Oregon Exchanges/Volume 1/Number 3
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Oregon Exchanges
For the Newspapermen of the State of Oregon
The Northwestern German Press
By JOSEPH SCHAFER
Dr. Schafer, head of the department of history in the University of Oregon, is a profound student of current history and an authority on the history of the Northwest. He is American born of German parentage, his father having come to the United States in the emigration of 1848.
SINCE public opinion, until it becomes unified, is group opinion, it becomes necessary for the student of the war to study the reactions toward it of such well defined groups as the German-reading Americans, and the only practical way to do this is to read the papers they read.
These papers indeed may not represent the views of their readers in all respects. There are two reasons at least for supposing that the German papers in this country do not properly speak the mind of their constituents on the war questions. First, the editors of those papers appear to have had a briefer course in Americanism, on the average—to have been more recent arrivals in the United States—than the men and women whom they assume to instruct. An editorial census on the following points would be a matter of deep public interest at this time: How many were born here of German parents? How many are of other than German ancestry? The writer has no exact data which would enable him to answer these questions. But a somewhat extended observation leads to the belief that this group of foreign language editors, with some notable exceptions, has been recruited generally from the class of very new German Americans, usually men of ability and training, but naturally possessing a fresh and lively interest in the affairs of the German fatherland and sympathizing intensely with its people and their ideals, their customs, their government, and their institutions. Their outlook upon American life differs radically from that, let us say, of Germans born in this country of parents who emigrated prior to 1870 and especially of parents who left Germany before the middle of the 19th century. Second, these editors, being recognized as makers of opinion among German readers, have been shining marks for the official propagandists of the German government now known to have been maintained in this country for some years before the war. There is every reason to believe that many papers in that language were established or subsidized as a feature of the paid propaganda carried on here.
At all events, the editors have generally shown a zeal in the cause of Germany since 1914, which doubtless outruns the zeal of their readers, otherwise the German government would have less cause to complain of the conduct of Germans in America in permitting a declaration of war, the draft, and the passage of laws granting huge war credits. On only one other supposition can the discrepancy between the promises of German newspapers and the performances of German American citizens be explained: that is, the supposition that the constituencies of the German papers are actually much smaller than we have been led to believe. A census on that point would be interesting, also. May it perhaps be true that the foreign language paper is a solace to the foreign born American only during the process of Americanization, after which he sloughs it off? The writer has in mind a German immigrant of 1841 who read his Illinois Staats-Zeitung religiously for thirty years, and filed it, then in disgust he burned the file and thereafter read nothing but English language papers. This case may possibly be typical.
After making all allowances, however, it remains true that the German language papers exert a powerful influence among an important section of our population, and in times like this we cannot afford to be indifferent to the character of their leadership. What that leadership has been, so far as the local German papers are concerned, I have tried to ascertain by reading the current numbers of papers in that language published at Portland and Seattle, together with "St. Joseph's Blatt" of St. Benedict, Oregon, and occasionally others. These papers are doubtless fairly representative of the tone and spirit of the German press throughout America.
In Portland the most prominent German paper at the outbreak of the war was the Oregon Deutsche Zeitung. Before the declaration of a state of war this paper was decidedly virulent in its tone. The American press charged its editor with virtual treason on account of his bitter attacks on President Wilson, whom he represented to be in an unholy alliance with Wall Street and with British gold. In the first few numbers appearing after the declaration, it is hard to discern any real change of heart, though there is an obvious attempt to "keep on the windward side of treason." There was the same reckless disparagement in England, although we had now become her ally, and the hatred of that well-hated belligerent even mounted higher than before on account of her assumed success in dragging the United States into the war.
With respect to national policies the editor favored whatever course promised least inconvenience to our enemy. If we would not keep out of the war entirely, he seemed to say, let us at least take plenty of time to get ready to go in. Let us not hurry because England, in her alarming predicament, bids us hurry. Rather be more deliberate on that very account. We should keep our food at home, he went on to advise, because if we send it abroad German submarines will sink it. We should keep our troops at home in order that, if any power should venture to attack us after the close of the European war we might be able to beat off the enemy from our shores.
From this state of anger and disgust, the editor of Oregon Deutsche Zeitung gradually passed to a calmer frame of mind. Many of his editorials during June and July were written in a tone void of offense. Yet every step toward the acceptance of the American government 's position was taken in a grudging spirit—not generously, not wholeheartedly, not in the manner of one who makes a decision involving great sacrifice and having put his hand to the plow inhibits the backward look. He still wrote articles about "Kerensky, Czar of Russian Democracy", about how "that great democracy, England, fills up the ranks of the 'blue-blooded' ". Note the sarcasm! Yet he also glories in the fact that the first American soldier reported killed from the front in France bears a German name, because "it is concrete proof that . . . the ties that bind them (the Germans) to the land of their adoption are stronger than the blood ties that bound them to the land of their birth or their parents' birth." "Perhaps," he says, "it will be a signal for a let-up on the persecution that has been heaped upon those Germans who did not shout wild hatred of Germany when war was declared."
He also has an eminently sensible editorial on the attempted violation of the draft law in some of the southern states. He says, "The dangers they encounter are tenfold what the battle line in France would offer, while the disgrace that is sure to fall upon them can never be effaced by later deeds of valor. There was only one way to oppose the draft after it became a law. If it was against the public will Congress should have been petitioned to repeal it. If it was contrary to the Constitution and is the will of the majority of the people, it should be obeyed and rigidly enforced on those who evade it."
Such a pronouncement cheers one with hope that the editor is conquering his native passion of sympathy and that his leadership will ultimately ring true in all respects. Yet we are doomed to experience more disappointments. For, shortly before this paper dropped its German dress and became the Portland American, the editor contended that if the members of Congress go home and go into the fields and workshops where the real people of the nation live and there learn what they think about the eleven billion dollar appropriations, instead of taking their cues from Northcliffe editors, munition manufacturers, and scheming politicians as they have been doing, then they will discover that the La Follettes, Stones, and Gronnas will be in a majority when Congress convenes again.
About this influential paper enough has now been said and quoted to show, as I think, these things: First, that its German readers have received from it very little encouragement to go into the war with wholehearted zeal. There is nothing to help them see, and less to help them feel the rightfulness of the American cause. Second, these readers, nevertheless, are expected to do their duty under the conscription act when the government shall call for their services.
Turning to the Washington Staats-Zeitung of Seattle, we find that in the issue of April 5 the editor urged all "patriots" to send night letters to senators and representatives in Congress urging them not to vote for the resolution declaring a state of war which was requested by President Wilson in his war message of April 2. After the declaration of a state of war, he advised his readers to conduct themselve in a manner to prevent giving cause of offense. His editorial utterances were usually cautious, yet he was venomously anti-British, and reprinted such stuff as the Illinois Staats-Zeitung's article headed"An Alibi for England," in which Britain is falsely and maliciously charged with having begun. the war to strangle the economic growth of Germany. Other articles are of a more wholesome character. In the number for August 19 is a reprint from the Los Angles Germania entitled "House Faces a Tremendous Task." Therein is manifest a sympathic attitude toward the work of the Food Commissioner. The article concludes, patriotically if not grammatically: "Private aims and corporate greed must subordinate itself for the good of the country and that of the world."
On the 29th of August the editor dealt with President Wilson's reply to the Pope 's peace proposal. To give himself more freedom in criticism he truculently ascribes this paper to Secretary of State Lansing, leaving the President 's name wholly out of the discussion. He contends that a political revolution in Germany is impossible and quotes ex-ambassador Andrew D. White to the effect that the German people are more loyal to the Kaiser than the Democrats to President Wilson.
On August 30 he has an editorial discrediting the new Russian government. "'The old tyrant in Russia," he says, "was named Nicholas Romanoff, the new is called Alexander Kerensky; for the rest there is little difference."
September 9 he printed a bitter tirade against the "self styled patriotic" press under the caption "Knownothingism Running Amuck." He calls their editors "fiends and fanatics", "Anglomaniacs," "more British than the British," etc. The article shows some hysteria, but doubtless the editor's recent unfortunate experience in having been haled before a magistrate on a charge of disloyalty preferred by one of the city papers helps to explain it.
