AN EXACTING PROFESSION.

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 16

AN EXACTING PROFESSION.

Sir Campbell Stuart, entertained! by the Newspaper Proprietors' Associationi and the' Empire Press: Union, on his appointment as''managing director of The Times :> .'■'.' "Lord. Apaley.'and I are members of ai committee for the interchange of. newspaper staffs throughout the British Empire, and I am confident that a practical evolution of this project will be of ma- ; terial benefit to our press and to our Empire. I say this'; advisedly, for the lesson we teamed from the Impeiial Press Conference was that it^was essential that a-' journalist shotdd travel. There is no more insidaous temptation to which the pr.e-sent-day journalist is «xposed ■ than . to succumb to a narrow outlook. His work compels him to, be absorbed in day-to-day events. .' He must, fail in his most im-. poitant duty if, he is not responsive to them.. But the inevitable result of this is that the very walls of.his offioe are al- 1 ways- threatenuiig tc fall' in irrjon t :him. The- remedy lies in the cultivation of as many as possible of the multitudinous interests of modem life, in the wide acquaintance of the world west of .Temple BaT, and, above all, in the .fresh ideas that travel brings. . (Cheers.) I have often thought that newspaper proprietors, editors, and journalists, when they approach at the latter end the G-ate-of St. Peter, will not be' asked to produce their balance-sheets, though, I must say, that we in House Square have a shrewd suspicion that the taste,of the public_ and the taste of,. St. Peter are. not so different as som. peopl© would wish,us to suppose. ' (Laughter.). They will be asked rather how they used the vast power which was conferred upon them. The power of.the press, has never been greater than it is, to-day. If the pr'ess_ be .true.-to itself,. in the high conception of its. own ■ duty, that, pow-er is bound to. increase. But let' us never forget that the influence of ■ newspapers is marching parallel to the advance of. public : education in ■-. this country. As, year follows years, and our readers make greater! and. still: greater dei-iands upon ■ the best journalism,, it/is our business to. see that the supply keeps pace with the' demand. We have our difficulties, but we are all conscious that we are beping our best foot foremost. Are the schools of our profession as thorough arid as complete in their training .as ai-o' the schools of other profejssions no more honourable than ours? ,Do we trust 1 too niuch to.a system which is .virtually that-" of .apprenticeship? Is journalism, as it should be, the most attractive of all, 6ccupa: tions to th« man of brains and imagination? If it is not, is'it within our, power to make, it so,?. The development , of the press in these days of mechanical inventiveness is, beyond our ; visi6n. Qne thing at least is certain.;. that the functions of giving news accurately and in its true proportion, together' ■•, with those of presenting the best thought of the world to the masses of' the, world,. . are functions that doV require and. will always require tho best; minds of. the. world." " ■•'■ ' ■')'■ '.'-r