Evening star., 1939-04-21
Editors Hear Talks on News
By Three Woman Reporters
Recent Criticisms Leve|ed at Press
Are Discussed at Shop Talk Breakfast

OP IoIk bTeoKToSt
changes in the social order so that
they might maintain the prestige
of the American press as the best
and fairest in the world.
Following his talk, members en-
gagged in a frank, lively discussion
Of newspaper problems. centerine
their attention on the editorial page
and on the columnists.
H. L. Mencken of the Baltimore
Sun joined this discussion with a
warning that the press was in dan
ger of losing its rights if the pres.
ent drift toward war continued
Mr. Mencken said
The problems that engage yoI
gentlemen here today are all inter-
estlng and important, but ir. a little
while they may become only aca-
demic. If the administration sue.
/ ceeds in promoting a general war
in Europe and the United States
as seems inevitable, is accommo-
dated in the forefront of the fray,
then the newspapers of the coVn.
try will suffer series of headaches
beside which those of the moment
Will seem to be only friendly
tickles."
Mencken Talks.
Mr.. Mencken recalled the days of
the World War, stating that news
papermen had been under duress :"
Newspapers suffered much during
those days. he said, continuing:
THAT their state will be even
worse the next time seems to be a
very reasonable guess For one
thing, the head of the state may
De running for reelection and itch
ing, like any other man in that
situation, to heat up his partisans
ana confound his opponents. -
Mr.. Mencken spoke, without mem
tloning his name, of one Govern
ment official who had recently been
severe in criticizing the press.
i ask you to consider the situa-
| tlon in case war really comes and
that gentleman is put in charge of
the press"
! Grover Cleveland Hall of the
Montgomery Advertiser told the
group that responsibility for the
present state of the editorial pages
OF newspapers rested with the pub
fishers.
| Praises Ickes' Attacks.
Il speak" ne said, "of the new
type OF publisher who is an impor-
tant figure of our time.
Il think that one of the most
beneficial influences the American
newspapers of our time have had is
the criticism that has been leveled
at these publishers. They had the
crlticisf coming to them. It is a
good thing because it will make
them ashamed to put out bad news
papers.
1T seems to me that it would even
be a good thing if Secretary Ickes
Should go after them again and stay
after them until the publishers hit
the saWdust trail"
Marvin H. Creager of the Mil
waukee Journal said that American
newspapers were Sinking their duty
because they accepted without ques-
ton the ready-cut Interpretation of
news offered by syndicated COL
umnists.
The papers accept the interpre-
tatlon OF news offered by people
with whom they are not in touch
The papers must develop staffs OF
their own who are able to interpret
events
Columnists Get Their Share.
The syndicated columnists came
in for their share of criticism. Mr..
Wallace led off in this direction,
charging that the columnists were
running riot" and that newspapers
were printing their opinions no mat
ter how they stood in relation to the
editorial policies of the papers.
George B. Parker of the Scripps-
Howard newspapers suggested that
the columnists had become rivals of
the editorial page. He said failure
to write good editorials had brought
the columnist into his present glory
"As a rival of the editorial page
the columnists may bring improve
ment Of the editorials. And I be-
heve 1t is all right for the columnist
to differ with the editorials"
David Lawrence, syndicated COL
umnist and editor of the United
States News. came to the defense of
his craft. He pointed out the value
OF personality in this day OF movies
and radio and said that people liked
to know who wrote the articles they
read. He said he believed it wrong
for editors to change columns so as
to alter their meaning.
Henry J. Haskell of the Kansas
City Star spoke of the handling OF
foreign news in the Midwest. He
told OF the duty of newspapers to
help formulate a sane public
opinion.
Josephus Daniels, Ambassador to
Mexico and publisher Of the Raleigh
News and Observer, Joined the dis