Show r rr I r B Breaking rea ke Fe Faith alt h I t CHANDL HANDLER R SPRAGUE a San Francisco reporter reporter re- re porter has just written a a. copyrighted article under his signature setting forth an alleged confession confession confession con con- con con- obtained from Arthur Burch under arrest for the murder of J. J Belton Kennedy The in information information in- in formation contained contain d in the story in the words of the author was Vas confidential and not to be be made public without the consent of B Burch Burch repudiates the alleged confession and so we are to hi conclude that his consent to the publication on of alleged confidential information was not obtained This in itself would seem seem to discredit the journalistic effort of Sprague since it reveals him as violating the most sacred code cod of a a thorough newspaper man Reporters are trained to get information They are schooled not to make promises of im im- im- im III unity So it is that a good newspaper man will not 1101 seek information which he cannot use in his paper No man respects a promise more than thana a scrupulous newspaper man man If he lie pledges confidence confidence confidence con con- nothing can indu induce e him to break it t. t Newspaper men have been known to go to jail and toss their jobs to the four winds rather than violate the unwritten code and the honor of the craft Sprague apparently does not come from this school for r he has s plainly violated a I grave confidence in which the life of a man and a woman may be involved The higher type of newspaper men will tell you that a a reporter who will break confidence is not far removed from deceit and trickery Moreover his word wordis is no good I |