Detroit evening times., 1945-05-01
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
PeeIeo

IicIe, NY IIleHus, III Dan
Francisco, may be observed at
this writing spectacle which
probably would be rejected as a
fantastic distortion and a self
defeating exaggeration if il
were done into a movie or play
as a satire on freedom of ex-
preston. ! refer to the cover.
age of the United Nations Con-
ference on International Or.
ganization, including not only
our daily press and their press
associations, but the magazine
press. the radio and the news
reels and our guests from be-
yond the seas.
We are a sketch. Estimates Of
our number vary between 900
and 1900 but, whatever a re.
liable census would show. we
are. 1 truly believe, the mighti-
est aggregation. on the basis of
manpower, and l delicately re-
frain from raising any question
OF brain power. that ever
pounced on a story, in a mass
anywhere in the world. II might
be admitted. parenthetically,
just here. that there is some
doubt just now as TO just who
did the pouncing because I have
a feeling that the story has
pounced us and has got us
down.
MIR. MOLOTOV, the foreign
A'A commissar of our gallant,
peace-loving ally, Soviet Russia.
held press conference the other
day at which he was more or less
expected to answer questions. As
one who abhors the installation
OF the Soviet system of e.
ernment. which is 2 dictat~
ship. in our own country,
whether by creeping political
means or violent insurrection.
/ must admit that our distin.
guished guest had a right to
reflect during this strange expe.
rlence that they do such things
rather better in Russia, how.
ever they do them.
For this wasn't properly q
press conference at all. II was
mass meeting with about 400
Of the beauty and chivalry Of
Our corps on hand 10 ask him
about Poland and to laugh at his
evaslve replies.
We are all kinds, including
straight reporters with an amaz-
dng ability 10 follow a scent
through the crowds, ignoring
the picturesque dietary customs
and the nightshirt attire Of the
Arabs, who are said TO have
brought their own goats and 10
sleep on the floor in their hotel
quarters, and TO come UP with
accurate information and quick.
unpretentious appraissls OF tho
meaning Of the news at the
moment.
TTiIS kind do not attempt 10
l. interpret for posterity. They
do not tell you whether this or
that huddle or disagreement
means that 20 years hence
civilization will obliterate itself
with explosive planets hurled
from Siberia plunk into the
middle OF Chicago and London
and from New York TO Moscow.
II Eden comes out of room
smiling, that does not mean
peace in our time but. at most.
that some one may have told
him hot one. Or he may have
been thinking OF II Bum. Bep1o
Mussolini. who called hin
sissy 10 years ago because ~
wore his handkerchief in his
sleeve, and caused a hotel in
Rome 10 stop calling itself the
Eden, even though IL was so
called after the well-known
garden of the same name.
Mr.. Eden's earliest ancestors
are said 10 have lived in the
garden. which may be a fact,
for some OF those old English
families trace way back. II
Stettinius froxns, that does not
mean war again. but, at worst,
that his feet are beginning TO
hurt.
OUCH reporters are coverage.
~ They are the essential men.
II none of the rest of us were
here, the world would still get
the story and probably UNDER
stand it better. delivered
straight. as news, without argu-
ment or Interpretation. The
hotels and the transportation
then would have room for the
parents OF departing and re-
turning warriors and the locals
would have more TO eat.
We include. also. a humorist.
poor fellow, sent all the way
from the eastern seaboard to
find mirth in congress toward
which millions OF bleeding
hearts are yearning for some
faint hope of blessed peace.
NO WORLD SERIES, even In
~ the glorious days of the
Giants and Yankees, when pro-
hibition was new but drinks
were free without limit for
those holding cards and buttons,
ever attracted such a congress
OF shrewd, trained observers
and interpreters.
All this while. we of our