The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-04-10
Facing The Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

London. I've been blitzed right here.
Westbrook Pegler devoted his whole
column to me the other day.
AS l emerged from my bomb shelter
the next morning and cleared away
the duds littering my front yard, |
felt like Czecho- -Slovakia. | couldn't |
figure out why Pegler had picked on
me. And then | remembered piece
had written about Peglar which was
published in the labor press about
two weeks ago.
1t was rather a mild piece. | just
said Pegler was a clown, that he
should have stuck to sports writing,
that he had been led astray into the
deep waters of labor and national poll
tics by his boss, Roy Howard. And
then | said some things about Mr..
Howard, head of the Scripps-Howard
newspaper chain. What of it? Pegler
has said some things about my boss,
William Green. He doesn't like Mr..
Green. | don't like Mr.. Howard. This
is still free country.
Evidently, Peglar can dish it out
but he can't take it. The little arrows
| shot into the air must have gotten
under his skin. For he postponed his
vacation whole week to engineer this
retaliatory raid. In it he denounced
me (for the first time), the labor press
(the fifth time) and the A. F. of l..
(the thousandth time). Pegler is no
longer reporter. He's a repeater.
Propagandists are prone to repeat
themselves. They fall in love with
their own stuff.
Orchids or CcalliOns
What has Pegler got against me?
He says | get good salary (sheer
libeD and that don't earn it. In the
same breath he says my job is one
of the most difficult in the United
States today. But he insists | do it
wrong. | ought to persuade the A.
F. of l.. to pin a medal on his breast,
kiss him on both cheeks and publicly
resolve to do as Pegler says in the
future. He compares me with the
late Ivy Lee as public relations coun-
sci and he finds | don't measure up
to that outstanding appeaser of the
press.
When | had read all this | came to
the conclusion that Pegler was seeing
things again. ! do not work for
John d. Rockefeller. My employer is
the American Federation Of Labor.
My job is not that of public re-
latons counsel. The A. f. of l.. has
no such animal on its payroll. It's de-
cisions are reached by delegates rep
resenting it's five million members at
annual conventions. Between conven-
tions, the Executive Council form
ulates policy. The members of this
council feel quite capable of doing
their job themselves without hiring
outside advisers.
My job is simply to make available
to the press factual information re-
garding the A. f. Of l.. activities. Dur
ing the four years | have been on
this job, | had but one opportunity
of presenting such facts directly tC
Pcger. That was on last May Is when
Pegler for the first (and only) time
showed up at a press conference held
by Mr.. Green at the conclusion Of al
executive Council meeting. Pegler was
admitted with the neWspapermen tC
the conference but displayed little in.
terest in it. Finally, this colloquy
took place:
Opportunity Missed
,, Mr.. Green-I understand our fricnC
and comrade, Mr.. Westbrook Pcgler
is here with us today. Is that right
Mr.. Pcglcr-Thats right.
Mr.. Green-Wc are very glad tC
have you here with us.
Mr.. Pegler-That's mutual.
Mr.. Green--Do you have any ques
tions to ask?
Mr.. Pegler-No. | just came to at
tend the press conference.
Mr.. Grcen-There are several mem
bers of the Executive Council pres
ent. Perhaps they would like to ash
you some questions. Would you minc
answering them?
Mr.. Pcgler-No, III do my talking
in print, not from the witness stand
That ended the conversation and the
, press conference. Mr.. Peglcr stepped
up to Mr.. Green, shook hands will
him and said he was very glad tt
meet him. Then he said goodbye.
1t might be pointed out that whcr
Pegler talks" in print, his column is
published in hundred or more news
papers and the conversation is en-
> tirely onc-sided. Perhaps that is wh!
Pegler prefers to talk and throw hi.
weight around in print.
In recalling this incident, car
think of only one slip | might have
made in fulfilling the duties of m!
job and pleasing Pegler. | might have
barred him from the press confer
cnce. That would have given him ma
tcrial for several more pleasant essays
and made him my friend for life.
But it was Pcgler who missed the
real opportunity Of his career. Here h'
had a chance to obtain iirSt-hand fact.
about labor for the first time. All h,
had to do was to ask. But he KEEP
his lin huttonpd m What cynla