On the 13th of September he reprinted two articles having an "anti" tone, the one contending that Wilson 's demand for the democratization of Germany would lengthen the war rather than shorten it, the other that Mr. Gerard has "plunged into a description of German political institutions and has made a mess of it."
Readers of this brief review may be interested to learn that a German language weekly, the St. Joseph's Blatt, of St. Benedict, Oregon, published this unique explanation of America 's entrance into the war, that it was the result of the malign activity of the international society of Free-masons! And when President Wilson for the allies and the United States declined the Pope's peace proposal, the editor exclaimed: "Heaven weeps, Hell laughs, and in the circles of international freemasonry is uncontainable joy because the Pope's peace proposals have been declined by one side."
The editor of that sheet seemed more naively innocent of his national obligations than any other whose writings have been reviewed. Yet even he avers, in a recent number, what would hardly be inferred from his editorials, that with him it is ever "America first."
The cases presented are fairly typical of the papers read. They show, what could have been expected, that the German editors after maintaining for two and a half years the righteousness of Germany's cause in the war, could not quickly readjust themselves to an attitude of hostility to that country. Under those circumstances they had the restricted choice between maintaining silence on the war theme, or of proclaiming their patriotism and discussing the issues of the war as they saw and felt them. They elected to speak out and in doing so they created for themselves exceedingly awkward situations from which however they may be able yet to extricate themselves.
It is profoundly to be hoped that the efforts they are obviously making to set themselves right will avail. For a purely negative patriotism, especially in the people's leaders, is a terrible thing. Knowing the German Americans, I do not doubt that they will perform the duties of soldiers when their numbers are called. But it is one thing for a man to make the great sacrifice because he once took an oath to defend the nation which granted him citizenship, and it is quite another to sacrifice himself for a great ideal, a sacred cause. The German editors, thus far, have failed to perform for their people the great service for which as leaders they should feel themselves responsible: to free them from the awful doom of going into this war in the spirit of Persian slaves; to interpret to them the ideals set before the American people by their president who sees in this struggle the opportunity for America to "spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured."
Organization of County Units
By F. S. Minshall, Editor and Publisher of the Benton County Review
I have been asked to express in writing my ideas on "The value of the organization of the various counties of the state as units to comprise the State Editorial Association."
The necessity of such local units seems very apparent to the writer since the State organization itself is comprised of, and of necessity must be made up of the county units as component parts.
A thorough organization of every individual county would ensure a complete, permanent, harmonious and powerful State organization.
This is not only good theory but so accords with conditions the newspaper fraternity is up against today, that it must be put into practical operation in the near future if the State organization is to wield the power and influence it should.
The business world has made many and rapid strides in the past decade and whether we, as newspaper men, desire it or not, we are being swept along by the current of time and he who will not adjust his affairs in accordance with the demands of the times will soon fall by the wayside. The hideous nightmare of other days I believe is past—the nightmare of cut prices, vindictive jealousies and a bare cupboard.
I am glad that the morning of a brighter and better day has come—a day when we shall all mingle together as members of a common brother hood, fellow craftsmen not only to profit by the mutual exchange of ideas but to live upon a higher plane as is our just right.
There are several good reasons why all the newspapers in any given county should unite for mutual benefit. You will perhaps be tempted to smile when I state that I believe that the "ethical" reason is the strong est one of them all. The mere mention of "ethics" in the newspaper game would cause a gust of merriment in metropolitan newspaper circles, but with the country press it is vastly different for each one of us possesses that silent, indefinable force that makes us and our business precisely what what the public measures us to be. For those whose thoughts, aspirations and achievements are identical a local organization would be most beneficial.
The newspaper man is both a manufacturer and a merchant in that he really creates and must sell his own products. His business is unlike any other in that it does not shift or change but is always the same, only in the matter of improvements, hence his line of conversation, his whole being is wrapped up in a business that would naturally debar him from a conversational standpoint from association with men of any other profession or craft. To reap the highest possible benefit he should belong to an organization of his own class. The friendly handshake of his fellows, the words of greeting, might ofttimes be all that is necessary to adjust himself to an exacting but not an unfriendly world. The common friendly meeting would do much to check the hasty word, refute the charge of an enemy and establish a friendly relationship that would result in bringing forth to the surface what is best and noblest in us all——a kindly heart and an unwavering faith.
I need but mention "Money" to secure your hearty approval as that is what we are after. Money and yet more money is what we all demand and must have and the only way under the sun we can get it is for us to organize into county units, establish our rates, and STICK".
If we are to take our place alongside our brother merchant in the limousine we must have more coin of the realm. Many of you have as much money invested as the merchant next door, but for some reason he rides and you walk. He waits on a few customers a day and reaps enough profit to give him ease of body and peace of soul, while we toil early and late on work that brings us meagre returns in comparison. The time has come when this thing must be adjusted. A publisher must have more money to meet not only the demands of the "Forty Thieves" but also give him a chance to get a little enjoyment out of life.
As business men we are up against it to organize or be the constant prey of many contending forces. This is an era of cooperation and exactitude. Every man must know instantly and accurately every detail of his business. The day of guess-work is gone never to return. The publisher is paying tribute into many hands these days and many are the hands out stretched for favors with no shining coin to pay. In other words not only has our income been diminished by the extra cost of materials but the demands for free advertising have increased many fold. We should meet thee issues squarely with a hostile front and resist to the uttermost every attempt to filch from us our hard earned coin.
With a county organization this cooperation to fix just prices could easily be arranged and I know in Benton County it has proved of decided value although our organization was made with fear and trembling and has experienced the usual buffetings of a troubled sea.
Two very practical results were accomplished in Benton County which 1 need only mention to prove the value of what I am contending for. The first one of these was in the matter of thousands of dollars worth of printing that was being sent by county officials to Portland firms. After our organization we quietly asked for a conference with the county judge, commissioners and various county officers, and got it. We appeared before them in a body and in an hour's quiet but firm talk accomplished what never could have been accomplished through separate action or vindictive editorials.
Another instance was that of legals. We fixed five cents a line as our limit and waited results. They were not long in coming. We had some lively skirmishes with a few attorneys but it was not long until all accepted the new order of things and paid the rate and paid the cash before receiving an affidavit.
The cunning of these crafty gentlemen came near wrecking our frail organization. One of the number called up each office for rates on a certain legal. He then called back and stated that a certain one of the offices had quoted him a lower rate and wanted to know if we cared to compete with it. We stated we did not. We thought sure the organization had caved in but as a last resort we decided to call up the other offices and learn the reason for their action. They replied that the same lawyer had tried the same game on all the others and had failed. Our joy was unbounded for we had weathered the storm_ that all such organizations will have to guard against. Abiding faith in one another is what we must have to get results.
It was with a certain malicious delight that I called up the aforesaid attorney and very deliberately called him a liar and a sneak beside.
Classified Advertising and Results
By Myron K. Myers, Classified Advertising Manager, Portland Oregonian
The statistical reports of newspaper advertising show that classified has grown faster than display advertising. No other advertising is read as carefully as classified. It is read by the classes and masses with like inter est. Not only the wage earner studies these ads but also the heads of families and large firms, when in need of help. The volume of classified advertising as carried by a newspaper is also considered by both local and national advertisers as a reliable criterion of its value and pulling power. It will be found that the newspaper which is the best patronized classified medium of a city, is also the most used and most profitable for display advertisers.
A medium which enjoys the confidence and respect of its readers is a good one to choose. The newspaper which is strong and vigorous in its editorial policies, which dominates in circulation and prestige—that is the kind in which to place your advertising.
Select a newspaper that PAYS the majority of its advertisers, whatever its rate, high or low. Bear in mind the subscription price of the medium selected. It should not be cheap. The higher the price the better the quality of readers, and the higher quality of your inquiries. Small Town Men; Big Town Time
By Sam Baddon, Northwest Editor of the Oregon Journal.
