Public Relations

Few businessmen get along so well with the Press as Edward Vernon Rickenbacker. Since his early days as an automobile racer, sports editors have been his friends and drinking companions. Home from the War, ace of U. S. aces, wearer of the Distinguished Service Cross, Congressional Medal of Honor, Croix de Guerre, Legion of Honor, he never affected the slightest conceit. As a high-powered executive first in the automobile business, later in commercial aviation, he continued his easygoing camaraderie with managing editors and callow cubs alike.

Affable Ace Rickenbacker has not hobnobbed with newshawks for 25 years without learning something about the newspaper business. Last week, as general manager of Eastern Air Lines, he issued an amazingly candid order to his operating personnel. Excerpts:

"It is necessary to assist [newspapermen] when accidents occur on our system which they necessarily must report because of the news interest involved. It shall be the policy of the operations department not to conflict in any way when newspapermen require photographs. . . . [The operations man] should be careful to give facts and not conclusions of the accident. In any event, he should not . . . allow himself to be quoted in any statement concerning the accident. Newspapers will cooperate in this regard if the operations man explains that he will be glad to give information concerning the accident but the reporter must protect and not quote him directly. Only authorized person to give out a statement is an officer of the company in New York City.

"Working with, instead of against the newspapers, will get the negative publicity out of the way quickly and it will be possible for Eastern Air Lines to secure the assistance of the Press, such as eliminating the name of the company on the wrecked plane in taking photographs,* and minimizing unfavorable photographs and reference in stories of the crash. By giving all the information possible immediately, of the incident, the story will be covered in one issue and the papers will have nothing to write about to drag it along for several days."

Copies of the order were sent to the Press, with the comment: "We believe it demonstrates our good faith. . . ."

-Some airline operators and bus lines have standing orders for employes to obliterate all company insignia on a vehicle immediately after a wreck. Zealous operators have been known to carry out that order even before attending the injured, extricating the dead.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.