MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. ORE.
TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1961
A 13
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"All I know is what I read
in the newspapers." .
Will Rogers said it.
It goes for everyone in Ore
gon who is interested in what
is happening at the- State
house. ,
Practically all legislative
news you read, listen to some
one else read over the radio,
or watch someone else read on
television, first is written by
a member of Oregon's most
elite group of reporters, the
Statehouse press corps.
Most information that the
public, state officials, and leg
islators themselves get about
government and lawmaking
first is filtered through the
minds and typwriters of the
even dozen full time news
writers who make their head
quarters in the daylight-basement
pressroom at the Capitol.
Their importance cannot be
overestimated.
They are the best-informed
people in Salem in terms of
"the big picture."
Their job is to communi
cate this broad knowledge to
the public through air forms
of mass media - press, radio
and TV.
On Seen Daily .
Every Oregon citizen who
wants to know about the peo
ple he elected to take care of
the public's business depends
on . these few reporters who
are on the scene daily to write
first-hand accounts.
Every Oregon editor (dail
ies, weeklies, periodicals) who
tries to analyze news events
and influence public opinion
depends to a large extent not
on his own personal observa
tions at the Statehouse but on
written observations of the
press corps.
Every public 'employee,
from the governor in the ex
ecutive suite to legislators in
the marble halls to a highway
department flagman in a re
mote and dusty construction
shack, depends on these re
porters to give accurate, time
ly, unbiased news reports.
. The reporters have a lot in
common with the legislators,
besides i long hours of work
and low pay. -
Temperamentally, they
must be able to get along well
with people, Inspire confi
dence, keep cool under some
times agonizing pressure,
fight boredom and cynicism,
ignore' unfair criticism, and
find their greatest satisfaction
in their own pride in their
Work.t '
There are differences. The
reporters are more inclined to
be intellectuals than the legis
lators, although both groups
probably are above average
in education and mental en
dowments. The newsmen also
tend to be more shy and mod
est about themselves, less ego
tistical, less sure they know all
the answers, more inclined to
question motives and reasons.
They have the egghead's
healthy skepticism, combined
with a disarming sense of hu
mor. They are hard to impress,
and can spot a phony quicker
than -anyone.
Whereas a good lawmaker's
reward sometimes may be
public acclaim and election to
higher office, a good reporter's
reward is another Statehouse
assignment. -Salaries
Generally Lower
Most of the newsmen work
a 50-60 hour week, and some
get no overtime pay. Their
salaries, generally, are lower
than .those of state employees
with 'comparable responsibili
ties. '
Their output is almost in
credible. Up; to 5,000 words of copy
(news stories) per day are sent
out by -both the Associated
Press and United Vress Inter
national. Both wire services
have j two reporters. That
means' i each reporter may
write up to 2,500 words (about
twice? the length of this col
umn) per day, after covering
the day's events (committee
meetings, House and Senate
sessions, press conferences, in
dividual interviews). This does
not leave much time for re
jection, double - checking, or
prose - polishing.
Reporters for individual
newspapers at the Statehouse
depend largely on AP and
UPI for daily routine or basic
news, and then work on their
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By
Marguerite W. Wright
own stories of top events.
Some have their own col
umns, or write occasional fea
tures or editorials in addition.
Both wire services send out
weekly round-ups, too.
' While there is cooperation
to avoid needless duplication,
there also is a lively sense of
usually good - natured compe
tition between the AP (serv
ing 11 dailies plus radio and
TV stations) and the UPI
(serving 14 dailies, a weekly,
radio and TV), between the
Oregonian, Oregon Journal
and Portland - Reporter, and
between the Salem Oregon
Statesman and Capital Jour
nal. The contest is not so much
for the old - fashioned dra
matics of stop - the - presses
"scoop" as it Is for the nro-
fessional satisfaction of doing
a better all-around job than
me otner fellow.
Unwritten Rules
There are unwritten rules
in the newsman's code - ir
responsible writing, sensation
alism, or deliberate distortion
is immediately recognized and
resented by the other report
ers. Brisk, bright, laconic
writing is admired. .
A good reported would ra
ther have the respect of his
peers than sit in the councils
of the mighty, and any news
man who toadies to high state
official or is suspect of beine
a spokesman or patsy for some
group of politicians is held in
low esteem by the rather rig
id purists in the pressroom.
In these respects, the State-
house press corps is made up
of typical contemporary news
men, not the legendary booze
besotted inkslinger of Grade
B movie fame.
