The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-01

Green, great English historian. This is not unjust
to either, though their conceptions, sources AND
methods Of working rather different They both
symbolic the revolution Of the new history" against
the notion Of history superficial past politics
They both made it clear that nations do something
more than fight and electioneer.
But there is another respect in which McNIaser is
OF more than usual interest the journalist and pub
icist His career and achievements offer devastat-
ing exposure of the shallow character of the AFRO
gance shown by professional students of history to-
ward the journalist
McMaster gathered much Of his materials through
painstaking and industrious reading of local news
papers.
The term Journalist" is favorite epithet Of a
professor of history for man whose work he does
not like Journalism is supposed to symbolic per-
fcctly inaccuracy, superhciaty and unreliabity in
chronicling the affairs Of a nation.
It so happens, however, that trained journalist
is rather unusually well prepared to gather materials
accurately He is normally specialist in some field
OF reporting He has had long experience in rapid
observation and accurate recording
He has background, insight, technique and facil-
ty for his work His product is likely to be
ably faithful reproduction Of the facts unless he is
working in the midst of popular hysteria or has his
sites. But his achievements are viewed as trivial
trash by the austere professor
These trashy Journalistic efforts in due course of
time are bound up and ultimately find their way into
library. After generation or so, along comes the
solemn professor of history He adjusts his spectacles
and settles down to work
He turns the pages now literally yellow and comics
paraphrases and weaves. In due time he has a re-
mote mosaic compounded of the work of hundreds of
reporters running over many years and covering ac-
tlVltles in many areas Thousands of footnotes Civ
ing specific reference to the myriad of Superficial"
journalistic sources consulted, are inserted
The manuscript is sent to the printer and the book
is crowned by prize given by some esoteric organi-
cation OF historical scholars The final product Gre
ated out OF thousands of minor alleged SUPERFICIAL
ties and inaccuracies is held to be impressvey sound
and reliable.
But the professor has relied on the work of the
journalists who preceded him. His results can not be
more reliable than their earlier efforts Indeed, they
rarely be as competent
The reporter was directly on the Job. He knew
his task as a specialist. He lived at the time and
knew his surroundings.
The professor came on the scene later, is out Of
touch with people and events chronicled He can
have only secondhand and remote contact with
the issues events and peoples he is endeavorg to de-
scribe.
1t is an undeniable fact that the historian who
uses newspapers never be quite as competent as
the Journalist who Originally gathered the materials
Journalism undoubtedly has enough sins to answer
for But the historian in no position to cast stones
Only in proportion as journalism becomes more &C
curate and competent many types of historical
work be improved as to reliability of content