TO give big circuit service on small time stuff is the function of the Northwest editor, of the state editor, the country editor, the correspondence editor, or various other things he is frequently called. But whatever he may be called he is the man who handles and manhandles the news sent by the up-state and "sister state" country correspondents, by telegraph, by telephone and by mail, to the Portland daily newspaper.
In consideration of the country correspondent, the representative of the big daily who himself lives in a community large enough to support a daily paper or papers of its own, must be eliminated. In such daily paper towns, the Northwest editor is able to get the services of at least fairly well trained newspaper men, who once they become accustomed to the requirements and style of the metropolitan paper they represent, may be depended upon for protection on all big stories and for good clean copy.
But in the real country towns—in the rural districts and the scattered communities—it becomes a difficult matter to establish satisfactory cooperative relations between the desk man in the city and the correspondent in the hay field. This is not necessarily because of lack of sympathy and desire for unity of purpose between the editor and his correspondents, but because of a number of circumstances developed in no other branch of metropolitan newspaper making.
Small town correspondents are recruited from all walks of life—farmers, school teachers (men and women), high school students, commercial club secretaries, ministers, store keepers, et al. Few of them the editor ever meets personally, this circumstance adding to the difficulties of getting efficient service.
The correspondent, however, enters upon his new duties with glittering journalistic ambitions and high hopes. He has his letter of instructions and his ready-addressed envelopes for the dispatch of news, and he can't see how he can go wrong.
So over in Sweetpea Center Bill Bobbin 's cow falls down the well, and breaks its leg. An event of considerable importance to Bobbins and the community, to say nothing of the cow, and the correspondent in his ardor to do the right thing by his Portland paper, forgets all about his letter of instructions, breaks for the nearest telegraph office and before the North west editor can head him of, one hundred or two hundred or three hundred words of telegraph tolls have been added to the Portland paper's account from Sweetpea Center.
The Northwest editor then gently but firmly informs the correspondent that he has "spilled the beans"; that his story should have been sent by mail.
The next week the Sweetpea Center bank cashier disappears with $5000 of the bank's money and the minister's daughter, and the correspondent, three or four days later, sends his laboriously composed story by mail.
Again the Northwest editor gently but firmly informs the correspondent that the story should have been sent by wire.
The correspondent, his enthusiasm gone and his pride hurt, doesn't know what to make of it all.
His long stories of happenings of events of purely local importance disappear in the editor's wastepaper basket, or are boiled down to a para graph, rewritten and mutilated until their author never recognizes them as his own.
"That editor doesn't know what he does want," muses the correspondent.
But the correspondent doesn't know what the editor wants. He doesn't know or appreciate news values. It isn't to be expected that he should.
But if he perseveres he learns. And just about the time he is becoming of real value to the paper, he moves away or gives up the correspondence because it doesn't pay enough, and the Northwest editor must needs do it all over again breaking in a tyro.
No matter how kindly disposed the Northwest editor may feel toward his staff of correspondents, no matter how much leeway he would like to give them; or how much of their "news" he would like to use, he is bounded by strict limitations. The publisher is watching the telegraph and telephone bills, and the monthly payroll. The editor must keep them to a minimum, and at the same time get all the news. It's as disastrous for him to be scooped as it is for the police reporter on the city staff to fall down on a big story on his beat.
Often, too, with his northwest news already in type and ready for the forms, the makeup man, pressed for space and looking for something to leave out, picks on the country correspondent, and at the eleventh hour, press time, the news from Sweetpea Center meets its fate in the "hell box."
The Northwest editor is blamed by the correspondent though he is doing his best. The editor realizes that though he cannot expect to cover all of the local happenings of every village and town in his jurisdiction he must make a showing, for his own reputation, for the pleasure of the out-state subscribers, and to keep his correspondents interested enough financially so that the correspondents won't fall down on the paper when something big does "break".
All country correspondence must be read very carefully for spelling, punctuation, grammatical construction, newspaper "style," and libel. Some correspondents use typewriters with more or less success. More of them do not. Their copy comes in longhand, all styles, sizes and shapes—a nightmare to desk men and printers.
The financial remuneration to the country correspondent at best is small, not enough really to pay for the effort, so the correspondent who stays with the game and does the best he knows how usually does so for love of the work, for the satisfaction of seeing at least some of his efforts in print, and for the prestige his newspaper connection may give him in his home town.
In the daily-paper communities, with wider news sources to draw from, and with experienced men to handle the work, the monetary emoluments are more worth while, and for more than one aspiring newspaper man patch out his local paper salary to a very fair wage.
But the problem of the real country correspondent remains for the northwest editor. Oregon Exchanges
Published by the School of Journalism
University of Oregon
Free to Oregon Newspapermen; to all others, $1.00 per year.
Issued monthly. Application for entry as second class matter made at the post office at Eugene, Oregon.
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Miriam Page
Bob McNary
Adrienne Epping
Rosemund Shaw
Contributions of articles and items of interest to editors, publishers and printers of the state are welcomed.
OUR THIRD APPEARANCE
In this, our third appearance, we feel very much as if we were responding to a curtain call after seeing ourselves “clapped back” on the editorial pages of papers from all parts of the state; and we experience the keen yet anxious excitement of the amateur who bows his appreciation from the stage.
But this time we make our entrance with less of confidence and assurance than ever before, because it is our initial appearance under exclusive student editorship, management, and publication. Even tho our knees do knock together a little bit this time, nevertheless we enter with enough ambition and enthusiasm to offset partially, we trust, the inevitable shortcomings.
We look forward eagerly for comments made either editorially or in personal letters, for we recognize them as infallible criteria of success or failure. We shall welcome especially any constructive criticism from those who, by their wider knowledge and experience, have the power to save us from the many pitfalls along the road to success.
The kindly encouragement and voluntary contributions already received give us the courage and confidence necessary to the undertaking of duties and responsibilities entirely new and strange.
And just remember that Oregon Exchanges will contiue to appear as long as we prove valuable to you, the newspapermen of Oregon, and our aim is some day to prove ourselves invaluable.
THE OTHER FELLOW.
Ethics—right and justice—is the most important of qualities in country journalism, declares F. S. Minshall of the Philomath Review in his article in this number of Oregon Exchanges. “In metropolitan circles, however,” he adds, “the mere mention of ‘ethics’ in the newspaper game would cause a gust of merriment.”
Oregon Exchanges does not agree with Mr. Minshall. We have heard metropolitan editors make similar slighting remarks concerning the lack of standards and ideals in the country press. With them, too, we disagree.
Mr. Minshall is arguing for professional organization and cooperation. Why should not the rural newspaper man have his city brother in mind as well as his small town colleagues when he says with Mr. Minshall, “The frieindly handshake of his fellows, the words of greetings, might ofttimes be all that is necessary. The common friendly meeting would do much to check the hasty word, refute the charge of an enemy, and establish a friendly relationship that would result in bringing forth to the surface what is best and noblest in us all.”
Oregon Exchanges has already commented with pleasure on the increasing attendance of city newspapermen at state editorial meetings. Let’s get together; we are all members of the same profession—one of the noblest of all."
WHOSE FAULT IS IT?
The Jefferson County Record, published at Metolius, called attention recently to a statement made in an advertising convention by the advertising manager of Sears, Roebuck & Co., of Chicago, that when ever he found the volume of advertising done by the merchants in any city was small, he flooded that territory with catalogues, and that unfailingly, “the result is an extraordinary volume of orders for our goods.” The Record pointed out that a considerable number of the Sears, Roebuck catalogues had reached Metolius within the week in which the article was printed, and rises to ask, “Whose fault is it?”
JABEZ B. NELSON
In the death of Jabez Nelson, Associated Press Correspondent at Seattle, northwest journalism loses a writer who was in many ways an example of the best principles and ideals in his profession. Mr Nelson never married; he poured into his newspaper work the devotion and enthusiasm and the finer sentiments many men reserve for their home life. He loved his profession.
Rarely shall we meet again a man who can feel so strongly, yet at the same time see so clearly and speak so dispassionately. The handling of news was to him an art. It called for the highest skill, the keenest insight, and a never sleeping love of justice. When Jabez Nelson wrote the story it was safe, it was true, it was fair.
