THE GOSSIP WRITER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 85, 21 January 1930, Page 8

THE GOSSIP WRITER

AN AMUSINC CONTROVERSY.

DESIRE FOR PUBLICITY

LONDON, November 26.

“A London Hostess” writes .to “The Times” protesting against “a new and dangerous l tendency in our social life.” “For some little time past,” she says, “it has become the practice of certain guests in private houses to make money out of their entertainment by contributing gossip to the newspapers afterwards about their fellowguests, their host or hostess, and what was done and said when they were together. This abuse has been progressive, and what was at one time mere idle and comparatively, harmless chatter (written in many cases with no personal' knowledge of the people concerned) lias lately developed in certain quarters into a regular system of spying, followed! by the publication of the most deplorable hints and insinuations. I write of what I know from personal experience, and my experience is corroborated by my friends, when I say that no one but a guest could have acquired sufficient information to give plausibility to some of the paragraphs which have appeared in the Press within the few weeks. “It may be said with truth that hosts and hostesses should be more careful, about the people they invite to their houses; but it is not always easy t 6 detect the offender with certainty, and it stands to reason that no help will be given by the newspaper concerned. For this reason —and because “The Times” stands entirely apart from this class of journalism—l ask you to publish what is intended as a warning no less than a protest. I am by no means alone in making it, but am compelled for obvious reasons to sign myself ‘A London Hostess.’ ” As this letter receives a place at the top of the column on the “leader” page of “The Times,” and is printed in leaded type, one gathers that the writer of jt is someone of very great prestige. Jhe prominent headings are “The Sneak Guests—a New and Dangerous Practice—" Warning to Hostesses.” To-day we have the other side of the picture, as given by “A Gossip Writer.” But the letter is at the very bottom of the column and in the smallest type. This writer says:— “While endorsing the main principles of the protest made in your columns to-day by ‘A London Hostess,’ will you allow, me, as one of those whom she denounces, to mention one point of which she would appear to stand in ignorance ?

“The ‘sneak guest,’ or anyone who is suspected of contributing paragraphs to the Press, is pursued, flattered, and bribed to a well-nigh incredible degree by an unfortunately increasing number of people, many of whom bear honoured names. . Indeed, so great is the prevailing desire for self-advertise-ment that I venture to think that ‘A ’London Hostess’ would be amazed were she to learn to what lengths certain already well-known people are willing to go in order to obtain personal publicity. Since the bearers of illustrious names and titles proudly proclaim themselves as gossip writers, is it surprising that some of the smaller fry are tempted to, write the kind of paragraphs that your correspondent deplores by the invitations they receive to shooting parties (a list of the guests expected and a first class return ticket enclosed therein), by gifts of fitted dressing cases and fur coats and. by the innumerable free meals that are thrust upon them P “I too, write from bitter, personal experience, and would sign myself ‘A Gossip Writer.’ ”