Evening star., 1951-05-06
SoysNewspupermen Are
Superior to Senators
+. Writer Finds Furor About
Moody Appointment Silly
By Frunk R. Kent

The appointment of Blair Moody,
Washington correspondent OF the De-
troit News. as United States Senator to
succeed the late Arthur Vandenberg
did not quite set precedent, as was
proclaimed. At least one working news
paperman"-formerS Senator Joe Ball Of
Minnesota-previously was elected to the
Senate. Mr.. Harding, of course, was
the publisher of an Ohio newspaper
when he became Senator. Mr.. VAN
denberg published a Grand Rapids
(Micho paper and Senator Byrd owns
two newspapers in Virginia.
But publishers, editors and columniStS
are not generally regarded here as
working newSpapermen. Working news
papermen generally mean reporters, and
Mr.. Moody unquestionably was the first
of the Washington working press" to
enter the Senate. Certainly, he was
good newspaperman and he is q good
fellow Also. unless his known trend
toward the CIO. New Deal. Fair Deal
and left-wing grows too pronounced. he
ought to make a good Senator. That
does not however, explain the extraor-
dinary reaction of the corps of cor
respondents to his selection nor the con-
siderable editorial comment in the coun-
try.
With some notable exceptions the view
of the correspondents was that this con-
stituted great tribute to their profess
sion" Although Gov. Williams of Michi-
gan is a recognized Democratic politician
and a close friend of the bumptious
CLOS Walter Reuther, it was curiously
held by some that the Moody appoint
ment was so high an honor to news
papermen that it not only should wipe
out all the, sins the appointing power
had committed in the past and any he
may commit in the future but also en-
title him to the gratitude of every
working newspaperman everywhere.
Well. it is pleasant for Mr.. Moody
to know that the working press is glad
he got what he wanted Aside from that,
however. the question arises as to why
the working press should feel so highly
complimented? What is there about
the United States Senate to inspire
reverence and admiration among the
working newspapermen who know
the individual Senators better than any
one else? It is not easy to answer.
Part of the job of the working news
paper press in Washington is to observe
and report on the members of the
Senate day in and day out. Because Of
the character and requirements of their
work the inevitable tendency of working
newspapermen is to exalt the firSt-class
members of the Senate. But they cannot
be completely realistic about the sec
ond third, fourth and fifth class
members.
In other words, such is the newspaper
business that it is almost impossible
to get a clear picture of the individual
Senators from the working press. Fer
variety of reasons, few working news
papermen can say exactly what they
think about the Senators of whom they
write What the first-claSs working
newspaperman really thinks of those
about whom he writes is not often
complimentary. OF course, there are
second, third, fourth and fifth class
newSpapermen just as there are second,
third. fourth and fifth class Senators.
Nevertheless, long and close observation
of both groups inclines one to believe
that the average working newspaper
man is better bred, has more brains
and more character than the average
Senator. Also that, as body, the work.
ing press is superior mentally and
spiritually to Congress, has higher
ethical standards and sounder ideas.
Largely, this is true because of the
inherent difference between journalism
and politics. For example, to stick in
their business and hold their jobs work.
ing newspapermen (again with some
notable exceptions) do not have to
practice the hypocrisy and insincerity
without which so many Senators could
not survive politically. Nor do working
newspapermen have to be subservient
to the pressure groups of which so many
politicians live in constant fear News
papermen are more free and in their
business it is far easier to retain self
respect
Considering all the facts the notion
that the election of a working news
paperman to the Senate is a tribute
to all other working newspapermen is
extremely silly.