To others, journalism might offer opportunities for moulding the public mind to their purpose, or for driving events in the direction they have willed; to Jabez Nelson his profession meant the chance to set a high standard of correct and intelligent public information, and to tell the truth.
Those of you whom Oregon Exchanges reaches for the first time this month may be interested in seeing the last number, which was published in July before the present staff was organized. In response to a post card addressed to Adrienne Epping, circulation manager of this issue, you will receive the July number—the second issue to appear. The initial number came out in June, but as we have only a few copies left, we are unable to do without them.
It has been Miss Epping’s task this month to revise and supplement an old and very incomplete mailing list to include all the newspapermen of Oregon, and she has made an honest effort to overlook no one. If, however, any newspaper has escaped her notice we shall be glad to rectify the omission upon receipt of the name and address.
On the heels of the elimination of fake advertising from the newspapers of Oregon comes the movement toward guaranteed or certified circulation. It is not only a reform compatible with the new constructive journalism, but it is a business proposition which means money in the pockets of farseeing newspaper men. The newspaper with the guaranteed circulation justified in “talking it up” to local advertisers and finds it unnecessary to talk it up to the big foreign advertising concerns.
The entire staff of Oregon Exchanges is in sympathy with the sorrow of one of its members, Rosamund Shaw, exchange editor for this issue, in the death of her father Dr. A. E. Shaw of Pullman, Washington. Miss Shaw was called to her home October 15 by the serious illness of her father and the following day Dr. Shaw succumbed to an attack of apoplexy. By her absence Miss Shaw is impressing upon her co-workers her real value as a capable and reliable helper with an idea for every emergency. The staff is looking forward eagerly to her early return to the University.
DON’T ASK
“We are in receipt of a request from an attorney asking what we will charge for a ‘legal notice’. No attorney worthy the name asks a question like that any more. The law specifically states what a newspaper shall charge for a legal notice in this state, and any newspaper printing one for less than the legal rate has to state in its affidavit of publication that it does so and that it is for ‘charity’. The law is to prevent shysters from jewing down a newspaper by threatening to take the notice somewhere else. The shyster paid the newspaper, say, half price and then collected full price from his client. The law is also a protection for the weak-minded newspaper man who would permit himself to be bluffed into taking anything rather than see a notice go elsewhere. In this connection we want to exempt the Corvallis attorneys from all guilt in connection with the above practice.”—Gazette-Times, Corvallis, Oregon.
Newport Meeting of Editors
By Elbert Bede, Secretary of the Willamette Valley Editorial Association and Editor of the Cottage Grove Sentinel
THE recent session of the Willamette Valley Editorial Association, September 8, 9 and 10, was the most successful in the history of the association as far as attendance and enjoyment were concerned. The business program was the equal of any previous ones.
While the session will probably be known as the Newport meeting, it would be more proper to say that the session covered Benton and Lincoln counties, as the business session was held on the way to Newport and re turning from Newport, in the private car furnished for that purpose by the Southern Pacific Railway. This manner of conducting the business session was unique in that it probably was the only session of the kind ever held by an editorial association. This session was also unique in as far as this association is concerned because of the fact that for the first time the women were invited to attend. Every notice sent out by the secretary contained the admonition, “Bring your wife, or send her.” The wives decided that they would attend and none of the editors seemed willing to let their better halves attend unchaperoned. The session was made more pleasant and enjoyable because of the presence of the feminine contingent.
The most important piece of business to come before the session was the discussion of Liberty Loan advertising. The question was ably handled by G. L. Taylor, editor of the Molalla Pioneer, and a spirited discussion followed. The association unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the idea of paid advertising for future liberty loans.
Other numbers on the program were as follows:
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Are Patents and Plates Really Readable and Worth What They Cost?
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C. J. McIntosh, Press Bulletins, Oregon Agricultural College. |
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Why We Don’t Run a Job Shop in Connection With Paper
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E. M. Regan, Herald, Albany. |
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Value of the County Unit in Organization
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F. S. Minshall, Review, Philomath. |
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Shall We Take Out-of-town Advertising
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J. C. Dimm, News, Springfield |
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Estimating on Job Work
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O. W. Robey, Courier, Oregon City. |
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Getting and Charging for Foreign Advertising
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Bert. R. Greer, Tidings, Ashland. |
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Legal Rates
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E. Brodie, Enterprise, Oregon City. |
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Woman’s Place in the Newspaper Field
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Edythe Tozier Weatherred, of Oregon. |
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Boosting Oregon—My Department and the Newspapers
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Orlo D. Center, Director Extension Department, O. A. C. |
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The Newspapers and Our Public Institutions
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W. C. DePew, Criterion, Lebanon. |
At Newport the editors were royally entertained by the commercial club, the success of the entertainment being largely due to the untiring efforts of the Mathews brothers, publishers of The Yaquina News. The "piece de resistance" was a seafood banquet, at which Phil Bates, N. R. Moore, Addison Bennett and Ed Brodie distinguished themselves. The decorations of the tables were made of copies of The Yaquina Bay News, although they were mostly hidden by plates piled high with crabs, clams, oyster cocktails, home-made "dog", cheese and other light delicacies.
The address of welcome was delivered by B. A. Bensell, who paid the editors a royal tribute and said that he would recommend to the president
that the first cannon captured from the Prussians by the American soldiers be melted and molded into medals for the editors. J. M. Scott, general passenger agent of the Southern Pacific Railway, who was permitted to become an associate of the editors because of his wise editing of the advertising checks, almost promised the Newport people that the road would be extended around the bay. Mrs. Scott, who is evidently the diplomat of the family, pulled her hubby's coat-tails at the psychological moment, however, and the promise was not quite made.
Most enjoyable vocal music was furnished by a male quartet and others of the editors filled in the time up to midnight, trying to outdo with an oratorical feast the splendid material feast spread by the hospitable New port people.
On Sunday the visiting editors spent their time flirting with the mermaids, with indigestion and with death on the briny deep. Hofer & Sons placed their fishing boat, "The Gazelle," at the disposal of the editors and their wives for a deep-sea fishing trip, but it is not recorded that the scribes either fed or caught any of the denizens of the Pacific. Members of the party who preferred the shore were taken on an automobile ride about the city and surrounding country.
In the evening the guests of the city were invited to a dip in the natatorium, which gave President Ingalls opportunity to display his maidenly charms.
With few exceptions the editors had sufficiently recovered by Monday morning to be able to catch the 7 o'clock boat across the bay. C. E. Ingalls, of Corvallis, and E. E. Brodie, of Oregon City, became so impressed with the hospitality of the Newport people that they remained for a week to give their families an outing. The only near fatality was the serious illness of Secretary Bede. The Portland Telegram reported that, after a consultation of Newport physicians and several medicos from Portland, who were at Newport on an outing, his case was diagnosed as toomuchitis.
Following were the members of the party: C. J. McIntosh and Mrs. McIntosh, Press-Bulletin, Corvallis; Bert F. West, Statesman, Salem; W. J. Gotthardt, Blake-McFall Co., Portland; Phil S. Bates, secretary State Editorial Association; O. D. Center, director extension O. A. C.; E. E. Brodie, Mrs. Brodie and two children, Enterprise, Oregon City; R. M. Hofer, The Manufacturer, Portland-Salem; Gordon J. Taylor and Mrs. Taylor, Pioneer, Molalla; Olive Scott Gabnel, guest of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Scott; W. H. Weatherson, The West, Florence; C. L. Monson, Pacific Paper Company, Albany, J. C. Dimm and Mrs. Dimm, News, Springfield; W C. DePew, Criterion, Lebanon; N. R. Moore, Gazette-Times, Corvallis; Elbert Bede and Mrs. Bede, Cottage Grove; G. L. I-Iurd and Mrs. Hurd, Portland; Edythe Tozier Weatherred, Oregon State Fair, Salem; C. E. Ingalls, Gazette-Times, Corvallis; J. M. Scott and Mrs. Scott, Southern Pacific Company; C. W. Robey, Courier, Oregon City; A. E. Frost, Courier, Corvallis; E. M. Reagan and Mrs. Reagan, Herald, Albany; John and Wm. Mathews, News, Newport.
