The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-05
FACTS ABOUT WAR CORRESPONDENTS.

sion TO write whatever they pleased from
the army about accomplished tactS, pro.
Vfded they told the truth, but must not
indulge in prophecies or conJectufeS con
corning future movements or campaigns.
Men of sense, he considered, Woulu AQt
do this. If the newspapers sent men 70
the army so lacking in sense as 70 De
guilty of this offense they must incur
the punishment of having their CORE
spondents refused permission to remain
within his command.
Grant also took the ground that any
newspaper which the War Department al
lowed to be published should nave the
privilege of circulating in his armies II
any desired to read them. He carried ms
to the extent of revokinS Genera ~, ; [aur1
burt's order suppressing the CnicaSo
Times in the military district Of Mem
phis pending the siege OF ElcKsours' ol
General Sherman was especially un3
friendly to correspondents: de mad
Thomas w Knox court-martialed in front
of Vicksburg. Knox was acquitted. He
would have punished De Bienville Ran-
dolph Keim "a Herald correspondent
Campaign had not General Mcpherson or
staff given him notice in time to escape.
What the army commanders OF CONT
no figure in the armies of the United
States. The conditions are too disSlmllar
In addition to the foregoing misstate-
ments and falsehoOds there Is an under
lying opposition shown by the Chronicle
editorial to a general diffusion Of lntor-
nation among the people. It saYors
Vanderbilt, 1.-The people be ID.
In time of war the press by law. of its
existence becomes powerful assistant.
Should the press oppose a war the enemy
would consider it an evidence of national
weakness. Should it favor war 1t would
be thought an evidence o. streagtn IN
Should it be mismanaged the Government
and people would suffer.
1t is the duty of the press to support the
Government in carrying on al Just wars
by publishing true and favorable accounts
of all completed operations ana by WIN
might profit By the law of reciprocity
corresponding duty deyolYes upon. those
in authority to keep the press informe9
upon all that affects the public veal anu
to aid it in its work.
When a war occurs in a republic 1T may
be set down as a postulate that the people
are entitled to and will obtain full ac-
counts from the field. The true interests
of Government and people Will be best
promoted by complete and truthful ac-
counts therefrom.
of an army depends more upon It's intel
lgence than its physical development
The press is a great educational factor
among soldiers Our soldiers are news
paper readers. An army of American
citizens would be damaged more in its
morale by Withholding daily newspapers
filled with army news than by being
placed on half rations in the face or a
victorious enemy.
1t may be considered a certainty that
our citizen soldiers will soon rebel against
any constituted authority which shuts
from them sources of public information
The highest interest of any admInistra-
ton of any republican Government,
namely representation. must therefore
always embrace the widest diffusion of
news and information affecting its well
fare. In prolonged wars the existence Of
any Government comes to depend upon
the loyalty of troops and people TO the
national cause. S. CADWALLADElt.
August 3, 1899