beyond QueS-
ton as occasionally one learned to his
sorrow.
Personal Attitude Instilled in A. p.
Mr.. Stones attitude toward publicity
was q natural one and easily understood
by his intimates. In company with
Frank B. Noyes of The Washington
Evening Star. president of the Associ-
ated Press; Victor F. Lawson Of the
Chicago News, Charles w. Knapp Of the
st. Louis Republic, Col. Frederick Dris-
coll of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and
other farsighted journalists, he had get
out to provide for the member news
papers of a cooperative organization
a non-partisan news report. A report
that should be not only without political
bias but neutral in all things, uninflu-
enced by personal or group conS1dera-
tions From the start he recognized, as
did his associates, that where so many
individuals with varied interests were
| concerned in mutual endeavor eternal
vigilance would be necessary II the or
ganiZation was to reflect only the news
and never the conflicting opinions or
the varied interests of those who owned
and controlled 1t.
40 IIldlI1CdlI1 1IlNlO1dUlc t1ic llCWS re-
port of the Associated Press became to
Its first general manager a ruling pas
sion, and in the application Of his trust
to himself almost an obsession. Behind
the scenes In many world dramas he
scrupulously avoided the spotlight. In
his anxiety to stand straight he leaned
backward
Neutral in Politics.
There has been much interest to know
what we're Mr.. Stones politics. Men
who had worked with him for Is years
could not answer that question. His
own reply was that the Associated Press
had no politics and so the general man
ager could have none.
As has been said of the mysteries of
life, so Of Mr.. Stone, one felt more than
he knew. But he gave the impression
that he considered issues more i'm
portant than men. and this may be
confidently accepted as the funda-
mental of his political convictions.
There were personal matters of which
Mr.. Stone was frankly proud and of
which he loved to talk One was that
he was the son Of Methodist clergy
man. He admitted no better heritage
than that Of ministers sons in general,
and he was quick to come to the defense
of that oft maligned fraternity. When
In 1928 the Society of Methodist Preach
ers' Sons was founded he became a d.
rector of the parent council in New
York City. His observation was that
the great majority turned out we'll.
The subject was sure approach and
1t was suspected that more than one
young man had prolonged an interview
with the Journalist by a more or less
casual reference to the fact that he.
too, had been born In a parsonage,
This is important as an illuminating
commentary on his childhood and
home life to which he ever referred in
terms Of endearment
English, Scotch, Irish Blood.
His father was Rev. Elijah Stone and
his mother Sophia Creighton Stone,
both descended from lines that gave to
several generations men and women
distinguished in the professions and in
business. In the son was q blending of
English, Scotch and Irish blood.
OF the father the son has said: "He
was the gentlest, kindest man I ever
knew" His mother, "sainted woman"
he called her, had sweetness and
charm fortunately coupled with the
long-suffering patience without which
no wife Of pioneer minister could
have long endured. AS boy he never
sought to escape the influence of his
parents nor did he outgrow that ipflu-
ence in the years of maturity. ItSwas
the father who wisely interfered when