Out of Town Advertising
A Paper read by J. C. Dimm, Editor, Springfield News, at Newport Convention.
I TAKE it that the person who assigned this subject to me had in mind advertising that would come in direct competition with the business men of the community where the newspaper is published, and does not apply to foreign advertising, legal advertising, or specialty advertising, or the advertising of the lines of business not represented in home community. As a rule the proprietor of a newspaper is in business for what he can get out of it in a financial way, although some editors claim to be in business for the uplift of humanity and for the betterment of mankind. A newspaper owes much to the community in which it is published and the community owes much to the newspaper. Just as a business to be a success must prosper, a newspaper to be useful to the community must be prosperous. And in order to be prosperous a newspaper must be conducted upon sound business principles. The proprietor must know his costs and secure sufficient business as a fair price, to meet all expenses and make a fair profit besides.
All progressive merchants strive to extend their business to cover as wide a range of territory as possible. This better enables them to meet competition and to develop into larger establishments, and no one has the right to say to them that they must confine their trade to the borders of their own town. If then the merchant enjoys the right of expansion by enlarging his territory why should not a newspaper reach out to adjacent communities for business, and with increased revenues publish a better newspaper and consequently be of greater service to the community it serves?
Without advertising the country newspaper would be an impossibility, so then, if the selling of advertising space makes the publishing of a country newspaper possible, the more space sold the better the newspaper, and therefore, of the greater value to the community.
The selling of space to out-of-town merchants should stimulate the home merchant, who is in competition with the out-of-town merchant, to use more space and thereby become a real live business man in his community. If, on the other hand, he stops advertising, his trade may be taken away from him by the man who does advertise.
How can a newspaper develop if it confines itself to its own narrow quarters in order not to offend its home advertisers? If a newspaper would be a real force in its community it must be prosperous and in order to be prosperous it should enjoy the same right and privilege enjoyed by any other business enterprise. A Veteran of 1884
ONE of the old-line newspaper men who helped to round out the history of Oregon journalism from the “80’s” until a few years ago, when he retired with full honors, is D. I. Asbury, now a resident of McMinnville.
In 1884 Mr. Asbury purchased the Grant County News at Canyon City, and occupied without competition for several years a field covering a large area of eastern Oregon, with a great measure of success.
Mr. Asbury, whom his colleagues and associates affectionately named “Colonel,” did most of his own typesetting and printed his paper on an old Washington hand press until the land office patronage in his district enabled him to purchase a cylinder press and employ help in his business.
The “Colonel” was resourceful and original and gave his patrons a good paper. With equal poise he went about the task of teaching a class in the village Sunday school or acting as one of the floor managers at the Friday night dance as occasion demanded, thus adapting himself to his surroundings—a much valued accomplishment in the pioneer days of rough and-ready journalism in Oregon. He was a “scrapper,” too, when good scrapping was required. Serving his country once as a juror in the circuit court his decision was against the interests of one of his valued subscribers, who, alas, were none too plenty. The good subscriber at once took the
editor to task and “stopped” his paper. As a sequel to repeated roastings in the paper for his narrow views, the repentant subscriber came in shortly and renewed his subscription, paying two years in advance for the sake of peace.
It is related of the “Colonel” that in the days of the old party convention he, being a delegate from his precinct, was approached by a newly made subscriber who was a candidate for county treasurer. He had a delegate who had promised to place him in nomination, and “would the ‘Colonel’ be so kind as to second the nominationl”, Sure! he would do anything to accommodate him. “Mr. Chairman,” the “Colonel” said, “I take great pleasure in seconding the nomination.” Nothing had been said about voting, and when the ballot was counted the candidate had received only one vote.
The country editors of a generation ago, unlike those of the present, were neccessarily learned in the mechanical arts from cleaning the form rollers to keeping the books, but they made history. A few of them made a little money; more of them
“Labored full long for the True and the Good
’Mid the manifold evils that irk us,
Their emoluments: raiment and food
And a pass now and then to the circus.”
Journalists Make Good Soldiers
Advices from England say journalists are much sought by the army authorities, because they make good oflicers. The initiative and resource they have constantly to show in their civil occupation is credited with in
creasing their military value. All Over Oregon
John Cochran, one of the best known political reporters in the state, has returned to the local staff of the Oregonian, after an absence of about four and a half years. He has been deputy clerk of Multnomah county, chief clerk of the state
R. S. Huston, formerly editor of the Florence Pilot and Gardiner Index, who suffered nervous prostration last February, has completed 8 nature cure of his own devising' and is back at a desk in_ the ofiice
of the Eugene Register, succeeding
senate and variously otherwise en gaged during the interim. He is temporarily assigned to the court
Miss Grace Edgington. Mr. Huston went into the mountains above Mapleton and put in six months:
house run for the Oregonian. W. H. Perkins, erstwhile court reporter, has fallen heir to the day police
peeling
chittim
bark.
When
he
started he could carry only 15 pounds. When he quit he was car
run, and Ted Irvine, formerly day
rying 150 pounds over a mountain.
police reporter, has been called in as
trail twice a day.
general
examination for the officers’ reserve training camp and was declared physically perfect, but was disqual
assignment
man.
Frank
Bartholemew, general assignment man since he joined the stafl' several months ago,
has
become
assistant
sporting editor under James Rich ardson, who is acting sporting ed itor in the absence of Roscoe Faw cett, who is at the second oflicers’
training camp at the Presidio, William Smyth, assistant sporting editor, has resigned to resume his work with the sporting goods de partment of the Honeyman Hard ware company. -Moi-i
Claiming that the English lang uage papcrs in Astoria were decided ly prejudiced and colored news so that it appeared favorable to the capitalist
class, the
Toveri
(The
Comrad), a Finnish newspaper for 10 years, has started to publish an English section. The action came about during the ship workers ’ strike on the lower Columbia river. The Toveri is the largest Finnish daily in the west. —-—o Miss Ethel Tooze, formerly a journalism student, now an instruct or in the public schools of Roseburg,
is writing s ccial articles for Oregonian. uring the summer acted as correspondent for that per while she was spending vacation in
the she pa her
Newport. 0
James
McCool,
formerly of the
Journal staff, and later private sec retary to Commissioner Daly, is now automobile editor of the Salt Lake Telegram. 16
He passed an~
ified by the loss of several teeth Mr. Huston was a first lieutenant in the Second Oregon in the Phil ippines, and was later captain of what is now the third company of the Oregon Coast Artillery. Moi
Harold Young, a graduate of the department and an instructor in the high school at Pendleton, believes that newspapers are far more profi
table as a high school publication than are magazines, and so he has changed the Pendleton high school publication, the “Lantern,” into a small newspaper. “ I would like,” said he, “to see the number of high school newspapers increase in Oregon, as I think they are certainly more satisfactory.” __0__ Lair H. Gregory, general assign ment man and political reporter of the Oregonian, has become auto mobile editor, succeeding Chester Moores, who has been appointed sec retary to Governor James Withy combe.
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E. E. Southard, formerly in the mechanical department of the Ore gon Journal, purchased the Polk County Observer September 1, from Lew A. Oates. ioi John L. Travis, managing editor of the Times, formerly news editor of the Journal, hung his coat on the old peg for a couple of hours last
week. The Astoria Evening Budget celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday on October 6. In his anniversary editorial J. E. Gratke says that “the Evening Budget can look backward over these twenty-five years without any regrets. It will move forward with a hopeful heart and willing hands in the future.” In honor of the day the management of the Budget entertained the entire staff of thirty-six at a banquet. Among those present were: John E. Gratke, publisher; William F. Gratke, mechanical foreman; Irving J. Kern, editor; Ed. C. Lapping, news editor; George Turina, pressman; Royal Karinen, job printer; Miss Mamie Johnson, linotype operator; Miss Ann Malagamba, linotype operator;
Miss Hattie Brown, bookkeeper; Emil Schab, circulation manager. In
honor of the
occasion,
Emil
Schab, circulation manager, presented each of the Gratke brothers with a watch fob, the pendant of which was a gold linotype mat suit ably engraved.
