The
Editors of New York newspapers expressed their deep regret on the death of Don
Martin in editorial comment published on October 12.
New York Tribune: -- “It is a distinct shock to hear of the
death of Don Martin, of the Herald, at his post on the western front. He was
universally respected as a man and as a news gatherer. Of attractive
personality, he had a host of friends, none of whom will mourn him more
sincerely than the newspaper men with whom he came in contact. He was in the
front rank in a profession where character and reliability mean everything.”
Brooklyn Eagle: “The
death of Don Martin, the New York Herald’s correspondent with the American
troops in France, will be a loss to the readers of that paper, and to newspaper
men, among whom Mr. Martin was widely known and highly respected.
Mr. Martin went everywhere that the
soldiers on the American front went, and he sent home some of the most
interesting accounts of their achievements, particularly those of the soldiers
of this city, to whom he devoted special attention. His was a fine life given
in a good cause.”
John T. Curtis, managing editor of the Philadelphia
Inquirer, sent the following telegram to the Herald: -- “Don
Martin was the kingpin of American correspondents at the front. While other
writers witnessed battles, he was a part of them, and the soul of the soldier
unconsciously revealed itself in his virile paragraphs. The Philadelphia
Inquirer shares with the New York Herald the keen sense of regret at the death
which has removed him from his accustomed post – at the edge of the front
line.”
The New York Herald published tributes from St.-Louis,
Philadelphia and Hartford newspapers.
Best of All Newspaper
Reporters,
Says St.-Louis
Globe-Democrat Editor of Don Martin
The following feeling
testimonial to the worth and work of Don Martin is from the pen of J. J.
McAuliffe, the brilliant managing editor of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat:
St. Louis,
Mo., Saturday, October 12, 1918 – “As a well pleased client of the Herald’s
unexampled cable and domestic news service, the Globe-Democrat wishes to offer
a word of testimonial to the late Don Martin.
“Without
disparagement of the brilliant efforts of other able war correspondents, we
have felt in common with our most critical readers that Mr. Martin achieved the
acme of perfect reportorial endeavor in his heart interest stories from the
battle front. To tens of thousands of Missouri and Illinois parents Don
Martin’s daily pictorial graphic on the war appealed with the same force as
personal letters from their boys ‘over there’.
“’Run Martin’s
copy in full’ was a standing order in this office, and no other news or
feature, no warnings on white paper conservation or any other consideration,
were ever permitted to interfere with this injunction.
"Don Martin
wrote the truth simply, gracefully and with such a polished pathos that his
despatches touched the realism of moving drama.
“It was our
pleasure to know him intimately in the national field of political news
gathering. We especially remember how he induced the stalwart republican
Globe-Democrat in the campaign of 1916 to undertake, in conjunction with the
Herald, a poll of voters in Missouri and other nearby States on their preferences
as to the republican and democratic candidates for President. A day or two
preceding the election the Herald’s forecast that Mr. Wilson would win, as
tabulated by Mr. Martin, gave us the political shock of our lives, but we had
agreed to abide by the result of the Herald’s poll, and it can be imagined with
what misgivings we printed it. The result of that election showed the wisdom of
Mr. Martin’s wonderful political judgment and justified for all time the
confidence reposed in him.
“His untimely
death marks the passing of one of the world’s best newspaper reporters. His martyrdom
to duty will entitle him to a conspicuous place on the everlasting roll of
honor.”
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
The
death of Don Martin is a reminder of the debt we owe to such men in this
marvelous stage of the world’s history. This particular representative of a
profession which he adorned had been ill for some days, but he insisted upon
going to the firing line because he conceived it to be his duty to those
readers who had been following the war though his brilliant and informing
despatches. He had spent sleepless nights in mud holes, with scarcely any food
or water and almost constantly under fire, and in the end he contracted
pneumonia, which caused his death. He was the type of man who is honored in
newspaperdom. He was respected by the public men with whom he came in contact.
He won many warm friendships by his personality, and he earned a still larger
circle by reason of his accurate and always interesting work. It is not saying
too much to assert that a man of his character was, in his own field, serving
the public with quite as much fidelity as the soldier on the battlefield.
From the Hartford Courant
Don
Martin, who died in Paris Monday of influenza, is the man who, for nearly a
year past, has been sending interesting and instructive war correspondence to
the New York Herald. He went abroad for the Herald last December and
immediately established himself as one of the war correspondents whose articles
were always worth reading. On several occasions the Courant has quoted from him
and used his reports from the battlefield as a basic material for editorials.
It was apparent from his reports that he was an honest and keen observer.
Herald readers will miss him and feel deep grief at his sudden and untimely
death. Before going abroad Mr. Martin was the Herald’s chief political writer
and forecaster. He had high ideals and lived up to them. He had the entire
confidence of politicians and officeholders of high degree all over the
country.
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