Ten o'Clock Scholar

On Jan. 23 The Christian Science Monitor published a bit of correspondence dated "Cairo, Jan. 1." This is in accordance with the theory of the Monitor that anything is news until it is known. The specific result savored of the ludicrous. The correspondence gave an account of the activities of William Eugene (Pussyfoot) Johnson in Egypt. At the time of its publication Mr. Johnson had been in the U. S. for several days, had attended a convention of the Anti-Saloon League, had seen the President (TIME, Jan. 28).

If the visit of Mr. Johnson to Egypt was of concern to the Monitor's readers, it might have had the despatch cabled, or have interviewed Mr. Johnson on his arrival. The publication of the correspondence without apology was an indication of one of the worst of journalistic faults, laziness.