We have been asked how The Christian Science Monitor maintains a nonpartisan standard. Some critics go so far as to say the Monitor should eschew politics altogether. We do refuse to play politics or be played by partisan politicians. But politics in its truest and best definition is the science of government, and the Monitor is thus vitally interested, and as a newspaper has a responsibility to promote the best there is in government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," as Lincoln put it.

The editorial page is the place where the Monitor expresses its opinion, approval or disapproval. But the news pages must be judged from an entirely different standpoint than the editorial page. On the news pages the Monitor prints the news; that is, what is going on, what men think and what they do. Because we print news of important activities does not necessarily mean that the Monitor approves them entirely. For instance, just now the Monitor will report actions and statements from the Republican Convention. Our stories will record various claims of the Republican Party. These stories will contain criticisms of the Democratic Party, and especially the present Administration. Some of our Democratic friends will read these stories and charge us with being partisan Republican. But they should read the paper regularly to get a balanced view of the picture. The Monitor as a newspaper will report claims of the Democratic cohorts [at the Democratic Convention] and criticisms of the Republicans. We make an earnest effort to keep reports of both these conventions balanced and accurate, factual not opinionative, so that the reader may have unbiased information upon which to form his own judgment.

Just for comparison I should like to go back twenty-five years and read a statement by one of the first editors of the Monitor setting forth what Mrs. Eddy wanted her newspaper to be.

"Aside from the significance of the Monitor to the world at large, its mission among its readers has been no less marked; first, in setting for them the standard of a broad culture and an intelligent grasp of human affairs, with the ability to discuss intelligently the important and progressive events of the world, which lift thought away from the contemplation of those things which are personal and petty, and instill an interest in the larger and more potent things which make for human betterment. Through this stimulus and aid to an intelligent interest in human progress, the readers of the Monitor are enabled in a broader way to help their fellow men and to render even more practical, intelligent, and loving service as citizens of the world than heretofore."

This type of interpretive journalism which explains the significance of an event as well as records it, is of great value to the readers as a selling reason for the Monitor. Editors everywhere are warm appreciators of the Monitor. Many editors have long wanted to do what the Monitor is doing. They hesitated to venture into what they knew was a worthy undertaking until someone opened the way. Since the Monitor has blazed a new path of clean journalism, universal in appeal, high in character, powerful in helpfulness, and interesting to read, other newspapers have been encouraged by this example, the far-reaching effects of which are immeasurable.

How the correspondent writes and what he reports are of vital importance to the reader. He paints a picture with words. He is entrusted with the responsibility of accuracy. He is told to make his story colorful, entertaining, and informing but he must not distort facts. A Monitor writer has a high standard of motives as a constant guide. In a practical way he spiritualizes and Christianizes his story.

One particular reason for dwelling on peace so much at this time is because of the inspiration I am sure we all find in the Peace Flag that has just been hung in the new Publishing House.

Peace is a desirable objective. It is one of the things to which the Monitor pays particular attention. It is a universal subject and one in which everybody is interested.

While other papers seek the sensational and prefer to devote space to robberies, train wrecks, violence, and other unfortunate occurrences, the Monitor prefers to print constructive stories to enlist the sympathy and support of its readers in the international search for peace.

It is important to work to establish the habit of reading the Monitor early, especially in the lives of young folks. There are many convincing and constructive reasons for recommending the Monitor to parents who should want to help their children by placing in their hands a newspaper companion which, above all, can be trusted; that is informing, entertaining, and educational. There are many opportunities for the Monitor along this line, and I am sure many more teachers and parents may be appealed to.

The Monitor can be recommended to all teachers for all pupils, and I am sure if teachers themselves thoroughly understand and know what is in the Monitor more of them would recommend the reading of this paper to their pupils. As you know, many teachers do use the Monitor in various ways as a classroom textbook.

From a news handling equipment standpoint, let me recall that in 1908 we had one correspondent in Washington who supplemented the Associated Press service from the capital. Today we have a large office in the National Press Building, five special writers, a secretary, and our own special wire and telegraph operator. Today the Associated Press service is used merely to supplement our own special coverage from Washington.

In London, in 1908, we had what was little more than a clipping bureau handled by the Committee on Publication. Now we have a well-equipped office there. Besides advertising and circulation workers there are seventeen salaried workers taking care of the news. In addition to handling news from Great Britain and Ireland, the London office is the focal point for news from Continental Europe, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

In conclusion may I say:

Mrs. Eddy established The Christian Science Monitor as a blessing to mankind to help humanity in its labor of constructing better living temples. Slowly but surely we see these temples rise, fashioned of the thoughts, hopes, prayers, dramas, and righteous acts of devout men and women, built of their hunger for truth, their desire for a more abundant life and their love of God.

Wisely Mrs. Eddy instructed us "to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 353), and gave the Monitor as the scroll upon which to write with pens of gold the good deeds of our fellow men, which are the building stones of those temples not made with hands. The apostles of old spread the gospel of good news. Our combined task is to spread the good news of today.