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nuie ino. 6 says, wnen in doubt, ask! In September I began a column by quoting “old Iron Pants Johnson,” a senator from California, as saying that when war comes, the first casualty is truth. The quote was right. Sen. Hiram Johnson said it in a speech on the floor jn 1917. But he wasn’t the Johnson who was nicknamed “Iron Pants” Johnson. That was Gen. Hugh Johnson, administrator of the National Recovery Administration in the 1930s.
It’s embarassing to admit it, but most Rule No. 3 violations are the work of newspaper writers. We are supposed to be a tough bunch, unaf-. raid to ask questions, but often we're so afraid of looking ignorant that we keep our mouths shut. Several months ago columnist Ellen Goodman remarked upon the old political rule “that a political ticket ought to look like a Triptik.” Ms. Goodman is a fine writer, a Pulitzer > Prize winner, but she couldn’t spell ‘‘triptych” for beans. She should have asked.
Fealty to Rule 3 would have saved a reporter from The Palm Beach Post last month. The reporter was writing about a local judgeship contest. An unidentified lawyer said that a Judge Wessel would never be elected. “He described Wessel as Too tonic’ with attorneys in his courtroom.”
Five will get you 50 that the judge was Teutonic, not too tonic. The reporter didn’t understand the word, and didn’t want to look dumb so he didn’t ask. When in doubt, ask! And stay in doubt!
COPYRIGHT 1993,
UNIVERSAL PRESS
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