Page:The Newspaper and the Historian.djvu/510



the situation has been made by an English writer 36 who has found the press despondent, - irrespective of party, proprietor ship, or other obvious bias. He finds an explanation in comparing the development of a nation with the mental development of the

individual who from birth passes through the stages of emotion, discrimination, co-ordination , and intellect. “ When a nation goes to war," he observes, " it behaves exactly as does its 'mean ' man when forced into a quarrel - viz ., the intellect practically

ceases to work. Co-ordination and discrimination (except in scientifically -trained boxers or fencers) becomes weak, and emo tion - whether of hatred, rage or fear - becomes the dominating element.” When the most physically active twenty -five per cent. of the adult population is segregated out and sent across the seas, the " mean " of the remainder sinks below the normal in self

control and falls a ready prey to the lower emotions. “ When a crowd has for the time being suspended intellectual activity it is no use appealing to its reason - it can only be reached through

its emotions;hence, if the Daily Press fails to provide emotional headlines, alternating between extremes, its circulation will rapidly dwindle,” and bankruptcy result, — " unless the headlines are calculated to make the flesh creep their sales will certainly fall."

A press dispirited and temporarily below the normal in its

intellectual development; dependent on headlines to create a momentary factitious interest on the part of its readers; irri

table instead of critical; and unable to co -ordinate warring move ments both at home and on the field unquestionably can not be

considered unimpeachably authoritative. It is true that this opinion of the effect of war on the press must be expressed subject to many limitations,- undoubtedly the press of America has been less affected by pessimism than has the European press, but it is a question of degree rather than of one of fundamental difference. These are suggestions of the general criticisms of the press that as far as they are supported by evidence must militate against

the authoritativeness of the press. But other possible limitations

must be recognized. 36 F. N. Maude, “ Pessimism in the Press and its Causes," Contemporary Review, May, 1918, 113 : 495