Most of these men would
rather spend their few leisure
hours at home with their kids,
working in their gardens,
reading a book, or listening to
good music than ' hanging
around bars and : barflies,
Their occupational hazards
are ulcers and overweight, ra
ther than delirium tremens
They spend Sunday mornings
in church or lawn-mowing, not
getting over bang-overs.
Dean (senior in years of
Statehouse service) of the
press corps is Paul Harvey Jr..
head of the Salem Associated
Press Bureau and a Statehouse
veteran of 24 years. No rela
tion to the radio commenta
tor of the same name, Harvey
is the son of a Tacoma news
man and father of three sons,
two of them newspapermen
too. Educated at Columbia, he
is 48, .' and active ' In church
and community affairs.
His assistant is Fred Mar
tin, 28, (University of Denver,
Portland State College), eight
years reporting experience,
married, two children, reads,
gardens.
UPI Bureau Head
Doug Grlpp,'28, (Portland
State College) is head of the
UPI Salem Bureau after only
four years reporting, less than
two years at the Statehouse;
married, one child; collects
records, writes fiction in spare
time.'.
His assistant is A. (for Ann)
H. Pearson, 25, (Smith Col
lege) two years experience in
cluding reporting the Alaska
Legislature, newswritting in
Tangiers, traveling in Europe.
Merv Shoemaker is the Ore
gonian's veteran political re
porter and has the distinction
of being the only grandfather
in the press corps.
His assistant is . Harold
Hughes, 44 (University of Ken
tucky, "Harvard, U. of O.), 21
years experience; married,
two children; enjoys working
in his rose garden, collects
Japanese prints, records.
Doug McKean, 49, (College
of Idaho, Reed College, North
west College of Law), 24 years
experience, long - time edito
rial writer for the Oregon
Journal, now political editor;
married, four children;, serves
on State Board of Education
(appointed by Gov. Robert D.
Holmes) and is a regular pan
elist on Holmes' KOIN televi
sion news program.
His assistant is Clarence Za
itz, 30, 11 years experience;
married, four sons; spends his
spare time building a do - it
yourself home in Portland.
Robert McBride, 29, (Uni
versity of Washington), is cov
ering his first legislative ses
sion for the Portland Report
er; married, three children;
does free-lance writing, plays
tennis.
Only Bachelor
Doug Seymour, 38, (Univer
sity of Oregon), 14 years ex
perience, covering his third
session for the Capital Jour
nal; only bachelor in the press
corps, collects books and rec
ords, takes part in Pentacle
amateur theatrical produc
tions. Tom Wright, 40, (Universi
ty of Oregon) 14 years experi
ence, covering his second ses
sion for the Oregon States
man; married, four daughters;
only press corps member with
experience "on the other side
of the fence" (press secretary
for Governor Holmes); pho
tography and Army Reserve
duty as major in Civil Affairs
TheyTl Do It Every Time"
By Jimmy Hatlo
DlDJA EVER READ
THE LABEL ON
A PRODUCT LIKE
THIS AND JUST
PICTURE VOUF? OWH
6RANOMAW IN HER
LITTLE FARM
KITCHEN STIRRING
UP A BATCH
OF JAM?
PICTURE DO YOU 6ET nWmk 1
1 : ; .
I
5
and Military Government unit
are spare-time pursuits.
Only full-time radio - TV
man covering the Statehouse
is Robert Rlchter of KOAC
radio and TV, 31 years old,
(University of Iowa, Reed Col
lege) married, two children;
enjoys books, music, Rlchter
works much as do the other 11
presscorpsmen, but specializes
in broadcast interviews with
each legislator (which have
proven newsworthy in them
selves) and has a weekly news
round-up plus daily programs.
Noteworthy for their con
tribution to their listeners' un
derstanding of issues are Tom
Lawson McCall of KGW radio
and TV, and ex-Governor
Holmes of KOIN-TV. Both
make Statehouse trips and
draw upon their government
al experience for their pro
grams, each unique in his me
dia. The other two part time
members of the press corps
are Dan Sellard of the Eugene
Register-Guard, and me, the
only . independent Statehouse
columnist. .
What kind of a job is the
press corps doing?
Dr. Frank Roberts, politi
cal science professor at Port
land State College and chief
clerk of the House, summed
up the adverse criticism when
he pointed out the major
fault with Legislative press
coverage is the need for more
comprehensive stories, lack
of continuity, not enough
backgrounding In continuing
stories.
Sometimes reports do not
accurately reflect parliamen
tary situations or inter-rela
tionships of events, and when
an event is not described in
proper context distortion may
occur, Roberts said. .-.
