A FINE STANDARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11670, 10 April 1916, Page 4

A FINE STANDARD.

Will Irwin, formerly of the "New York Sun," which takes for granted a code of ethics on the part of its reporters, tolls a story in the " American Magazine" illustrative of the standards maintained by reputable newspapers of to-day : On that critical day in the Life Insurance fight, when tho Frick report was read in committee, a " Sun " reporter caught one of the committeemen and wont up with him to the station. The newspapers were scouring' heaven and earth to find out what was in tho Frick document: a copy was worth fine gold. As the committeeman readied the train gate, he turned and said : , ' '•Don't tell anvone that I put you on—but there is a stack of those reports just inside tho committee room. Five dollars to the scrub' woman, and vou turn the trick. I think." " The reporter, a little new on the "Sun" did not like this piece- of business: nevertheless, he telephoned to George Mallon, the city editor, and laid ft before him. " The man who would do that trick would get fired," said Mallon.