James Poy Wong 黃培正
"The original purpose of newspapers has lost its meaning of existence when it is monopolized by people outside of the newspaper business. Those who work in the newspaper enterprise often believe if newspapers were truly able to fulfill their responsibilities, many ruthless wars and human tragedies could be avoided."
"Before the Age of Thirty" - 1949
三十以前
从事于报纸事业的人有一句这样的话： “报纸永远继续下来，所有的记者到三十岁就死了。” 由此可以看出办报并不是一件安乐自在的事。 但是对于一个未曾处身其中的人，颇难真正领会到那种不愿写而又不能不写的苦味。
报人有一个对社会十分重要的职责： 就是忠实的报导。 在这一代紧张和易动的羣众中，报纸往往被推倒人羣的前头去，从而煽动，鼓吹，或是领导。 正因为报纸有这种作用，所以也往往成了政争的工具。 报纸的本来目的，在报界以外的人垄断下，已失了存在意义。 从事报导的人，常常认为如果报纸果能尽它的职责，许多残忍的战争，许多人类的悲剧都可以避免。 无疑的，报纸是一种巨大的力量，正和其他的能力一样，用得正当时可以造福人类，用得不正当时可以杀害人类。
华侨社会的报纸，处于特殊的环境下，有着加倍的责任， 经济状况造成文化事业的贫弱，报纸成为文化唯一的媒介。 所以报纸应该担负起报纸，杂志，和书本这三重的责任。
华侨社会林立的报纸成了垄断的事业，编辑也成了操纵的人物。 试问有几多个生长在华侨社会中的人, 能够挤进编辑部的铁墙呢？ 就是一个投稿的无名作者，有多少能够渡过了编辑的大笔扫，利剪刀，肥纸笠等等酷刑后，依然抬起血淋淋的头，不挫折，不颓丧，而继续做那没有酬报的工作呢？
算了吧。 我常这样说，离开了这个吮血的东西，相信也不一定会饿死的。
但是我未能完全离开了这个社会。 我还有视觉，听觉，和直觉。 我看见了那强奸案，谋杀案，猜谜中奖，烂妇谣言来招诱生意的报纸，扭曲事实，报纸脱离了这个社会和生活在这个社会的人羣。 青年的苦恼，老年人的无聊，都找不到精神上的适宜食粮。 同业的人讥笑我们没有政治目的来办报是终归失败的。 然而事实不曾使我相信起这样的论调来。 我看见有了政治目的的人往往失了人性，成为一具党八股的传声筒，己不能分辨是非好坏，即使能够也不敢说出来。
这一切都使我沈思，使我憧憬着一份站在这个社会，这个人羣中前进的报纸。 我心房常被这幻梦激动起来，我知道自己还没有走上 “记者三十” 的阶段来。
报纸的生命是完全寄托在读者身上的，报纸应该从这块社会的土壤中吸收营养而生长，而繁荣。 否则，在外人撑腰下的报纸，不过是走肉行尸吧了。 我想再没有比为办报而办报的理由更切实的了。
Before the Age of Thirty
There is a saying among those working in the newspaper enterprise: “The newspaper will continue forever, but all the reporters will die at the age of thirty.” From this we could see running a newspaper is not a happy and comfortable job. But for those who have never been involved, it is quite hard to comprehend that bitter taste when you don’t want to write while you must.
Newsmen have a very important responsibility to society: that is reporting with honesty. In this generation, the masses are anxious and easily moved; newspapers often act before a disturbance in order to incite, advocate, and to lead the people. Due to such functions of newspapers, they have often become a tool of political struggle. The original purpose of newspapers has lost its meaning of existence when it is monopolized by people outside of the newspaper business. Those who work in the newspaper enterprise often believe if newspapers were truly able to fulfill their responsibilities, many ruthless wars and human tragedies could be avoided. Without doubt, newspapers are a huge impetus just like any other force. When it is used properly, it will bring happiness to mankind, and when it is used improperly, it will harm and kill humanity.
Being in a unique environment, the newspapers in the overseas Chinese society have additional responsibilities. The economic conditions bring about a weak cultural enterprise, and newspapers become the only medium for cultural production. Therefore, newspapers should shoulder all three layers of responsibilities: newspaper, magazines, and books.
In great numbers the newspapers in the overseas Chinese community have become a monopolized enterprise, while the editors also have become people with power of manipulation. How many people raised in overseas Chinese society can squeeze into the iron wall of the editorial department? Even for an unknown writer who submitted his writing, after passing through the torture of the editor’s big sweeper, the sharp knife, and the fat waste basket, how many can still lift one’s bloody head without feeling frustrated and dejected, and continue doing the work of writing without compensation?
Just let it go, I often say so. Get away from this blood-sucking thing. I don’t believe I will starve to death.
But I can’t get away from this society. I still have the sense of sight, hearing, and intuition. I see cases of rape and murder, puzzle contest, nasty woman spreading rumor to attract business in the newspaper, and editors twisting facts and disseminating malicious ideas. When the newspapers are detached from this society and the people living in this society, the worried youths and the bored seniors would not find appropriate nourishment for their minds. People of the same trade laugh at how our operation of a newspaper without a political agenda will eventually fail. But the fact does not convince us of such a view. I see those who have political agendas have often lost their humanities and become a megaphone for some political party’s formulaic writing. They themselves cannot distinguish what is right and wrong, good and bad; even if they could, they would not dare to speak out.
All of these things led me to contemplate and envision a progressive newspaper that stands for this society and for its people. My heart is often inspired by this dream, and I know that I haven’t yet entered into the stage of “Reporter Thirty.”
The life of a newspaper is completely reliant on its readers. A newspaper should absorb nutrients from this society in order to grow and to prosper; otherwise, a newspaper that is being propped up by outsiders is just like a zombie going through the motions. I think no reason is more realistic than to run a newspaper for the purpose of running a newspaper.