Inaccuracies Cited
One senator said newsmen
should do a better job of re
porting votes in committees
and roll call votes on the
floor. Some specific inaccu
racies were cited.
Travis Cross, the governor's
press secretary, praised the
press corps' "reputation for
objectivity" and said it is "a
credit to them that their per
sonal political registration Is
not a matter of concern.1'
Another criticism is that, al
though reporters - are doing
more interpretive writing
than in "the old days" when
wire services demanded only
straight" reporting, there re
mains a need for more "report
ing in depth" - analyzing peo
ple and Issues, ironically, the
same persons who deplore
lack of interpretation also de
plore attempts by reporters to
proble motives and make judg
ments. All in all, there is general
agreement that this sessicn -considered
one of the dullest
in history by reporters - is
getting the best coverage of
any session in Oregon history.
Reporters have to work hard
er to find headline news that
can compete for space with the
much bigger headlines from
ton, Laos, Moscow, and Af
the New Frontiers in Washlng
rica. But, if they are interest
ed at all; .Oregon readers will
be better informed about this
Legislature than ever before.
ON FBI LIST-George Martin
Bradley Jr., above, a convict
ed robber, forger and coun
terfeiter, has been added to
the FBI's list of "Ten Most
Wanted Fugitives." Bradley,
29, is charged with the solo
robbery of a bank in Stuart,
Fla., in January, 1961.
(UPI Telephoto)
Small Worlds
Around Us
By Lynn M. Watkins
(Register and Trtbuna Syndicate.
1961)
In Battle of Bugs ' "
Man On Short End
The battle between man
and bug is a continuing strug
gle; once in a while we think
we are ahead, then later we
begin to doubt it and reluc
tantly mark up a high score
for the other side.
The trouble is we are the
ones keeping the score and
ofttimes we get carried away
with "wishful thinking." But
the other team is still on the
field and occasionally actual
ly carrying the ball.
Because bugs are easy to
come by and because any ex
periment with them, no mat
ter how cruel it might seem,
is condoned, the serious stu
dent wonders just how much
punishment a bug can stand
under controlled conditions.
Some scientists have wonder
ed whether or not the same
female superiority exists in
the insect world as it appar
ently does in other animal
orders.
Identical Feeding
In one experiment the In
sect known commonly as the
earwig was selected. It's easy
to tell the boys from the girls
in this species. All the males
were placed in pne little cage;
all the females in another.
Both groups were carefully
fed the same amount of the
same food at the same time.
By the end of the first 10
days they were,, all fat and
somewhat listless; they need
ed more exercise. So the feed
ing was slacked off a little.
Soon they became active and
alert. Perhaps there is a real
lesson here in over-indulgence.
They were to be sub
jected to various poisons to
see, if possible, if there was
a noticeable difference in the
amount of the poison that
could be tolerated by the
males or females.
Isolated Cages
Three males and three fe
males were placed in isolated
cages, each sex separate. The
poison was carefully meas
ured and sprayed o n each
group. Careful records were
kept of the time lapse - that
interval between the applica
tion of the poison and the time
when they keeled over. Dif
ferent varieties of poisons
were used on each succeed
ing group and the results
were the same.
Actually, the results were
what was expected-the most
survivors each time were fe
males. And what was even more
surprising, many of them laid
eggs, even while in the "gas
chamber," and later died.
Some survived, even in the
face of what appeared to be
certain death.
It is Impossible to say for
sure that this percentage of
survivors would be constant
throughout the insect world,
but ,it is reasonable to assume
it would. Generations of flies
have been subjected to similar
ordeals, and some have reach
ed a stage of immunity where
they become almost inde
structible. '
Peculiar, that so long ago,
when these lowly creatures
were undergoing development
as a species, some fsr-sighted
providence could have fore
seen the time when their sys
tems -would . be subjected to
modern day methods of de-
MOVE TO RUSSIA
Columbus, Ohio-niPl) - The
tempo of Secretary of State
Ted W. Brown's office was
upset recently when a Day
ton firm reported it wanted
to move Its headquarters to
Russia. Activity returned to
normal when they learned
that this particular Russia is
in Shelby County, Ohio.
POISON OAK BOTHER
YOUf WORRY NO
MORE
Use B & H Poisen Oak
Lotion. Satisfaction Guar
antied, at your favorito
drug store.
struction and built-in coun
ter-checks were installed to
preserve the species. Peculiar,
too, that Nature instilled in
the female, the ability to re
sist and overcome the ravages
of time and poisons and still
carry on the work of creation.
