Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-23
The French Gun Secret.

our government is in possession sub
siantialIy of the secret of the French i1aid
gun Somebody in the War Department
disclosed this fact to the press and to the
world and government has been 1ierce-
" asSailad. not by France. but by a few
Americans. for its alleged diSnonorable &C
ton in securing this information. Our war
officials deny the accusation of bribery or
theft or the use of any underhand means
in the matter. and contend that it smacks
of treason to batray the fact that we pos
Scss this secret and to exploit that fact in
such manner to threaten to emoroil us
with France.
The Star has not commented editoriay
ON this question Of comparative morals,
wherein the epithetS of thief and traitor,
spy and unpatriotic befouler of the home
nest are freely exchanged. but it printed in
d news chapter q representative army Off
GERS view of the episode. Noting this news
chapter, our nrghbor the Post. which is
recognized since the days of De LONE as
the habitual representative of the interests
Of foreign governments at the capital in
opposition to those of the United States
delivers itself of outburSt Of virtuous
Indignation over the outrage committed
against France. and slurs the motives of
The Star in permitting our army officials
side Of the case 10 be heard.
The Post is not so ignorant that it does
not know that this character of informa-
ton is being Systematically stolen Of the
harshSst word must be used by every
world power from all the other powers:
that no such secrets of our own are long
retained: that the revelations of the Drey-
fus case showed that France and Germany
and Russia and other European govern
mentS We're perfectly at home in one an
Others foreign Offices and that France has
lot the clean hands in respect to the war
secrets of other powers which permit her
to back up with v!gor the Posts demand of
d policy of investigation, confession and
PREPARATION on the part of Uncle Sam in this
particular case. The Post also knows the
attitude assumed by our army officials, the
statement of which in The Star has caused
such perturbation in our usually coldly cal
culatng and worldly minded neighbor In
its own news article on the subject Cen
Corhin is represented declaring that the
department has no bought or stolen
plans" Gen. Miles is quoted as denying
positively that any bribery corruption or
underhand means were employed in the
matter, and he is described as seeking to
discover the person who had communicat ed
Capt. Lewis'S letter to the press because
II was almost reasonable act to give to
the world the Information that we pos
sessed secret of the French government"
i he same suggestion Of a lack of patriot
ism would of course apply to the eXagger-
ated and sensational handling of this dis
closure with the purpose and effect of irri-
tating France
Not content with assailing the War De-
partment the Post describes The Star in
making its news publication on the subject
as faithful to its obligations and present.
ing an impressive spectacle of mingled graf
itude and expectation" Since the display
of these emotions is represented by the
Post open to be impressive. it will
easily lie within the power of that paper to
explain fully and clearly the alleged obli-
cation which The Star meets in printing
this news chapter. the cause of the alleged
gratitude which it displays in doing, and
the object of alleged expectation therein
involved.
In advance of this explanation reasonably
demanded of the Post, The Star may be
permitted to remark that it recognizes no
obligation to army officers. the War De-
partment or any officials whatsoever in pre-
senling the news to its readers and that
neither gratitude for private considera ton
Grafton TO come is the basis Of its news pub
LEGATIONS and its editorial policy. Its only
obligation is to the people of the District
Of Columbia, in whose interest it is con-
stantly retained. with retaining fee prepaid
forever. Its gratitude for past support
and its expectation of future favorS are
directed exclusively in the same quarter.
1t must have been something closer to it's
own experience than observation of The
Star which caused the Post to assume as
matter of course that Washington paper S
news publications and editorial policy are
determined by consideration received and
obligations incurred. pecuniary or other
wise. past or prospective. bestowed for
value received by individuals. corporations,
trusts. foreign ministers or by any of the
myriad forms of congres siOnal lobbyists.
Richard Croker is too much interested In