__o__ The members of the editorial staffs of the Oregon Journal, Oregon ian, Telegram, News and Spectator of Portland were given an enjoyable complimentary party by Richard W. Childs, manager of Hotel Portland,
Monday evening, September 24. About 75 gathered in the assembly room for an evening of music, danc ing and sociability. Mr. Childs was assisted in entertaining by Elbert S. Robe, assistant manager, and Mrs. Robe. A feature of the evening
“The Making of a Newspaper,” a motion picture taken in the Ore gonian plant, was shown recently at Peoples theater in Portland, and forever immortalizes on the screen some of the well-known- faces of the ofiice. The picture followed the making of a newspaper from the logging operations preliminary to the making of wood pulp, through the paper mills, and out on the streets and to the breakfast table. Parts of the picture were extremely interesting as to detail, while others, such as the editorial detail, were passed over hurriedly, apparently on
the theory that there was so much detail in the editorial work that at best only a little of it could be photographed.
'
io—— ' Joseph Patterson, formerly a re porter and field correspondent of the Oregonian, who for the last year has been with the American Ambulance Corps in France, expects to_be in Portland for a brief visit this winter. Mr. Patterson has served out three enlistments in France, and has seen action in the battle of the Somme and other his toric battles of the war. His last work has been with the front lines. He sailed October 13 for the United States for a rest. He has been offer ed a commission in the aviation sec
tion, but for the present declined it in order not to break up the ambu
lance organization of his section which at the time was just entering the front line work.
M0__
was the reading of a number of his poems by Anthony Euwer, the Hood
correspondent
River poet, who was introduced by
“the greatest newspaper poetpwlm
H. E. Thomas, city editor of the Oregonian. The serving of refresh ments rounded pleasure.
out
the
evening’s
__o____ Addison Bennett, the well-known special staff writer of the Portland Oregonian,
accompanied
the
party
of Baker stockmen on their tour of central Oregon, attending the local stock meetings.—Lake County Ex aminer.
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“Jack” Seed, Journal artist, had a lot of fun fishing down Tillamook way on his vacation.
Dean
Collins,
who,
as Colliers"
recently
-put it, is
ever paddled _a canoe up and down the Eugene mill race”, has resigned from the local staff of the Oregon ian to_ become publicity director of
the Film Supply company in Port land. Mr. Collins also continues to be publicity representative of the
Strand theater. He will devote some of his time to offering original work in the magazine field.
Miss
—o Vivian Browne,
daughter
of Henry Browne, editor of the Silverton Tribune, is now the Silver
ton correspondent for the Oregon Statesman. 17 W. A. Dill, for the last six months telegraph editor of the Oregonian, has been called to the University of Kansas to be instructor in the department of journalism. He has le t for Lawrence, with Mrs. Dill and their three children. Mr. Dill was identified with the Eugene Register for more than 10 years, leaving there when he was news editor, to take over and publish the Springfield News at Springfield, Ore. After giving several years to the weekly field he returned to Eugene as city editor of the Guard, which position he held when he was called to the Oregonian news room six months ago. He is a graduate of the old Portland High school and the University of Oregon. His first job on any newspaper was office boy for the old Evening Tribune of Portland in 1896. He was employed in the business office.
Miss Kathleen Coates, formerly of the local staff of the Roseburg Review, is now attending Reed college in Portland. She is specializing in work that will be of use to her in the newspaper field. Besides attending college, she is working part of the time on the Oregonian. W. A. Pettit, also formerly with the Review, is on the night shift of the Oregonian. The Review now has four former employes on the Oregonian, the others being Elmer War burton and John Ryan, who are employed in the mechanical department.
C. M. Snider, owner and manager of the News-Enterprise of Wasco, writes that his paper has moved into a new building of its very own—-built exclusively for a print ing oflice. It is of bungalow type, with special care as to lights and ventilation and has a main office floor of 24 by 32 feet with a wash room in the rear. An addition of a 14% by 22 platen press has been made which will result in the revision of the size and makeup of the News-Enterprise, changing it from a 7 column, four page paper, two of which have been “patent,” to a six page, 6 column one with four pages of home print and an adless
insert of two pages from the Port land Newspaper Union. ___oi “Our Community page will be de voted exclusively to the up-build ing of La Grande and its surround ing territory. Watch for this page. It will contain cartoons and edit orials on subjects vital to the life
of this community,” says the La Grande Observer. A page such as this should turn out to be would be a benefit to the community at large. More papers in the state would do
Shad O. Krantz, of the Oregonian
well to take up this example set by Clarke Leiter and run something of this sort. It is good and interesting stuff. __0__ The Tualatin Valley News, pub lished at Sherwood, celebrated its sixth birthday Friday September 29. The Washington County News Times runs the following comment on the paper: “It is a husky six
local staff, is taking charge of classes
year old and serves its home town
and extension work in the school of
well.” I. V. McAdoo, the owner and publisher, is getting out a right live, smart little paper. io Arthur N. Jones has left a posi tion as telegraph editor of the Ore
commerce at the University, and
doing well, if reports may be be
lieved.
Krantz was a member of
the Oregonian staff for something like seven years, during which time he became well known throughout the state as one of the best news
papermen in the business. 0 Bruce Hunter of Albany, a former
Eugene man, was presented with a baby boy October 4. The baby was named by Miss Hughes of the Demo crat force as Robert Bruce Hunter. Robert Bruce weighed six and one half pounds. 18
gon
Statesman
of Salem
and
has
accepted a similar position on The Medford Sun. Managing Editor Stephen A. Stone is handling the telegraph news temporarily for the Statesman.
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Jordan Valley has a new aspirant in the newspaper line—Miss Eva Duncan has entered upon an appren ticeship in the Express ofiice. When Company L, of the Third Oregon Infantry, stationed at Dallas, went into federal service, Uncle Sam had on his roll three more “perfectly good" newspapermen. The trio are Seth Bailey, Lawrence Dinneen, and Harry Kuck. Dinneen and Kuck are graduates of the school of journalism of the University of Oregon. When called in by the state to get ready for federal service, Kuck was the only one of the three living in Dallas. He was employed on the Observer. Dinneen, who had succeeded Bailey on the Observer, and had been in turn succeeded by Kuck, was in La Grande, working on the Observer there, and Bailey was publishing a weekly at Crockett, Cal.
One of the things that goes to make unsuccessful advertising is the idea that many people have that advertising sells goods. Advertising is simply business news and informs the public what can be done; the success of the sale depends on the salesman. Advertising is a success when it causes the reading public to take interest and inquire, but successful business depends on making buyers of the interested inquirers. Successful advertising without successful business has caused many firms to go out of business. One is no good without the other.—Brownsville Times.
The Benton County Courier runs a little squib that makes good reading:- "The Harrisburg Bulletin springs this very unkind one on Editor Bede of the Cottage Grove Sentinel. Bede advertised a second-hand office typewriter, in good condition, for sale cheap. A prospective buyer tried it out and returned it stating that the capital ‘I’ was so badly battered it wouldn’t print."
W. E. Bates, prior to four years ago market reporter for the Evening Telegram, and known as one of the cleanest copy writers in the city, has joined the copy desk staff of the Oregonian. Mr. Bates has been ranching for the last four years. C. S. Dunning, formerly with the Associated Press at Spokane has also joined the copy desk staff.
Eight employees of the Oregon City Enterprise have gone into the service since the begining of the war. Cecil Koffman, cashier, is a second lieutenant at Fort Still, Okla.; Arthur Caylor, news editor, went to the training camp at the Presidio: Ross Scott is in the aviation corps at San Antonio, Texas; Ted Miller is in France in an engineer corps; Arthur MacDonald is in the Canadian army; and Randall O’Neill, Mitchell Story and Jack Lewis are in the navy. Lloyd O. Harding, once a member of the reportorial staff and a University of Oregon graduate, is a lieutenant in the quartermaster corps at American Lake.
