Evening star., 1947-10-17

DISIuSSiVH VI AlUIIllC
Energy, See Truman
Members of the National Con-
ference OF Editorial Writers todav
heard discussion of atomic energy
and the problems of the Atomic
Energy Commission and then went
to the White House. where thew
were received by President Truman
The editorial writer's were ad-
dressed by David E. LilienthaI
chairman Of the Atomic Energy
Commission; William w. Waymack
member OF the commission. and
William A. Higginbotham, execu-
tive secretary of the Federation of
American Scientists.
The speeches were off the record
put Mr.. Waymack in discussion
later said for publication:
We tthe Atomic Energy Com
mlsslon have not been equipped in
terms of manpower or organization
TO meet the proper demands of the
agencies of public information to
help them do their job, which is an
essential part Of the democratic
process, in carrying to the whole
people nonsecret but important in
formation"
EstabroOk Presides.
Robert H. Estabrook of the Wash
~
meeting.
This afternoon the conference,
which is meeting at the Hotel Stat
Ter. was to discuss municipal edi-
torial campaigns. There will be a
night session at which editorial
page problems will be taken up by
several editors
The newly formed organization,
st its first days meeting yesterday,
engaged in mutual criticism of each
others work on professional grounds
and discussed the problems of pro-
ducing better editorial pages.
The 100 members from newspapers
of all parts of the country also heard
Henry L. Mencken of the Baltimore
Sunpapers, who described himself as
"an old editorial writer who has
reformed" tell them that editors
recruit editorial writer's the wrong
way.
Urges Wide Contacts.
you have been recruiting them
from reporters who have trouble
with their legs, from desk men who
can't spell, and from literary men
who are concerned only with man.
ners," Mr.. Mencken said.
Editorial writer's ought to get out
and meet people," he went on. I've
taken them out on news stories, and
they don't do as well as an ONCE
boy. I wouldn't let an editorial
writer stay in the office and become
a professor. I'd take him out to
police court and let him see the
human race
Mr.. Mencken described publishers
as people of backward mentality"
but the information they have, he
said, has been put there by their
own stats"
They ought to be taught better
by their staffs," he declared.
He said the fundamental question
is why have editorials at all-"Why
fill three or four columns of space
with the writings of unknown men
and some not worth knowing?"
Intelligent Appeal Challenged.
The cne aim of the editorial page,
he said, "is to appeal to the more
intelligent reader in his more in
telligent mood
This point of view was challenged
In later discussion by an editorial
writer who said he would rather
reach the more numerous average
housewife.
The discussion also brought out
general agreement that the editorial
writer should leave his ivory tower
to obtain information and a better
perspective.
With Leslie Moore of the Wor-
cester Mass, Telegram and Ga
zette presiding, four editors gave
their criticisms of editorial pages
of August Is which had been sub
mitted by a large number OF news
papers. The four were Ralph
Coghlan of the St. Louis Post
Dispatch; Philip Wagner OF the
Baltimore Morning Sun; M. b.
Ronald of the Mitchell IS. d. Daily
Republic, and Will c. Conrad OF
the Milwaukee Journal.
Mr.. Coghlan struck at "edltorl-
alese, the gobbledegook OF the edl-
torial page" and such profundities
as. THE boys of today will be the
men of tomorrow"
/. @. of 14O Prescribed.
The good editorial writer, Mr..
Wagner said, should have inteili-
gence-"an I. @. of 140 strengthened
by wide reading"-the habit OF intel
lectual discipline, a sense OF respon-
sibility, the urge to communicate
and something to communicate and
command of the Language.
He praised editorial pages with
attractive makeup, but said makeup
may lure reader once but won't
keep him biting"
Mr.. Ronald said the appearance
of the average page absolutely
challenges the reader to stop there.
is depressing to look at and gives
the average writer an inferiority
complex. An editorial writer ought
to have about three days to think
about an editorial, according to Mr..
Conrad.
The meeting will continue through
tomorrow, closing with reception
for the members given by The Star