George Edward Creel to Woodrow Wilson

Please let me thank you for your generous reply to Mr. Long. His letter is the sort of thing that used to excite me, but which I now accept as part of the regular routine. I have put the question of an advisory committee up to every prominent newspaper man in the country, not because I thought it was possible, but because I wanted them to admit the impossibility. The press is the only profession in the world without an organization of any kind. There is no one body to speak for it, to make bargains for it, or to enforce discipline of any kind. It is torn to pieces by ever rivalry political and commercial. An advisory committee with any authority would have to be made up of the editors of every metropolitan daily, and when these were gathered together, the only certainty as to their actions would be with regard to lack of unity.

But even were such a committee formed, only a man utterly ignorant of the newspaper business would suggest that any one individual or body could assume to exercise a direction over the treatment of matter, not to mention such technical details as the writing of heads. The things we complain about are not concerned with suggestive changes, but go to the heart of the newspaper business, involving changes in training, aims, ideals and ambitions. News itself must be given a new definition.

As a matter of fact, I have been surprised and gratified at the results I have been able to achieve. The volunteer censorship is being observed with few violations. Our matter goes into the papers by thousands of columns, and aside from the personal attacks of a few New York papers, like the World, feeling has grown very friendly. It is the best we can do, and it's really very good.Mr. Long has never been near this Committee at any time, knows nothing of its work, and evidently did not think it worth while to make a single inquiry. I feel, however, that your letter closes the incident.