OCR Text |
Show GET THEJACTS WASHINGTON. March 27 (Special (Spe-cial Correspondence.) At a recent meeting or the National Press club, vlmn he was the guest or honor. President Harding took occasion to ! rebuke in a very gentle but none thu less direct manner ono of the evil practices Into which the metropolitan proBB haB fallen In recent years. Alia, Al-ia, though the president did not partic-nlarly partic-nlarly mention the metropolitan press, hls'remarks were applicable to , only that portion of journalism for I the reason that the large city news- ' papers are practically the only often- dors. Speaking of Journalists the prosl-I prosl-I ilent said: j "I alwajB knew that they were ex- ceelngly bright and alert and I have lately conic to now that they know more than executives. Congress and cablnctB combined and I have learned ilroui them things I am doing or going go-ing to do that l never knew myself." Thfs has reference, of course, to that practice In journalism eatabllsh-i eatabllsh-i ed recently of having special corres pondents write speculative articles of ' i nnturo which tho paper Is not wll- j ling to Bponsor on Its own responsl-1 ililllty and, therefore, has the author algn his own name. .Touuialists of this typo are the ones who have been teellng the public what President .Harding Is doing or going to do that lio never knew himself. This is a practice of which tne country press haB never been guilty, and by tin-country tin-country press, as distinguished from the metropolitan press, Is included 4 nil that portion of American Journalism Journal-ism published outside of n very few laige. cities. ' President Harding is himself a publisher, and has been for uauy years. He publishes the Marlon Star u dally paper In city of ubout 30,000 population and, according to tho latest lat-est newspaper directory, hi paper lias n circulation of some 10,000 dally. In tho oMces of the Star thore Is posted on the wall a brief A et of rules a copy of which Is also ;;! veil to each new reporter. Among theso rules Is one which calls for acuracy of statement. Adherence to this rule haB always been one of the oliaracteri3tIcs of the Harding paper. "When, therefore, tho president tool; xomo or the modern Journalists to task for knowing and printing some things that aro not true ho was merely setting forth in an Impressive Impres-sive way and at a very appropriate 'lime and place.thcorles of journalism which ho has practiced throughout his journalistic career. Whllo ho was on his vacation in Florida. Mr. Harding took another occasion, to reprimand an equally tlc- lous practice of some of tho metro- ! polltan press correspondents who had criticised him for things ho had not done nor had an opportunity to I . do. Said he: "Unhappily It Is a lendoncy of our journalistic practice. It amounts to Jumping on a man before he has had nn opportunity to demonstrate hlfl j , ability or his Intention. After there i . has been malfeasance In office, then J' go after a man. Go ftcr him hard. I' Hut don't make Imputations In ad it vnnco of action. I see In all thlB wrong cfforMo undermine public con fldence In tho Incoming admlnlstra i i.nrnrn it has- had a chance tc porforra. This sort of thing goes j ileepor than Its effect upon any ono man. It strikes at tho root of pop- ! ular government and strikes danger- i ously." ' i j The rule in the offlce or the Marlon ! Star la: "lie truthful. Get the racts." |