The Yellow Kids: Foreign Correspondents in the Heyday of Yellow Journalism

The rivalry between America's press barons in the 1890's-especially Hearst and Pulitzer in New York,led to the rise of so-called "Yellow journalism"(named after the rascally cartoon character the "Yellow Kid").This was characterized as sensationalist reporting,with an emphasis on exaggeration,and a none too high regard for accuracy and the truth.This book deals specifically with how Hearst and Pulitzer's papers(the "New York Journal,and "New York World" respectively),dealt with foreign news-especially in relation to the wars of the period.The main emphasis is on the Spanish-American war of 1898,which the "yellow press" are often accused of instigating,to boost circulation.This thesis is shown here to contain an element of truth,and many American reporters were highly prejudiced against Spain's regime in Cuba,and there was a lot of wild misrepresentations of the situation in the American press.However,it is clear that the U.S correspondents were largely justified in their condemnation of the situation in Cuba as oppressive and intolerable,giving support to the Cuban insurrectionists,and in many cases advocating American military intervention. Joyce Milton's book is a well researched,enjoyable work.She is especially to be congratulated in bringing the fascinating Sylvester "Harry" Scovel,back to life.A minor character in books on the Spanish-American war(he gained notoriety when he punched General Shafter at the capitulation ceremony in Havana,at the close of the hostilities in Cuba!),Scovel also flits thru biographies of Stephen Crane,as a colleague when the novelist was reporting from Cuba on the war.Joyce Milton,deals with the well known novelist reporters Crane and RIchard Harding Davis in the book,but it is Scovel,"black sheep" of a religious family, and Pulitzer's leading war reporter for the "New York World",who is the "star" of "The Yellow Kids".Scovel's daring,breathtaking adventures as a partisan of the Cuban guerillas are highly entertaining,and it is sad to learn that,like his pal Crane,the colorful and attractive Harry Scovel went to an early grave,probably due to the experiences he went thru for the disease ridden island he grew to love,and where he eventually would die.