The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-18
CANNOT TELL ALL FACTS
Said General Wants to Deceive Americans
War Department Issues Statement
Relative to First Call for Troops
Dewey's Estimate Small
More Were Wanted.

Manila, July II (via Hong Kong, July
1O.-The increasing strictness of the
censorship of press dispatches from
Manila, which has prevented the ca
bling to the United States Of anything
that did not reflect official views of i'm
portant events and conditions, resulted
in united effort on the part of the
correspondents here to secure an abate-
ment of the rigor of the censorship.
The initiative in this direction was Ia
ken month ago, and resulted in the
framing of statement which was pre-
scented Sunday, July 8, to Maj. Gen. Ell
we'll S. Otis, commanding the military
forces of the United States in the Phil
| ippine islands. with request for per-
mission to telegraph it to the United
States. The correspondents. also asked
that they be allowed to cable to their
respective papers all facts and the diff
| ferent phases of events as they trans
pired here. The correspondents had
two long interviews with Gen. Otis, in
| the course of which they complained
that the evident purpose of the censor
| ship was not to keep information from
4 the enemy, but to keep from the public
a knowledge Of the real condition of
| affairs here. 1t was also asserted by
the correspondents that newspapers
printed in Manila, which reach the en-
envy quickly, are permitted to publish
statements similar to those which cor
respondents are forbidden to cable 1t
was made clear to Gen. Otis that the
objection was to the system, and not
to the censor
Gen. Otis finally promised greater lib
crafty, agreeing to pass all matter
that he might consider not detrimental
to the interests of the United States.
Gen. Otis appointed Capt Green of his
staff as censor. The statement of the
correspondents is as follows:
The undersigned, being all staff cor
respondents of American newspapers,
stationed in Manila, unite in the fol-
lowing statement:
I'VE believe that, owing to official
dispatches from Manila made public in
Washington, the people of the United
States have not received a correct i'm
preston of the situation in the Phil
ippines, but that these dispatches have
presented an ultra-optimistic view that
is not shared by the general officers in
the field.
1--WE believe the dispatches incorrect
ly represent the existing conditions
among the FIlipinos in respect to inter-
Hal ulSSSHSlOnS anu Q6InOrdllZdLlOn re-
sulting from the American campaign
and to the brigand character of their
army.
I'VE believe the dispatches err in the
declaration that the situation is well
in hand and in the assumption that
the Instruction can be speedily ended
without a greatly increased force.
I'VE think the tenacity of the Filipi-
no purpose has been underestimated
and that the statements are unfounded
that volunteers are willing to engage in
further service.
1.-The censorship has compelled us to
participate In this Misrepresentation by
excising or altering uncontroverted
statements of facts on the plea, as Gen.
Otis stated, that they would alarm the
people at home or have the people OF
the United States by the ears.
Specifications-Proh of re-
ports; suppression of full reports Of
field operations in the event of failure;
numbers of heat prostration In the
field systematic intimidation of naval
operations and suppression of complete
reports of the situation.
'John 7. McCutcheon, Harry Arm
strong, Chicago Record; Oscar K. Da-
Wis, F. G. Mcdonald, New York Sun;
Robert M. Collins John P. Dunning,
l.. Jones, The Associated Press; John
F. Bass, VIII Dinwiddle, New York
Herald; e. d. Skeene, Scripps- McRne
Association; Richard Little, Chicago
Tribune"