4 BEHIND THE FRONT PAGE
note-book, is no stenographer. When he gets to a typewriter—
he ceased to use longhand about thirty years ago—he finds
that his mind has blown out the chaff, winnowing the grain,
so that he has all the important facts. Thus the editor who
handles the product, and the reader who scans it over his
coffee, get the essentials. I have written as much as seven
columns of news without a single note, and have seen others
produce even more. Only the theatrical reporter struts about
with pencil and note-book. Not that there is any reason
against the use of a note-book, especially for jotting down
masses of figures or technical details, except that the human
mind, if driven to it, will absorb more and better detail than
can be got down on paper. In fact, the halting to write down
pages of raw material suggests faulty observation.
The experiences of most reporters teach that especially dur-
ing an interview with an important man, to haul out pencil
and notepaper is unfortunate. It is usually a sign for him to
put the brakes on what he has been saying, or to remark,
"Of course, what I am saying is not for publication," a
dictum which the reporter's honor and good sense bind him
to respect. Lengthy interviews involving technical points and
many quotations made from memory, however, are often sub-
mitted for revision or correction.
So much for the fallacy that a reporter without a note-
book is not a reporter. That libel has stood too long unchal-
lenged. And so much for the methods followed in preparing
the material of this book.
I have pondered over the words of an unknown French-
man:
"The journalist writes on the sand, and the wind of the
afternoon obliterates his work of the morning. But if he re-
turns to his work each day, if his will is strong, his heart
courageous, his thought coherent and clear, one finds that he