Detroit evening times., 1946-01-22
FAIR /
ENOUGH !
BY Westbrook
PegIe0
TyHE JOB of a newspaper re.

cluding the who, what, when,
where and how. put them on
paper or phone them to the
shop.
We haze scores Of report
srs with the American army in
far places of the vopid but ws
have had no detailed infovr,s-
tion from them concerning the
conduct Of "brass-hafs" whs,
in general terms, are alleged
to haze surrounded thsm-
selves Dith luxury at the sx-
psnss Of their commando and
to the neglect of the enlisted
soldiers and the destvuetisa
Of morale and discipline.
On the other hand. there have
been vague reports of such self
iShness, naming no names.
For example: "One young Of
ficer assured me that his gold
braided commander WAS living
In n sumptuOus home, stated by
81 Filipino houseboys."
This dispatch from Manila
carried the credit-line Of the
A. p.
TNASMUCH as soldier publica-
tons can not be allowed to
discuss the personal affairs of !.
commanding officers. the civil.
ian correspondent working for .
private employer has a duty TO
get such information for pubIi- :
cation where it will do the mos
good.
He might risk removal from
his assignment by order of the
officer thus exposed but more
likely the case would be carried
TO the war department and the
officer, himself. would be re-
lieved and punished.
1t is no difficult feat of re-
porting 10 call on the gold
braided commander and ask hum
how many houseboys he is using
and for verification. 10 make q
personal check among the help.
Bur merely to relay sseh
gossip TO the United Ststss on
the vord Of junior officer
Who might have been rsesaf.
ing gossip and might haze ha<
personal gvudss 10 just bad
neWspoper work and smoeks
more Of the night CLUB school
Of journaiism than the con.
Uentionai city room.
Incidentally, the term gold
braided here is an example Of
the one-word smear description
introduced by the jerked-Eng.
lish weeklies which have their
hates and housepets. the former
commonly described as pot
bellied" or "beetle-browed." and
the latter as fortnight" or
"Square-shooting"
There is a suggestion here
that the officer under discussion
wears gold braid merely TO
please his personal vanity when
the fact is that by regulation
he is required 10 wear II.
Again: Another young officer
complained OF q lieutenant
colonel who, he said, managed
To wangle two private homes on
the claim that he had to have
space to entertain distinguished
visitors
"'His distinguished visitor
have consisted of Red Cross and \
USO girls the young officer
said. This In a city where hous-
ing il at a high premium"
IN A VERY short time any re-
porter who was willing to
make the effort could have
nailed down the facts as to this
rumor.
The best way. usually. Is TO 80
to the man concerned.
II he is guilty he probably will
buster or threaten. Then you
have him. You Just make notes
of what he is saying and tell
him that Of course you are going
TO quote him verbatim.
Ask him who his distinguished
guests were, and check him on
that
Ask him whether IL is not
true that his guests have been
mainly Red Cross and USO
girls.
Describe his houses and his
scale Of living. state hts duties.
identify his unit of Command
and. for contrast. describe the
condition in which his raen are
living and the nature of~their
duties.
Present the facts 10 his SUI
perior, quote him. too. and re-
port his action. if any. That is
the obligation of a free press.
THESE reports may be true
but they may be false.
AS presented they do no good
butt on the contrary, tend 10
bring all officers into contempt
and TO destroy discipline and
confidence at home in the men
commanding American civilian
soldiers and sailors overseas,
including thousands of conscien-
tious, able patriots.
The civilian corresponder z