argue at this time of day that a newspaper man does not know how to conduct every other business as well as his own."
But the purser did make that very contention, although of course he must be excused, for, as I said, he was not in a good temper.
"Newspaper men," he continued, "act as if they did know everything. They pretend in their papers that every man thinks he knows how to run a newspaper or a hotel. But look at their own case. See the advice they give to statesmen. See how they would govern Germany, or England, or any other country under the sun. Does a big bank get into trouble, the newspaper man at once informs the financiers how they should have conducted their business. Is there a great railway smash-up, the newspaper man shows exactly how it could have been avoided if he had had the management of the railway. Is there a big strike, the newspaper man steps in. He tells both sides what they should do. If every man thinks he can run a hotel, or a newspaper and I am sure most men could run a newspaper as well as the newspapers are conducted now the conceit of the ordinary man is nothing to the conceit of the newspaperman. He not only thinks he can run a newspaper and a hotel, but every other business under the sun."
