Negotiating in the Press: American Journalism and Diplomacy, 1918-1919 (Media & Public Affairs Ser.)

Negotiating in the Press offers a new interpretation of an otherwise dark moment in American journalism. Rather than emphasize the familiar story of lost journalistic freedom during World War I, Joseph R. Hayden describes the press's newfound power in the war's aftermath--that seminal moment when journalists discovered their ability to help broker peace talks. He examines the role of the American press at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, looking at journalists' influence on the peace process and their relationship to heads of state and other delegation members. Challenging prevailing historical accounts that assume the press was peripheral to the quest for peace, Hayden demonstrates that journalists instead played an integral part in the talks, by serving as "public ambassadors." During the late 1910s, as World War I finally came to a close, American journalists and diplomats found themselves working in unlikely proximity, with correspondents occasionally performing diplomatic duties, and diplomats sometimes courting publicity. The efforts of both groups to facilitate the peace talks at Versailles arose amidst the vision of a "new diplomacy," one characterized by openness, information sharing, and public accountability. Using evidence from memoirs, official records, and contemporary periodicals, Hayden reveals that participants in the Paris Peace Conference continually wrestled with ideas about the roles of the press and, through the press, the people. American journalists reported on an abundance of information in Paris, and negotiators could not resist the useful leverage that publicity provided. Peacemaking via publicity, a now-obscure dimension of progressive statecraft, provided a powerful ideological ethos. It hinted at dynamically altered roles for journalists and diplomats, offered hope for a world desperate for optimism and order, and, finally, suggested that the fruits of America's great age of reform might be shared with a Europe exhausted by war. The peace conference of 1919, Hayden demonstrates, marked a decisive stage in the history of American journalism, a coming of age for many news organizations. By detailing what journalists did before, during, and after the Paris talks, he tells us a great deal about how the negotiators and the Wilson administration worked throughout 1919. Ultimately, he provides a richer integrative view of peacemaking as a whole. An engaging analysis of diplomacy and the Fourth Estate, Negotiating in the Press offers a fascinating look at how leading nations democratized foreign policy a century ago and ushered in the dawn of public diplomacy. Negotiating in the Press offers a new interpretation of an otherwise dark moment in American journalism. Rather than emphasize the familiar story of lost journalistic freedom during World War I, Joseph R. Hayden describes the press's newfound power in the war's aftermath -- that seminal moment when journalists discovered their ability to help broker peace talks. He examines the role of the American press at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, looking at journalists' influence on the peace process and their relationship to heads of state and other delegation members. Challenging prevailing historical accounts that assume the press was peripheral to the quest for peace, Hayden demonstrates that journalists instead played an integral part in the talks, by serving as "public ambassadors." During the late 1910s, as World War I finally came to a close, American journalists and diplomats found themselves working in unlikely proximity, with correspondents occasionally performing diplomatic duties and diplomats sometimes courting publicity. The efforts of both groups to facilitate the peace talks at Versailles arose amidst the vision of a "new diplomacy," one characterized by openness, information sharing, and public accountability. Using evidence from memoirs, official records, and contemporary periodicals, Hayden reveals that participants in the Paris Peace Conference continually wrestled with ideas about the roles of the press and, through the press, the people. American journalists reported on an abundance of information in Paris, and negotiators could not resist the useful leverage that publicity provided. Peacemaking via publicity, a now-obscure dimension of progressive statecraft, provided a powerful ideological ethos. It hinted at dynamically altered roles for journalists and diplomats, offered hope for a world desperate for optimism and order, and, finally, suggested that the fruits of America's great age of reform might be shared with a Europe exhausted by war. The peace conference of 1919, Hayden demonstrates, marked a decisive stage in the history of American journalism, a coming of age for many news organizations. By detailing what journalists did before, during, and after the Paris talks, he tells us a great deal about how the negotiators and the Wilson administration worked throughout 1919. Ultimately, he provides a richer integrative view of peacemaking as a whole. An engaging analysis of diplomacy and the Fourth Estate, Negotiating in the Press offers a fascinating look at how leading nations democratized foreign policy a century ago and ushered in the dawn of public diplomacy Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Inroduction: Progressivism, Journalism, and Diplomacy......Page 14 Part One: The War of Words; Government Publicity during World War I......Page 28 1. Federal Power and Publicity......Page 30 2.The New Presidency......Page 47 3. The New Diplomacy......Page 54 Part Two: Professionalizing Journalism; The Democratic Control of Public Opinion......Page 64 4. The Professionalization of Journalism......Page 66 5. Woodrow Wilson and the Press......Page 81 Part Three: Rekindling Professionalism; The Atlantic Transition......Page 92 6. “The Great Adventure”......Page 94 Part Four: Confrontation and Stability; The Role of the Press at the Paris Peace Conference......Page 126 7. “The American Newspaper Men. . . Went Bolshevik”: The Controversy over Press Access......Page 128 8. Routines......Page 141 9. Reaction......Page 153 10. Relationships......Page 161 11. Participation......Page 177 Part Five: The Democratic Din of Public Opinion; The Treaty Fight......Page 200 12. Anti-Treaty Opposition......Page 202 13. The Pro-Treaty Campaign......Page 214 14. The Printers’ Strike and Other Distractions......Page 226 15. The Press and the Senate......Page 231 Conclusion: Peacemaking, 1919, and the Role of Journalism......Page 239 Notes......Page 248 Bibliography......Page 296 index......Page 322 Introduction : progressivism, journalism, and diplomacy-- The war of words : government publicity during World War I. Federal power and publicity -- The new presidency -- The new diplomacy -- Professionalizing journalism : the democratic control of public opinion. The professionalization of journalism -- Woodrow Wilson and the press -- Rekindling professionalism : the Atlantic transition. "The great adventure"--Confrontation and stability : the role of the press at the Paris Peace Conference -- "The American newspaper men. . . went Bolshevik" : the controversy over press access -- Routines -- Reaction -- Relationships -- Participation -- The democratic din of public opinion : the Treaty fight. Anti-treaty opposition -- The pro-Treaty campaign -- The printers' strike and other distractions -- The press and the Senate -- Conclusion : peacemaking, 1919, and the role of journalism Introduction : progressivism, journalism, and diplomacy The war of words : government publicity during World War I. Federal power and publicity The new presidency The new diplomacy Professionalizing journalism : the democratic control of public opinion. The professionalization of journalism Woodrow Wilson and the press Rekindling professionalism : the Atlantic transition. "The great adventure" Confrontation and stability : the role of the press at the Paris Peace Conference "The American newspaper men. . . went Bolshevik" : the controversy over press access Routines Reaction Relationships Participation The democratic din of public opinion : the Treaty fight. Anti-treaty opposition The pro-Treaty campaign The printers' strike and other distractions The press and the Senate Conclusion : peacemaking, 1919, and the role of journalism.