Editor W. C. Black and his foreman, Geo. O’Donald, were down from Oakland Saturday, Mr. Black making arrangements to ship his household goods to Oakland, and Mr. O’Donald remained here this week in order to pull and thresh his seven-acre crop of beans on his little farm east of Harrisburg. They are pleased with Oakland.—Harrisburg bulletin.
T. R. as a phrase maker could always skin ’em alive, but here’s what he did to the foe in his Kansas City speech, according to somebody in Dave Foulke’s department under the tall Oregonian tower:
“We are here to stand against the drshshrdluetaoincmfwypvbgkqji Hun.”
Echo Zahl, a Portland girl and former student of the Oregon school of journalism, has been transferred by the Scripts people from the Seattle Star, where she has been doing feature work since last June, to the Portland News. Miss Zahl will look over “old Portland” again and write for the News stories about the things that interest and impress her.
Does any one know of a competent editorial and news writer who is unemployed and ready to step into a position on the Morning Astorian?
The Independence Enterprise has installed a new linotype in place of their old Junior.
Otto J. Ballhorn, city editor of the La Grande Observer, was the victim of an attack of tuberculosis, dying at his home in Woodland, Washington, Sunday, October 7. Ballhorn was 28 years of age and had been in the newspaper game for some time. While in College he was the editor for two years of the O. A. C. Barometer, going from there to La Grande where he took up the position of B. W. Stanfield, at Stanfield. “Quiet, gentlemanly, capable, Mr. Ballhorn made many friends here,” said the Observer, “and they and the staff greatly
regret his death.”
Because of a defective right eye, and because there are no left handed guns, Merlin Batley, a graduate of the journalism department in 1916, is still doing good work on the Times of Twin Falls, Idaho. He made several attempts to enlist in various branches of the service but was hindered each time by his right eye. Word comes to us that he is planning to make the leap into the sea of matrimony sometime around Thanksgiving time.
Women ’s War Work is the name of a new department appearing daily with pictures on the woman’s page of the Oregon Journal, in which are chronicled activities of women both at home and abroad, who are working for their countries. The department is the only one of its kind this side of Chicago and is edited by Miss Vella Winner.
D. H. Talmadge of Salem is in charge of the Enterprise at Halsey, W. A. Priaulx being compelled by ill health to take a change. Mr. Priaulx is working on a ranch near Centralia, Washington, hoping that the outdoor life will restore him to his former vigor.
George Palmer Putnam, publisher of the Bend Bulletin, has been in the east the past two months. He is planning a trip south to Florida for his health.
The Cottage Grove Sentinel has just passed its twenty-eighth birthday anniversary.
John P. O’Hara, who recently resigned from the University of Oregon faculty after four years of service in the department of history, has gone back to the editorship of the Catholic Sentinel of Portland, the oldest Catholic paper in the Northwest. Mr. O’Hara first became associated with the Sentinel shortly after his graduation from college and remained with the paper until his appiontment to the University of Oregon, with the exception of a year spent in study at the University of Paris.
The Portland American, successor to the Deutsche Zeitung, has suspended publication as a daily and in the future will appear as a weekly paper in the German language. The management will, in accordance with the new “trading with the enemy” act, supply to the Portland postmaster English translations of all matter pertaining directly or indirectly to the war.
The Holeproof Hosiery company recently received the following letter: “Dear sir, pleas mail me a sample of your one-inch hose for cemical fire engine and lowest prices on 300 ft. lots Hosiery that would stand the cemical test.” It certainly pays to advertise. ——Corvallis Gazette-Times.
The newspapers of Grants Pass, Ashland and Medford are advocates of the collection and preservation of pioneer relics, facts and stories relating to their part of the state and are aiding the city libraries in obtaining all available data.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lucas announce the marriage of their daughter, Bernice Lucas, a graduate of the University of Oregon school of journalism, to Mr. William S. Dinwiddie in September.
Mary Newlin is the new reporter for the La Grande Evening Observer. She fills the vacancy left by the resignation of Ernestine Slitzinger.
Several rumors lately have it that W. H. Hornibrook of Albany has aspirations with Salem as a base.
Several changes have been made in the two Albany newspaper offices
during the month. Operator Burt of the Herald is in Corvallis. Previous to going to Corvallis, Mr. Burt was sick a short time with asthma. A Mr. House is filling the position temporarily. At the Democrat office Operator Brooks went onto the floor and Charles Alexander of the Ring Neck Pheasant farm, an operator, took the machine. Mr. Buchnell of California, is a new man at the Democrat office.
Perry Prescott Reigelman, who for a year has been on the reportorial staff of the Daily Capital Journal of Salem, has gone to New York City to make a special study of photography as training for the aviation signal service of the army. Reigelman has had several years’ training in military work and was with M company of Salem on the expedition to the Mexican border in 1916.
Paul D. Murphy, formerly of Minneapolis and Chicago, for some months on the staff of the Portland Journal, is about to sail for France, having gone east two weeks ago as a member of the American Field Service, formerly the American Ambulance, for service abroad. Mr. Murphy expects soon to be driving an ambulance on the French front.
Fred Wegner, Western Union operator special in the Portland Journal wire room, is on the job again, after three months’ layoff with a broken arm and shoulder, the result of a fall from a cherry tree. Mr. Wegner has confided in no one what he was going to do with cherries in this time of drought.
C. C. (“Cliff”) Harrison, for a number of years marine man on the Journal, and one of the really popular newspaper men of the Rose City is now sporting editor of the Seattle Times. Mr. Harrison hated to do it, in a way, but the inducement was such that he couldn’t resist.
Jennings F. Sutor, news editor of the Journal, enjoyed the annual Round-Up at Pendleton.
Robert C. Hall, former editor of the Glendale News and Sedro-Woolley, Washington, Courier, has recently accepted a position with the school of journalism in the University. He has charge of the University Press and all shop work. It is the plan to have his work merge into that of the school in the way of classes, laboratories, and general all round practical printing.
Rex H. Lampman, whose identity as a “formerly with” man now requires the tabulation of the Niche (N.D.) Chronometer, Portland Journal, Morning Oregonian and Cleveland Leader, has become telegraph editor of the Fargo (N.D.) Courier News, the organ of the Non-Partisan League of North Dakota. Mr. Lampman left Cleveland, Ohio, several weeks ago.
Lucile Saunders, a member of the journalism department of the University, is now working on the Bend Bulletin, along with Floyd Westerfield, also a member of that department and a graduate of the class of 1917. The Bulletin is losing a good man in Henry Fowler, who passed his physical examination for the selective draft.
The Oregon Journal has enlarged and rejuvenated its theatrical department and under the head of amusements is covering by announcement, criticism, interview and picture, all entertainment of a theatrical, operatic, musical and photo-play nature. Miss Edna Irvine is the new editor of this department.
Joe H. Jordan, automobile editor of the Oregon Journal, is soon to be married to Miss Edith Pettigrew, for several years in charge of the telephone exchange of the Journal. The date for the wedding has not been set.
B. F. Irvine, associate editor of The Journal, toured the Willamette valley in the interest of the second Liberty Loan Bond campaign.
Hyman H. Cohen, market editor of the Journal, has returned from a two weeks’ vacation at Seaside.
F. H. McNeil, for several years
a member of the staff of the Oregon Journal and for the last year in charge of the financial department of that paper, will leave November 15 for Chicago to visit relatives for a short time after which he will join the Army, his hope in going east to join, being that he may be ordered to service sooner than if connected with a western company.
The Heppner Herald has recently moved into new quarters and is more comfortably and conveniently situated than ever before. Since taking over the business last March, S. A. Patterson, the present publisher, is able to report a steady and gratifying increase in business with each succeding month.
S. M. Hawkins, formerly Portland correspondent of the Associated press has been transferred to the Seattle office to succeed Jabez B. Nelson who died October 9. H. W. Thompson from the Associated Press office in Sacremento, California, is successor of Mr. Hawkins in Portland.
