Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/320

 304 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

edition was to be brought out would be followed so far as spellings, abbreviations, etc., were concerned, a special style-sheet for headings was prepared and printed. By this the copy-readers were guided in their preliminary practice. They quickly became skilful in meeting the requirements of substance, space, and symmetry.

As the seriousness of the task which had been undertaken became more and more apparent, the class readily acquiesced in a plan for a preliminary practice in the course of which all copy for an edition should be prepared just as though it were to be printed. A night was selected and the work done. The trial was in many ways discouraging. The city and telegraph desks were nearly swamped by the Association reports ; many of the reporters went sadly astray and failed to get a grip on their stories ; the make-up was vague and the proportions of news ill-balanced. The effect, however, was the traditional stimulus of a poor rehearsal. The young newspaper men saw more clearly the problems to be met, and pursued all the more vigorously their training for the final trial, which had been set for June 6, the paper bearing date of June 7.

On the evening of June 5 an editorial conference decided upon the cartoon 4 and upon the leading editorials. It was the aim to keep these close to the events of the moment, and at the same time to make them well-considered, informing, and incisive. The editorials decided upon at the evening conference were: "Eng- lish Diplomacy," the visit of the Spanish king to the court of St. James being made the starting-point for a review of England's diplomacy by which in ten years her own position of isolation has been in a large measure transferred to Germany ; " Evolution of

4 This was suggested by the visit of the Spanish king to Paris, where he narrowly escaped a bomb, and to London, where at the moment he was said to be pursued by heiresses. The picture was to represent his royal highness flying incontinently from an anarchist with a bomb poised in the manner of a shot- putter, and from a young woman) in bridal dress with a money bag in her out- stretched hand. The descriptive line was to read, " After you, My Dear Alfonso." It is, to be sure, a question whether this was quite in harmony with the policy of the paper, but such was the decision. The drawing, which was not begun until noon next day, was admirably, executed. It was turned over to the engraver at five.