“Opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.”

John Milton.

I.Introduction

An editorial is a newspaper article in which the opinions of the editor are set forth. News deals with fact. In news articles the opinion of the writer must be suppressed. The pronouns “I” and “we” have no place in news. The essence of the editorial, on the other hand, is the opinion of the writer. On the editorial page, the man who directs the policy of a paper seeks to interpret the news in accordance with his own views and to persuade the public to adopt those views.

Editorials are therefore for the most part argumentative. In them the writer either comments directly on some news item and thus produces what may be called a constructive editorial, or takes issue with the editorial opinion of a rival in a controversial editorial, his object being to destroy the sentiment produced by his rival’s article.

The power of the editorial writer for good or for evil is clear. That it is usually exerted for good is one of the best evidences that the newspapers of the country are controlled by men who desire to serve the public well.

II.Assignments

1. Write an editorial calling attention to some feature of current news.
2. Write an editorial advocating some plan or reform for the good of city, state, nation, or mankind.

III.ModelI

We made the point some months ago that our electric light companies have been far behind those of Europe in making it possible for poor people to get their service. It is interesting to note that the Indiana and Michigan Electric Company, which operates in South Bend, Ind. (plows, wagons, sewing-machines), has started a campaign to do just this thing. About a third of the inhabitants of South Bend are laborers from Poland, Austria, and the Balkan countries, whose wages average about $1.50 or $1.75 per day. The electric company has figured out plans whereby houses can be wired at a cost of from $9 to $15 each, and lighting service can be given for a minimum of $1 per month. A Polish sales agent has been hired to talk to the newcomers, write advertisements for their papers, and attend to their complaints—in short, to translate electricity into Slovak, etc. The men engaged in the work are confident of success and are going after it. The effect in giving these people better ways and standards of living, in getting them a share in our modern American civilization, and a feeling that they are so sharing will necessarily be very great. This is solid public service, and it is far better than any charity. What is being done on this problem in your town?—Collier’s Weekly, November28, 1914.10

IV.Comments and Exercises

1. This is a constructive editorial with just a hint of argument. Find the argument.
2. Note the framework of the paragraph: (Sentence1) Topic; (Sentence2—Sentence6) Story; (Sentence7) Conclusion.
3. Find the “Four W’s.”
4. Remember that the perfect tense denotes an act begun in the past and completed in the present. Does its use sufficiently tell when a thing is or was done?
5. Write a similar editorial commenting on some improvement in your own town.

V.ModelII

Were we suddenly called upon to face a crisis such as Europe was called upon to face with but very little warning, it would find us wofully unprepared. In the security of our peace we have neglected to build up an organization capable of performing the multitudinous services of war, or of any great disaster, either political or physical, which may come into a nation’s life. The thousands of young men in colleges and universities offer a field for the development of such a force of trained men in a way that would entirely revolutionize our educational as well as our defensive system.

As our athletics are conducted to-day, a few picked men have trainers, coaches, rubbers, and waiters for the purpose of preparing them for a conflict with a correspondingly small group of similarly trained men from other institutions. The remainder of the student body, which makes this training possible, is meanwhile physically utterly neglected.

Yet the average young man entering college is quite as much in need of physical development and training as of mental. The country, too, is in need of disciplined, trained men; and this double need can be met—can be met for less money than is expended on a single season’s football team. A system of military drill, under the supervision of experts in military discipline and hygiene, with the coÖperation of the athletic associations of the colleges, and under the auspices of the United States Government, would prove of inestimable value to every student in the college, and would furnish to the nation a groundwork upon which a magnificent national service could be established. A spirit of true patriotism and of unselfish public service would be instilled in the students. The nucleus of a trained military corps would be established from which officers and men could be recruited with but little additional training in time of war.—Puck.11

VI.Comments and Exercises

1. What is the point of this editorial?
2. Note the point of each paragraph: (Par.1) Our colleges might furnish the means of remedying our national lack of preparation for war; (Par.2) at present our athletics benefit only a few individuals; (Par.3) if military training were introduced into our colleges, it would benefit both individuals and the nation.
3. A more logical arrangement would be: (Par.1) The United States is not prepared for war; (Par.2) as now organized, our college athletics benefit only a few individuals; (Par.3) if military training were introduced into our colleges, individual students and the nation alike would be benefited.
4. In which arrangement is paragraph unity better observed?
5. Is the arrangement in the model better in any respect than the one suggested?
6. The following words are hackneyed: “wofully,” “utterly,” “inestimable,” “magnificent,” “groundwork.” Suggest some synonyms. Can any of these words be omitted? Lowell’s rule was: “Cut out the adjectives and adverbs. Make the nouns and verbs do the work.”
7. Explain the construction of “with but very little warning,” “for the purpose,” “from other institutions,” “physically,” “utterly,” “drill.”
8. What is the difference between “development” and “training”? Between “true patriotism” and “unselfish public service”? “College” and “university”?
9. Does this model contain any misstatements of fact?
10. Is the plan feasible or desirable?
11. Could it be extended to secondary schools?
12. Find in the model at least four mixed metaphors. If you do not know what a mixed metaphor is, perhaps this classic example of one will inform you: “Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat. I see him brewing in the air. But, mark me, I shall yet nip him in the bud.”
13. Discuss the meaning and etymology of “crisis,” “disaster,” “political,” “physical,” “nation,” “revolutionize,” “educational,” “athletics,” “institutions,” “disciplined,” “military,” “supervision,” “experts,” “auspices,” “spirit,” “instilled,” “nucleus,” “corps,” “recruited,” “additional.”
14. Shall we say “instilled in,” “instilled into,” or “developed in”?
15. Write an answer to ModelII.
16. The great merits of ModelII lie in its content and its construction. The fundamental principle on which it is built might be called the “killing-two-birds-with-one-stone idea.” Two things are wrong; one reform will make both right. Can you think of any other subject which might be discussed on the same principle?

VII.Suggested Reading

Lamb’s Dissertation on Roast Pig. Addison’s Hilpa and Shalum. Emerson’s Compensation. Holmes’s The Broomstick Train.

VIII.Memorize

METRICAL FEET12

Tro͞che͝e " trı͞ps frŏm " lo͞ng tŏ " sho͞rt "";
Fr͞om lo͞ng " tō lo͞ng " ı͞n s͞ol"e͞mn s͞ort
Slo͞w Spo͞n"de͞e stālks; "" stro͞ng fo͝ot, yĕt " īll ăblĕ
Ēvĕr tŏ " ke͞ep ŭp wĭth " Da͞cty̆l trĭ"sȳllăblĕ;
Ĭa͞m"bŭs mōves " frŏm sho͞rt " tŏ lo͞ng;
Wĭth ă le͞ap " ănd ă bōu͞nd " thĕ swĭft Ān"ăpĕsts thro͞ng.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

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