Evening star., 1953-02-19
Criticisms
OF Press
AndIyzed
By Fronces Lide

A suggestion that newspapers
label political comment as such
as q guide to their readers was
advanced last night by Senator
Monroney, Democrat, of Okla
homa.
The Senator. who was once a
political writer. participated in
a panel discussion on the press
held at dinner meeting Of
Theta Sigma Phi, fraternity for
women in journalism.
The bulk of the news carried
out Of Washington is nothing
but political. comment, he de-
clared, but when people read
it in a newspaper they are apt
to accept it as a fact rather
than opinion or political ora
tory.
A device for keeping the rec
ord straight, he said, might be
the liberal use of a head, set
in 8 point italic type. labelling
such remarks as political COM
ment."
IF you are in a drugstore"
he pointed out. you will find
cold cream labeled cold cream
and. If another item is eye wash.
1t will be labeled eye wash.'"
Others participating in the
discussion, devoted to criticisms
Of the press, were B. M. Nc
Kelway. editor of The Star. and
Walker Stone, editor-in-chi of
the Scripps-Howard Newspaper
Alliance.
Mr.. McKelway stressed the
difficulty of presenting the news
with complete objectivity. He
said that a comparison with old
files will show an increasing
sense Of responsibility on the |
part of the press, however. that |
is producing better papers all |
over the country.
Reporters today couldn't get |
away with the things they could |
even Is years ago." he declared.
Some readers, he added, are
so biased themselves that they
don't have the ability to under
stand lack of bias. "They want |
the press to be free, but they
don't want it to say much about
the people and the things to
which they are opposed" he said.
Mr.. Stone said he was sure
papers would never be edited to
the complete satisfaction of the
public. 1.-THE people have right
to grippe about the press, just
as they have the right to grippe
about the Government" he
commented.
Mr.. Stone also expressed the
opinion that "smart-aleck head
line writer's" have done much to
give the press a bad reputation.
Some Of the headlines in this
category may reflect what the
writer's believe to be the bias of
the publishers. he said. but gen.
orally they reflect a smart
alecky tendency to write bright
headlines"
Both editors on the panel had
sharp words to say about the
ethics Of conducting a poll
among reporters on campaign
train, pointing out that it is
the business of such reporters
not to take sides.
Senator Monroney objected,
however, that you are going to
take the fun out of newspaper
ing if you try to be too pure and
objective" Those polls. he
Quipped. were the "only ones
that gave us any comfort"
The Senator cited as a healthy
sign the fact that all of the
newspaper fraternity is inter-
eSted in improving its product.
Whenever newspaper people get
together. they begin talking
about how they can do a better
job, he declared. I've attended
q lot of political meetings." he
added, land that spirit of self
evaluation is missing"
Edith Gaylord, a member of
the National Capital Chapter of
Theta Sigma Phi, acted as mod
orator for the discussion. The
dinner was held at national
headquarters of the American
Association of University
Women.