The new International Press Institute has got into its stride
quickly. It has just held a conference of editors of daily papers of all countries in Paris. Mr. A. P. Wadsworth, of the Manchester Guardian, was in the chair— an admirable choice—and the Manchester Guardian (by a strange coincidence) is the only British paper I have seen to give more than three or four lines to the proceedings. Yet a great deal of considerable public importance was discussed, outside critics like Professors Brogan and Rappard and Don Salvador de Madariaga telling the Press what was wrong with it, and four well-known foreign correspondents dealing with their special duties and difficulties. Two or three, following on what Professor Brogan had said on the previous day about the need for more " background " to news, spoke of the necessity for explaining news sent from a foreign capital. Explanation is often very necessary, but it must be given with scrupulous care, with the clearest distinction between what is the concrete news and the correspondent's gloss on it. With the complaints of messages that are chopped in half by the sub-editors for lack of space I have the fullest sympathy. In the case of the popular Press the cause is obvious and the remedy simple. The cause is a three-column photograph of the Beauty Queen of Mudford on Sea or something similar. The remedy would be to spare readers contemplation of the features of the Beauty Queen of Mudford on Sea. But it will never be administered.
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