The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-07-26
DO NOT LIKE
The CENSORSHIP
South Africa War Correspondents
Are Up in Revolt.
CANNOT DO THEIR WORK
Press Dispatches Held Back or Condensed
aud Mutilated-No Hope Of Relief
Expected From the British
Government.

NEW YORK. July 25.-The war cor
respondents In South Africa have uai;-
ed in a belated revol. aga!ns. the mill
tary censorship, says The London cor
respondent of the Tribune. Mr. Bur
leigh, a veteran Of many campalgas.
describes the censorship as a "bung,e
and a blunder," and declares ;hat the
sooner the whole matter of unofficial
correspondence is put upon 4 definite
basis conformable TO free Institutions
the better Il viii Ibe for evsryb3 3dy.
Mr.. Edgar Wallace asserts that there
Is nothing SO far as the military posi-
ton is concerned 10 justify the main
tenance Of censorship AMI that il is ere
ating a bad president, since the only
service which it can render is a polJi-
teal one savoring somewhat - Rus
sia; ray i, IS Krugerian."
Mr. Howell Glynne who has remain
ed in the field continuously since the
outbreak Of the war holds his peace.
In addition 10 the general restrictions
based on military reasons established
at the opening Of the war, the follow
ing regulation enables any censor %
reject or condeQse every dispatch sub
Hittei to him.
In future the length Of correspon-
dents wires viii be in proportion 10 ;h5
importance Of the news contained there
in"
The correspondents consequently are
disabled and unable to justify by cable
work the expenses Of their service. The
country, which is heavily taxed for
costly war. does no; know what IS 60
ing on and IS forced 10 be content with
casually lists and Lord Kitcheners in
yentories Of Beers killed. wounded and
surrendered. and Of stock. rifles and
ammunition captured.
II musi be stated in justice 10 the
war Office that the London journals
were warned in advance that their cor
respondents would not be lef, al lib
erty TO write and 10 60 as hey pleased
and were asked 20 adop, practical meas
ures for reducing the number q men
in service and for relieving the wires
from the pressure Of newspaper work.
These consultations a, the outbreak 5t
the war We're fruitless and scores Y
correspondents were sent TO South Afr
ca without any attempt on The par
Of the newspapers 20 regulate the bus.-
ness Of reporting campaign news. With
long lines Of communication and with
The wires clogged with routine mes
sages REQUIRED for the movement Of the
troops and the provisioning Of a great
army. the press dispatches were ne
elected. hald back, CONDENSED AMI mutt
lated
I, : not easy % understand wha. are
the political motives FOR rhs suppress
sion q news from the sea. Of war. The
government has well drilled obsdi-n-
majority in the commons ard is sup
ported by he grea, mass Of opinion .n
,ha aoua.ry Their is no revolt ag1!ns,
il either on the ministerial side or in
th4 constituencies where bye-el5cd7ns
are held.
Tha opposition is facr0D-ra-t and de-
morauzsl and quite incapable Of 9f-
fering strenuous resistance 20 govern
men. policies; and the pro-Boer agat-
1rs have male no impression upon pub
he opinion. There is no alternate gov
ernment possible while the campaign re-
mains in progress and ministers have
no conceivable reason for drsading pos
sibI. revelations from the sea, u war.
Some of the incidents which nave been
suppressed would bear heavily against
tho advocates Of he Dutch cause. bo,h
here ard on the continent The Wax
f5nte.n atrocities for example is fully
confirmed in detail, would tend to allen
ate the sympathy Of irreooncilsble Rad
ica,- and admiring foreigners for the
Ho.rs. The fac, tha. the horrible story
Of rh- shooting Of the wounlel has
ben suppressed for over month ana
lef, 20 come out little by little in SOL
Siar's letters to their friends a home
rx..tes suspicion that there may have
been drastic measures on the British
sd- in effscting the clearance Of var
ious districts and in establishing con-
..D-ra.ioo camps