Page:The Brass Check (Sinclair 1919).djvu/218

 failure; it is due in part to the fact that the American people do not realize what is going on in Europe, and do not make clear their determination that American money shall not be poured out in support of reaction and imperialism."

Such was the substance of my argument. Next day the "Los Angeles Times" did not mention it; while the "Los Angeles Examiner" reported it with outraged indignation, under the scare head-line: "SINCLAIR ATTACKS WILSON." In this form it was telegraphed all over the country. The amusing feature of the story is that the "Examiner" itself was at this time attacking Wilson most venomously—both on its editorial page and in its Washington dispatches. But it did not want my aid; it would not permit a Socialist to "attack" the President of the United States!

In various cities there are various standards prevailing for the conduct of newspapers in their rivalries with one another. In New York the rule is that they never praise one another, and only denounce one another in extreme cases. One thing they absolutely never do is to mention one another's libel suits. But here in Los Angeles the rivalry between the "Times" and "Examiner" is a daily cat-and-dog fight. Not merely do they spread each other's libel suits over the front page; they charge each other with numerous crimes, they call names and make faces like two ill-mannered children. And they keep this up, day after day, for weeks, so that it is impossible to get the news of world-events in Southern California without having their greeds and spites thrust upon you.

One day you read in the "Times" that the "Examiner" is dressing up agents as soldiers, and circulating slanders against the "Times." Next day there begins in the "Examiner" a series of cartoons of Harry Andrews, managing editor of the "Times," representing him in grotesque and disgusting positions. Next day you read in the "Times" that William Bayard Hale, a former correspondent of the "Examiner," is charged with having taken German money. Next day you read in the "Examiner" that Harry Carr, assistant managing editor of the "Times," has been shown to have had his travelling expenses in Germany paid by the German government; also that Willard Huntington Wright, former literary editor of the "Times," is accused of having taken German money. Next day you read in the "Examiner" that the mayor of Los Angeles has been indicted upon a charge of taking bribe-money from negro