The Clackamas News is to be congratulated on the fine work it is doing by sending papers to all enlisted men from that community. Not only does it send its copies to men in camps in this country but also to France, Alaska and to men on warships.
A. B. Slauson, one of the veterans of the Portland newspaper business, is compiling the “Industrial Notes” column for the Oregonian. He is also “doing” the “Periscope” for The Sundey Oregonian, reading copy when he is not thus engaged.
Lew Cates and wife made a trip to Marshfield not long ago. Cates was at one time the publisher of the Coquille Sentinel, and later publisher of the Dalles Observer.
M. C. Athey, formerly a printer with the Bend Press, during the summer purchased the Deschutes Valley Tribune at Culver and is now operating it.
The Evening Tribune at Pendleton published a forty page edition on September 20 as a souvenir of the Round-up. It purports to be the “biggest edition of any newspaper ever published in Eastern Oregon” and is replete with pictures and stories of Pendleton’s annual celebration.
A. Whisnant, editor of the Bend Press, was recently in an auto accident and sustained injuries to his right hand when it went through the wind shield. Although badly cut, the injured member is healing rapidly.
W. H. Warren, formerly private secretary to Mayor Albee, has returned to the local staff of the Oregonian as general assignment man. Mr. Warren, prior to his appointment under Mr. Albee, was city hall reporter.
Fred G. Taylor, copy reader for the last three years on the Oregonian has resigned, having enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Taylor was the 103rd employee of the Oregonian to join the colors.
“The Hustler” is the name of a monthly publication now being is sued by the Oregonian Night Hustlers’ Club of Portland, composed of night newsboys for the Oregonian.
The Ione Independent, publication of which was suspended a few months ago, has been restored to life and its publication resumed, by L. W. Charles, formerly of Scio, Albany and Newberg.
Ward Irvine, son of B. F. Irvine, associate editor of the Oregon Journal, and himself a former member of the Journal staff, recently joined the staff of the Seattle Times.
A. T. Shroder, of the Newberg Graphic, had his left hand so severely crushed in a job press, that he was obliged to lay of for some time.
Heath Youell, formerly connected with newspapers at Great Falls, Mont., is news editor of the Morning Enterprise, at Oregon City. Guy Hughes, who publishes the Pine Valley Herald every week at Halfway, Oregon, in a letter to Oregon Exchanges, claims that liv ing “somewhat out of the world” has its advantages, and goes on to prove his point: “There has only been one tramp printer here in seven years. We look at the calendar instead of the clock, buy milk at the old prices, have plenty of subscribers who read no other paper, have not heard of meatless and wheatless days and are not worried about a German or Japanese invasion.”
City Editor Leith Abbott of the Ashland Tidings is registered in the school of journalism of the University of Oregon and holding down two reportorial positions besides. He is “cub” on the Morning Register, covering the doctors’ offices, the city hall and miscellaneous night assignments. In addition he is
handling special stories for the Ore gon Emerald. The Tidings regrets the loss of Mr. Abbott and predicts success for him in any undertaking
he may atempt. iOM Mrs. Olive Scott Gabriel, presi dent of the International Associa tion of Women Lawyers, and a
prominent club woman of New York was among the visitors of the Willamette Valley Editorial Assoc iation which took place at Newport. io Thomas W. Gerber, formerly man ager of the United Press oflice of the Oregon Journal and now western business representative of the United Press, was a recent caller at the Journal oflice. ——o Gertrude P. Corbett, society edi tor of the Oregonian, spent her va cation in California, visiting much of the time at San Francisco.
0 J. W. A. Busch, editor of the Fort
L. R. McCullough, editor of the Morning Astorian, Astoria, has tem
porarily abandoned the pen for the stage.
He has written a musical
comedy and now is busy getting things ready to hit the road.
Mr.
Cullough formerly was a Kansas City newspaperman and has handled dramatic news, besides appearing professionally on the stage. ——o Eugene Kelty, son of P. B. Kelty, news and night editor of the Ore gonian, has been elected editor of the Lens, the school publication of Washington High School. Young Kelty has been handling school news for the Oregonian the last year.
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Colonel John Cradlebaugh, veter an desk man on the Daily Capital Journal, of Salem, has a few hours respite from the desk each day and covers the state house run. arrangement has been made
This since
the departure of Perry Reigelman. 0 City Editor Ralph Cronise of the Albany Democrat spent two weeks at San Francisco with Mrs. Cronise on a honeymoon. While there Mr. and Mrs. Cronise saw a number of
Eugene and Albany people. 0
.
Miss Alice Gram is now society editor of the Spectator, filling the place made vacant by the resigna
tion of Miss Clara Wold, who is spending the winter in New York studying.
—-—o Albert Hawkins, editorial writer for the Oregonian, recently took an automobile outing into Central Oregon in company with W. Lair Thompson.
__._oi Norris McKay began work as lin otype
operator
on
the
Springfield
News, October 1. He is a junior at the University of Oregon. -—o
Rock Times, was in Seattle for a week’s business trip, returning Oct ober 17.
Janette Wiggins, of Portland, has joined the local staff of the Ore gonian as general assignment re porter.
—-o Claire Raley, a graduate of the University in 1916, is society editor of the Evening Tribune of Pendle
__oM George Bertz, asistant sports edi tor of the Journal, has been elected manager of the Multnomah Club
ton.
football team for the season.
2
3 BERRIES AND TYPE
By Ed. C. Lap ing. News Editor of the Astoria Evening Budget.
The bird with a polished Benny and a bamboo look-good in Boston walks down the street. What is he!’ A cranberry merchant, durn near every -time! For Cape Cod cranberries are worth money, and money buys nifty scenery.
Presto the scene to the lower Columbia river district. A Japalac car. Riding togs. Swell armor. What is it! Cranberry king! yes and no. For the newspapermen of the lower Columbia river district besides dumping dead type are gathering ripe cranberries. This is cranberry time, and a bunch of news hounds are coming cranberry kings.
Cranberries, by the way, will have diamonds knocked off the map for wealth in a short while, according to reliable reports rife around Astoria,. where the cranberry merchants-newspapermen live. Cranberry land costs $500 an acre just as soon as planting begins, but the value mounts to something like $2500 an acre in four years, when
the vines begin bearing fruit. Both sides of the lower Columbia river have what is declared to be the finest of cranberry land in the country.
In addition to the prolific qual
The newspapermen financially interested in cranberries in the lower Columbia river district are: J. S. Dellinger, publisher of the Morning Astorian; C. L. Wooden, formerly circulation man on the Evening Budget; John E. Gratke, publisher of the Evening Budget: William E. Schimpff, publicity manager of the cranberry men; William F. Gratke, mechanical foreman of the Evening Budget. ____o____
WHY HE ADVEBTISE8 “Advertising” means literally a turning-towards something—a directing of the attention. The ques tion was once asked of Theodore N. Vail, president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, “Why do you feel that it is neces sary to advertise! Everyone knows about the telephone.” “Yes,” replied Mr. Vail. “It is true that everyone knows about the
telephone. We want everyone to think about the telephone. That’s why we advertise.” After all, the whole object of ad vertising is to make the public. think about what the advertiser has to offer; to be drawn toward that particular house and that particular article, and. as a result, to buy that
article. Men who spend fortunes for advertising are convinced that it works that way.
ities of the soil, the lower Columbia river land has none of the draw backs of Wisconsin and Cape Cod culture—extremes of weather, frost,
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L. K. Harlan, who has published papers in nearly every town in Mor
poor drainage.
moved farther east to La Grande for his latest venture; The Pilot Rock
And so it is that the cranberry
promoters in Astoria have hopes of great things in the future. They ought to have; every acre of cran berry land in full growth produces between 100 and 150 barrels of cran berries— and cranberries this year will be worth between $12 and $15 a barrel.
row
and
Umatilla
counties,
has
Record has dropped from an Inter type to a hand set sheet as a result of Harlan ’s departure.
o__ W. C. Cowgill, of Corvallis, a vet eran
Oregon
newspaperman,
and
Miss Loraine Ross are new reporters on the Oregon Statesman.