Grange News
Central Point Grange
Colored slides were shown
by Phillip Krouse of Apple
gate for the regular meeting
of Central Point Grange Fri
day. . ,
Mrs. Morris Frink, chair
man of the youth committee
of the Grange, made the ar
rangements for Krouse to
show and explain the slides
he took en route and while
in Washington, D. C, where
he attended the National 4-H
conference last year. He was
also sent to the 4-H Congress
in Chicago last December.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Kil
bourn and Mrs. Stella Purker
pile were elected to be candi
dates for initiation. Standing
committees made their re
ports. HEC Chairman Mrs.
NO PUBLICITY
London - (UPD - The Daily
Sketch today said a reporter
"met an actress yesterday who
said she wasn't interested in
publicity so we're not giving
her any."
Frink announced the next club
meeting will be with Mrs.
Cecil Keenan on April 26.
The members decided to
have a farewell party for Mr.
and Mrs. Walter Mang Thurs
day, April 13, to start with a
potluck supper at 7 p.m. Each
family is to take a well filled
basket of food and their own
table service. For entertain
ment there will be square
dancing and card playing. The
Mangs are moving to Santa
Cruz, Calif.
, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Wendt
were installed as assistant
steward and lady assistant
steward by Dee Hendrickson,
installing officer, and Mrs.
Arnold Bohnert, marshal.
Central Point Grange will
have other Granges of t h e
county as guests on visitation
night April 21. All visiting
women are to take cookies.
The members of Central Point
Grange will furnish sand
wiches. . Serving committee for the
evening were Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Jensen, Mr. and Mrs.
Scott Hamilton, and Benton
Boyce. ,
Auto Insurance Trouble?
Uninsured Accident? Violations?
, Teen-Age Problems? Confidential Service
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Funeral Questions
We Are Asked at !
MEMORY GARDENS
3 MEMORIAL PARK
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"The Last Supper" T
1395 Arnold Lane SP 3-7338
Does stato law require the use of a waterproof BURIAL
VAULT?
NO.! No reputable salesperson would make such a
statement, unless he were himself mistaken! If such
a statement is made to you, ask the salesperson to put
it in writing. Then ask him to check further on the
. subject as you are sure he is mistaken. -
Exactly what It a waterproof burial vault?
It is a grave receptacle in which the casket is placed
to inhibit water seepage. It may be made of a variety
of materials, the most common of which are cement,
metal, and plastic, ,,- ;
If then, the burial vault it NOT require, what IS . . .?.
This Is a variable subject! Some states have definite
requirements, other don't. If you wish a detailed ex
plnatlon of this matter contact the reputable funeral
director or cemetery of your choice.
The Veteran To fie Honored This Week is
. ROLLIE 1. DAVIS
y I
ii Pill 1
The special dream and lifetime
project for millions of Ameri
cans is to own their own homes.
But the biggest hurdle to jump
is a sizeable down payment.
The number of Americans who '
get over this hurdle increases
each year. About 35 million fam
ilies are in their own homes right
now. And for many of them U.S.
Savings Bonds made the differ
ence between "shopping for"
and "owning" a home.
A habit that pays off -
After the war many returning
veterans and their families used
their Bond reserves for college
educations, new business ven
tures, and down payments on '
new homes.
Since that time thousands of
Americans have . used their
Bonds to buy, furnish, and mod
ernize their homes.
Bonds for building block
U.S. Savings Bonds are guar
anteed to grow in value by
Uncle Sam. You can buy
them where you bank or on
the "installment plan" where
you work, for as little as $2.50
a week. Your bonds are replaced
free if lost or destroyed. And
you can get your money, plus
interest, anytime you need it
Every Bond you buy is a share
in a stronger America. Why not
start saving for your dream
home today?
"Savings Bonds and a home
belong in everyone's future1
uxyt O. O. Powell, President,
National Auociation of Real Estate Board
"U.S. Savinga Bonds and home ownership are
two ways of providing security for the future
a worthy goal for every family and for the
nation. A sound economy depends upon thrift. '
A strong country is a land where men are free
in mind, in spirit, and in the right to own prop
erty. The nation's nearly 70,000 Realtors urge
America's young families to invest in U.S. Sav- -ings
Bonds as a beginning toward achievement .
01 inese goals.
",: . -
(Ml
You save more than money with
0 0 0
Buy them where you work or bank
Vw 30 ywi Amtr lea's yuwtparxrs Ksvt pub I it M Bavin
Bonds adt at no etui to thi uovtrnmtnt. Th Treasury
sWT a. ijrparimrru w graiwjui id t nm iiuvniainsj vHWKH tvus wu
t ntwtpop tor thiir patriotic support, i .
Medford Mail
Tribune