Evening star., 1937-04-17
EDITORS FINISHING
SESSION HEAR OF
WAR NEWS WORK
Webb MiIIer's Subject Spain.
French Journalist Also
on Program.
HARPER SIBLEY TALKS
AT LUNCHEON Meeting
Kennedy, Maritime Commission
Head, Also Scheduled to
Speak This Noon.

A globe -trotting war correspondent
and a French journalist were among
the speakers today on the concluding
program Of the annual convention OF
the American Society OF Newspaper
Editors.
The story Of Covering the War In
Spain" was told from the National
Press Club auditorium in a Nation
wide broadcast by Webb Miller, Euro
pean news managed of the United
Press, who has covered many conflicts
in various parts of the world during
the past 20 years.
The Sunday Newspaper" was to be
discussed in speeches by Count Raoul
de Roussy de Sales, New York CORE
spondent Of Paris-Soir, and W. G.
Vorpe, Sunday and feature editor OF
the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
One Side Would Give Out
Miller. who accompanied Gen
Frances rebel forces into Toledo
Spain, last September, expressed the
belief the civil war would be drawn
out for months and end "only when
one side or the other Is completely
exhausted"
II don't believe either side can
score a knockout punch" he said.
This war has again demonstrated
that when opposing armies are any
where nearly evenly matched IN
strength, the defense is SO strong, COM
pared with the offensive power, that a
decision can be reached only by ex-
haustion. There are so many unfore-
seeable factors that l hesitate to
predict which side will win. would
not be surprised II the war entered
the Autumn again.
In the last 81 years I have seen
something of six wars, but none-not
even the World War-has been SO
ghastly and horrible In Spain, you
have three wars rolled into one. One
is political, the second is economic
and the third has the elements of q
religious war.
These elements deeply stir some OF
the well-springs Of human passions.
The result is war OF unparalleled
ferocity. One of the sickening phases
is the wide development of the use OF
terrorism as defensive weapon, Just
like bullets, shells. starvation and
propaganda
In Spain, terrorism OF the civil
populations by indscriminate bomb
ing from the air has largely wiped out
the old distinction between combat
ants and non-combatants. Among
the dead and wounded on both sides
are thousands Of women and chill
dren."
Children Bomb Victims
Miller then told of the siege OF
Oviedo, where on the streets he saw
children wearing bandages, covering
injuries suffered in aerial bombings.
He saw the children play a game
called bombing" A boy would
stretch out on the ground while his
companions would hold a brick above
him. Then they would drop it.
THE excitement lay in rolling over
before the brick hit him." Miller said.
The society was to wind up its
morning session with election of Of
flcers and reports Of the Resolutions
Committee. President Marvin Creager
editor Of the Milwaukee Journal, is
presiding.
A luncheon and final session was
to be held at the Willard Hotel at
l pm, with Editor Grove. Patterson
of the Toledo Blade presiding The
speakers were to be Harper Sibley
president Of the Chamber of Com
merce Of the United States, and
Joseph P. Kennedy, chairman of the
Maritime Commission.
Magazine Editor Speaks.
John Martin, 36-year-old managing
editor OF Time magazine, spoke late
Yesterday on THE Background OF
the News"
To FIX the perspective of writer's o,
the magazine. Martin said, I'VE have
used the definition as it would look
to the man in the moon Such an
historical viewpoint necesitates sew
eral kinds Of background in the re-
porter who would assume it,
Martin was asked several question,
after delivering his prepared address
One editor wanted to know where
Time got the story OF the final confer
ence between Premier Stanley Baldwin
and former King Edward VIII.
I'VE have our pipelines just like any
body else," replied Martin. THAT one
came from Scotland Yard"
DR.. George Gallup. director Of the
American Institute of Public Opinion
told the editors yesterday that the
newspaper Of tomorrow" would carry
more pictures, have wider news col
umns and be printed in larger type
He suggested newspapers maintain a
battery Of research specialists to prove
reader interest.
An opposite view was taken in an
address read for John H. Sorrells OF
the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. He
said the burden Of making a news
paper readable belonged to the editor
III