The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-17
Walter lIinchel
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by historians as typical of the at- htude of big business toward the public But Melville E Stone in his autobiography, "Fifty Years a Journalistc tells the story bee hind that phrase A brash young, free-lance reporter once sneaked his way Into Vanderbilt's private railroad car. He was have ing dinner with friends, but the reporter demanded an interview pronto. Vanderbilt asked him to wait q few minutes, but the re- porter was irsistent .. "It's late" the reporter said, "the public :" Furious at his iinpertinence, Van. derbllt interrupted; "The public be damnedl" The reporter tried to sell the story around that phrase, but all the editors denounced him when he told them how he had extorted the phrase Finally, he sold the story to the Chicago Tribune, without telling the editor he had aroused vanderbllts anger.
 A cub reporter was once bawlef out for being verbose He was told over and over again to cut his story to the bare essentials so his next story came out this way: "Joiln K. Edwards looked up the shaft at the Union Hotel this TYiorla- ing to sec if the elevator was on It's way down. It was. Aged forty. five"
 Years ago James Gordon Bennett was the Mir. Big of New York news- papers. He forced his reporters to remember two thousand Of his own grammatical don'ts Anyway, Bennett was once scheduled to visit the press room, 50 the workers cleaned and polished the machines, put on clean white uniforms and waited for tho Great Mans review. Just aS Bennett was coming down. one of the workers, who had one drink too much, tripped and soiled himself and his clean white suit Bennett entered, took quick look, took out q twenty.doi. lar gold piece and gave 1t to the man with tho soiled sMt-because he looked like the only one who did any work in the placel
 One of the newspaper classics concerns the Sinail-town gazette that was conducting vigorous cam. paign against the town council one Of their stories carried this headline: Half The Town Council Are CrookB" Immediately ail avalanche Of criticism descended on | the newspaper, SO the editor prom. ieed that he would run an apology | The next day the daily care ried this headline: Half The Town Council Are Not Crooks"
 When Jacob Riis and Lincoln steffens were police reporters, stef. fens had . scoop about Q robbery Riig matched him. Tn q few weeks oil the dailieS joined tho competi- tlon--each trying to get the most and best crime stories Editorial isS started Shouting about the crime wave .. But the whole thing was broken by police official who happened to look ct the police rec. ords-which showed that crime had | decreased while the papers were full | of crime tales Tn short, it wasn't | . crime WaVe--it was publicity | wave about crimoI
 One of she best examples of bTas.knuckle literary lace is this PAHyaiug AR A 1MARg atsaNAH1 HGkA had the appearance of Q Befgeant"mat tor in the guards, and her voice did nothing 10 dlSpel that illusion. Her adoption Of the concert platform must have been q distinct loss 10 the coal trade. As to har execution, it was Q pity there was no way Of bringing it about. The whole thing was stunning. Her low notes were like the Fumbiing of VesuyiuS when about to erupt, and her high notes the shrieks Of Q wild motor bus calling to itS Inate."
 Then there's Che story Of the vet. eran reporter who died. He had served for many years at the fire headquarterB and was well liked. The men in the fire department dee cided 10 send floral piece to the funeral. They told the florist to give tthem something appropriate. , What they got was . piece in the shape Of a firemen's badge, with these big red letters across it: "Ad. nit Within Fire Lines"
 Purchase or sale Of pearls, precious stones. gold, silver and platinum is