Courier-herald. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1949-1950, 1949-12-10
Tribunal Criticized . BY Ray Tucker

uOOuOu ~1IUUSuZ
WASHINGTON. Dec. 1O-Many
readers have asked for comment
on the Supreme Courts recent
decision upholding the Patent
Offices disbarment of a lawyer
because he had included a ghost
written article in his successful
application for a patent on a
Work-reducing, automatic ma.
chine. They are inclined to criti.
CHE the tribunal for condemning
such common practice among
statesmen, officials and business
executives.
misunderstood Answer:
The hullaballoo over this deci-
sion demonstrates once again
the need for publicity expert
to keep this august and hard.
working body of men from being
misunderstood, and made to look
ridiculous at times.
The court did not condemn
ghost-writing as such. It could
not have done so with a straight
face because / doubt If there is
a man on that bench who has
not resorted to this device at
some time or other in his career.
AS a matter of fact, most of their
leg and mental work and prelim.
mary writing of decisions is per-
formed by their law clerks.
-
TlME-As one who has written
speeches and magazine articles
for numerous members of Con.
gress and the Cabinet, and even
for Franklin D. Roosevelt himself
when / began the promotion of
the original "baby bonds" in
1885, can say that there is
nothing harmful in this practice
il not carried to extreme. Few
public men have the time to do
their own research and prepare.
ton Of a speech or statement.
The more conscientious public
officials, however, digest an
aides product, translate it into
their own language and really
make it their own production be.
fore delivery. Only the demago.
CUES do a parrot-like job, some.
times not reading the paper un.
til they get onto their feet or the !
platform.
DEcEPTIoN-But the ghost.
writing in the patent application
under consideration was, in the
courts opinion, a fraud" and a
deception" The lawyer persuad-
ed a prominent labor official to
sign an article praising the pa
tent and refuting charges that it
would be detrimental to union
employees by depriving them of
work. The ghost-writer subse-
luently demanded and was paid
$1,000 for his contribution.
Moreover, as patent officials
note, a rival company eventually
had to pay more than million I
dollars for infringement of the
patent. These facts were set forth
n the courts decision, but they
we're so obscured by legal lang
lage that they were generally
A smart publicity man, how.
,ver, would have been able to
explain the decision in everyday
erms, pointing out to reporters
he sections Of the document to
which I refer, and thus saved
chief Justice Wilson's men from
lnjustifiable joshing. Their faces
1ave been red ever since they
rave the impression that they
we're trying to break up one of
Nashington's most ancient pro-
esSionS.
PRIvILEGES-"Is it true" asks
TX. Of Concord, NH, "that Stall
ms newspapers have a bureau
It Washington, and that his re-
,orters are accorded the same
ews-gathering privileges given
o American Writers?"
Answer: Yes, the lass Agency
lere, which serves "Pravda" and
'Izvestia," has a staff of Six
'eople. They have the privileges
4 the regular press galleries.
senate and House, and the right {
0 attend press conferences held I
" officials from President Tru. .
nan down. In fact, the Tass bur. .
'au mere has lately been in. }
reased in number.
OFF.THE-REcoRD-There is !,
10 offlcia! discrimination against
mem, with one exception. There !
re tunes when high officials I
i've off-the-record material to {