Associated Press Testifies to Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s Impartiality

The Associated Press, through Jackson S. Elliott, Assistant General Manager of the Central Office, 383 Madison Avenue, New York City, forwarded its best wishes and felicitations to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the Agency and the one thousandth issue of the “Bulletin.”

The Associated Press, which has cooperated with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in a most cordial manner, distributing to the hundreds of newspaper subscribers of the Associated Press, the news despatches of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency pertaining to Jewish events, in declaring that the Associated Press has “in a sense been allied with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency since its inception,” pays tribute to the impartiality of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency service.

Recalling the first endeavors in organizing the Jewish Telegraphic Agency to fill the gap in the field of useful service to the Jewish and non-Jewish community, Mr. Elliott writes:

“Representatives came to us saying they wanted to create for the Jewish Press a service comparable in public confidence to that of The Associated Press for its membership. We responded in an advisory way and also tangibly in that we accepted for distribution to our membership dispatches relating to Jewish activities which were deemed to be of sufficient general interest to be absorbed in The Associated Press reports. I proposed a change of name and suggested ‘Jewish Telegraphic Agency’ as one which would be understood by readers, meaning that this organization was bringing dispatches from important Jewish centers throughout the world by cable, wireless, and other prompt means of transmission.

“We have observed the progress of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency with a great deal of satisfaction and throughout these eight years have never had occasion to regret the encouragement we gave to your organization and we believe you have sought always to occupy your field by serving to your members news presented impartially.”

Editorials lauding the service of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” were published in all parts of the United States and Canada, served by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

JEWISH CHRONICLE, Kansas city Mo. “The value of the J.T.A. is incalculable to Jew and non-Jew. In the first place it is the only agency capable of reporting and interpreting Jewish events accurately.

“The Jewish press is the very circulatory system of modern Jewish life without which Jewry night stagnate and retrogress. For the great part played by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in creating a news-heart to this system by its splendidly efficient modern international news service, all Jewry owes it a debt of gratitude. This paper being a member of the J.T.A. felicitates the organization and its able and courageous leader, Jacob Landau, on the occasion of its ninth anniversary and extends to both the traditional wish that they progress and prosper from strength to strength.”

HADOAR, only Hebrew weekly in U. S., New York.-“The men of the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin have renounced the privilege of a personal opinion and do not seek to impose their views on the reader. They have retreated, sacrificing their individual likes and dislikes in order that we may observe the march of events as they pass before us in review. Limiting themselves to this task, they do not interpret the events, but permit us a glance at what has happened. Having the facts and the understanding, we may form our own opinion.

“To the credit of the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin,’ one must say that its editor. William Z. Spiegelman, is not only a journalist of exceptional ability, but also a good and devoted Hebraist. It is due to him that much in the field of Hebrew life and literature which other newspapers would overlook or ignore, have been given proper expression. Along with our felicitations on the occasion of the thousandth issue of the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin’, we would like to express the wish that in future more be done in this direction.”

JEWISH CHRONICLE, Detroit “As one newspaper which has availed itself of the excellent news service of the J. T. A. since its first item was dispatched nine years ago, we welcome this occasion to congratulate the agency upon the creditable performance of a difficult piece of pioneer work and express the wish that its next nine years of useful service may be made more pleasant by wider and more generous support on the part of all Jews who have the universal welfare of their brethren at heart. There is not a more fundamentally important service in the whole field of Jewish activities than the news service of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.”

THE AMERICAN HEBREW New York. “The ninth anniversary of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the thousandth issue of the ‘Jewish Daily Bulletin’ published under its auspices, is an appropriate time to call attention to the service rendered by this agency as a clearing house for Jewish news. Many events and situations which affect Jewish communities or groups abroad are through this agency made articulate in the world’s news. Trends and incidents, ranging from the momentous to the ephemeral, are through this agency made known to a wide circle of readers who would otherwise remain uninformed by reason of the fact that the average daily newspaper must eurtail its news to fit its columns. Few persons recognize that the report of news events must be done in a detached, impersonal way; for of necessity the individual responsible naturally colors the account through the medium of his own personality and apperceptions. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency in its scope and character has been consistently dignified and conservative; its reports are as accurate as human frailty and the stress of events permit. It is a worthy organization deserving every support and encouragement.”

THE JEWISH TRIBUNE New YOrk. “Before the advent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the numerous periodicals which cater to this natural interest, had to rely for their news of Jewish life on questionable or inaccurate reports at second, third or fourth hand, picked up here and there from the general press often mistranslated and at times so badly garbled in the course of frequent recasting that the final result differed so greatly from the original news that it was looked upon as an entirely new bit of information and started once more on the rounds of the Jewish press.

“This condition of affairs has been almost entirely changed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.”

JEWISH REVIEW Buffalo,N. Y. “The value of the J. T. A. is incalculable to Jew and non-Jew. In the first place it is the only agency capable of reporting and interpreting Jewish events accurately. We all know how news of Jewish events are garbled and misrepresented when written by the average non-Jewish reporter who has little or no understanding of Jewish life and conditions which serve as a background to every strictly Jewish occurrence. Secondly, the J. T. A. is most valuable as medium for maintaining the interest of millions of Jews in Jewish events, personalities and developments throughout the world. It is, in fact the common meeting ground of Kol Yisroel, for it is not in any manner a medium of propaganda for any movement or ism within Jewry. Its function is to report Jewish news, regardless of where it occurs or from whom it emanates. It is a veritable lighthouse for Israel.”

WISCONSIN JEWISH CHRONICLE, Milwaukee.”The J. T. A. is of extreme importance to Jewry because the Jewish press itself is extremely important to Jewry, for the Jewish press is in these complex days the greatest institution of Jewish education for the perpetuation of Judaism and Jewry. The Jewish weekly, printed in English, particularly, furnishes to many Jewish families their only contact with things Jewish. The Jewish newspaper was not necessary in the ghetto, where every Jew attended the community synagogue at least once a week and heard there all the news of Jewish interest. But in America, where the synagogue is unfortunately but an incident in the life of the average Jewish family, and where the Jewish lodge or society generates even a lesser influence, the Jewish newspaper is the only institution that directly and constantly reminds every Jew of the fact of his heritage and association and responsibility to the Jewish people and the Jewish religion.”

JEWISH ADVOCATE, Boston.”Today, and for the past nine years, the situation has indeed been changed. The field of Jewish events with its tremendous wealth of news of absorbing interest not only to Jews but to non-Jews as well, is covered thoroughly by competent correspondents. Jewish news from all parts of the world is desseminated within twenty-four hours. J. T. A. is a universal clearing house for all Jewish news. It is a medium for international understanding. It carries America’s name to distant corners; it presents Jewish facts to the entire world; it serves the Yiddish press.”

CANADIAN JEWISH CHRONicle, Montreal. “Since 1924 the J. T. A. has further improved on its service by publishing its ‘Daily Bulletin’ giving all the news of Jewry in brief. This bulletin is indispensable to those who have not the time or cannot regularly peruse the Yiddish daily press. And even for those who do, here is all the important daily news given in briefest form, and gleaned with five or ten minutes’ reading.

“We extend to the J. T. A. the greetings and congratulations of the ‘Canadian Jewish Chronicle’ on its anniversary and we hope that the Agency will always continue to serve its extremely valuable function.”