REPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 19

REPORTING

BISMARCK AS SUB-EDITOR,

Reporters are so frequently inveighed against just becajse of their accuracy that there is considerable point in an anecdote told by Mr. Low Warren in his recently-published "Journalism" (Cecil Palmer) of the late Sir John Macdonald, Premier of Canada. A reporter at a certain public banquet returned with notes on Sir John's speech which he knew would be unsafe) to print in hi£ evening paper. So in the morning hp called on the Premier, explaining that he was not quite certain as to whether he had secured an accurate report of hjs speech. He was invited to read over his notes, ami was soon interrupted by the remark, "That's not what I said." After a pause the Premier continued: "Let me repeat my remarks," and there and then, walking up and down the' room, he delivered the oration that the conviviality of the previous evening had seriously impaired. After thanking Sir John for his "copy," the reporter was about to take his leave, when he was recalled to listen to this grave warnraj*: "Young man, allow me to give you this word of advice: Never again attempt to report a public speaker when you are drunk." *'

Muddles, however, cannot be always attributed to alcohol, - either on the part of the reported or the reporter, and the dangers in make-up are notorious. Here is an American specimen, cited by the luthor, which links a paragraph about a testimonial to a departing clergyman to another paragraph describing 1 the wanderings of a mad dog: —

"So the congregation resolved upon a European trip for their beloved pastor, and on Saturday made him acquainted with the delightful fact. Accompanying the report of the committee was a nice-ty-filled purse, which was placed at the disposal of the pastor, who, after thanking them, made a turn,down South Main street as far as Planet, then up Planet to Benefit street, where he was caught by some boy, who tied a tin p.in to his tail. Away he went again up Benefit street, and down College, at the foot of which he was shot by a policeman." Sub-editing, at all events occasionally, is _ intentionally malicious. Apropos of this fact, the author recalls Bismarck's historic sub - editing of the famous Ems telegram in the Chancellor's self-complacent words. He had received tke telegram, it will be remembered, whilr he tvus cfinihg with Moltke and Roon : "I sat down at the round marble table standing near the dining one, perused the Kiirg s dispatch once more with great attention, tocfe n pencil and erased the sentence referring to Benedetti's request for another nadionce, leaving only the head and tail. And now the telegram read somewhat differently. My two guests exclaimed, 'Splendid! That will do:' and now we continued our meal with the best of appetites." This famous piece of subedKing perhaps explains Bismarck's rather high estimate of journalists. At all events, lie used to maintain that most of the Gold-sticks of the Fatherland, had they been transferred to u> newspaper ofh'ce, would never have risen above the ■stage of scissors and |i;u-t?. It ir, to th':se win.) aspl'v Iv fuiiselhiug beyond that, stage that this luminous, technical, and jit tlin &aiue Lime vury irusidablo volume.. k jyiiaavily. ad.di'psed,.