SMART YOUNG MEN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 13

SMART YOUNG MEN

STEAIi PHOTOS

DRAW AGONY FROM GRIEI-

HAWKS AND HAWKERS

For months now, In fact for years'^ the talking pictnrcs have- been showing the public what a reporter is, or -what an American reporter is supposed to be. For one thing, he goes into hoiises .ot bereavement and steals photographs! ' Meanwhile Mr. St. John Ei'vinei does not like the new journalism—not eveu the insure-your-lifo sido of.it, • Tha special correspondent of the "Sydney; Morning Herald" writes from London:— ".. ." That peculiar type of Journalism which is not unknownin Australia and which is now the distinguishing jnark of a large section, of tho London Press ■ —the journalism that feeds bn : scandal and tho misfortunes of private .'individuals —was hotly attaekodj .the.oother, day, by Mr. St. John Ervinc. Speaking, to members of the Institute -.of, Journalists in London, this famous playwright and critic "let himseLS --go'.' at those newspapers which deliberately in< tr'iide into what does not concern them or the public, and which go out of their_ way to encourage the "new" reporter.; At one time, he said, journalists- wero journalists. A year or two ago they, were insurance agents. Now it, seemed, they <were travelling salesmen : 'and hawkers of gifts. Crowds of 'fignor-. ant boys" were being turned put'by. so-called schools of - journalism wJiich claimed that -their pupils earned £15 a week in their spare time. Their sole proficiency was in the direction of exploiting private grief, pursuing unhappy, victims of circumstances, and tloing generally what no decent man, cared-to do. "Say, bo! Your son has been: killed/ Have you anything- to say—• and make it snappy." That was what popular journalism was coming to. ■ : Mr. St. John Ervine quoted' instance after instance of persecution, and predicted there would soon be a great' revolt on the part of the public against such disgraceful methods. "Already," he said, "I see signs of it. . Yon may, say it is ridiculous and tho public doesn't mind. You may say that the public, actually want this, kind of thing. But my View is that, if the public want dirt I do not sec why we should supply it. But Tdo riot believe the public want-it • 'to- -anything like the extent commonly supposed. 1-' ■

The remedy, if there was oneywasfor real journalists to make a, firm" :and united stand against the perforiuanco of degrading tasks. He was' not sure that if somo indignant member of the public took action with regard to the publication of unauthorised photographs or paragraphs he would not WJit the case. In any event, it was time amateurs in journalism were stopped. "We must stop these menwio don't know tile first thing about journalismj who don't even know English; Wo must, stop proprietors who indulge in piffling personal vendettas in an attempt to obtain political power they are unfit tohold. "We do not want to be known, as 'hard-boiled reporers' who-look likff a mixture of tho Rev. Mr. Chadband and Crippen," ■ . And with that Mr. St. Jnlm Etvmei sat down —a very angry man.