Abstract
How do we read the historical pulse of average Americans? Personal correspondence, diaries, and photographs can provide a window into the ideas and beliefs of people who lived centuries ago. In addition, the “Letters to the Editor” sections of newspapers also appear to offer insight into non-elite Americans’ opinions; however, through an analysis of the letters printed in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Chicago Daily Tribune during the ratification debate, it is clear that the inherent biases of each newspaper hinders our ability to adequately understand average Americans’ opinions regarding the League. By analyzing over one-hundred and forty “Letters to the Editor” published in the three newspapers in 1919, it is clear that when looked at holistically, an over-whelming majority supported ratification of the League. Yet, the disparity of opinions between the letters printed in the three newspapers highlights the influence of the political lens with which each newspaper operated. From the conservative-leaning Chicago Daily Tribune to the liberal-leaning New York Times and Los Angeles Times, these newspapers, and the politicians whose voices they privileged, clearly influenced the views of letter writers published in their papers, and in all likelihood, the selection of letters chosen for print in the first place. Therefore, newspapers did as much to skew the terms of the debate as they did to illuminate Americans’ viewpoint on this critical political question.