Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-07-23

shalt thou go, but no further; ana
the thus far" was generally among
the tombs Of Moukden or the tea gar,
dens OF Toxic. Now and then a cores
pondent has witnessed actual fighting.
But Of the old style correspondence,
~forecasting the movements Of the arm
lies and announcing in advance the plan
Of campaign, there mas been not a
line.
This wal is being run for the sake
of military advantage, and not for
tine sake of copy" The censorship
seems likely to be maintained in full
rigidity all through the war. Nor is
even that all. There are those who
are saying, with a show Of reason,
that thus a precedent will be estab-
lished for the suppression Of the spec
ial correspondent in all future wars,
II may be so. From m point OF
view there are reasons why it should
be so. The fact is that in modern
conditions Of warfare the war cores
pondent may easily become a practical
Spy. Indeed, 1t is not easy for him to
avoid doing so. In old times he might
be located at headquarters, learn the
plans Of campaign, write about them
as fully as he pleased, and send the
matter TO his paper without harm.
BY the time his letter could get to the
enemy through the slow process Of the
mails, the plans he had disclosed were
executed. But now the telegraph and
cable have changed all that.
A correspondent at Fong-Wang.
Cheng. let us say, might send news
to his paper in London or New York
of General Kuroki's plan of advance
against General Kuropatkin, and It
might be published in that paper and
be transmitted to Kuropatkin at Lao
Yang within an hour. or long before
the movement 1t disclosed had begun
Such sending out of news would be
a fatal betrayal Of military secrets,
such as every prudent commander is
bound to prevent. Nor is that all.
The wireless telegraph has added a
new peril to the situation. It has prac-
tically placed the special correspon-
dent In one camp in direct communi.
cation with the enemy's camp.
No wonder commanding generals
on both sides are insisting that the
correspondents, at least with very
few exceptions, shall keep so far to
the rear that they will not know what
f. going to happen until It has actually
happened.
There are, however. some serious
objections to such censorship, and
would be some grave difficulties
in the way Of enforcing It in some
wars.
A war conducted under a blanket"
would give rise to suspicious and ac-
cusatlons of humanity and violations
the rules Of warfare. II would be
said that the generals kept ~correspon-
dents out of the camp because there
were things going on which they did
dare to let the world know.
Moreover, while the people in Rus
STA and Japan may acQulesce in such
secrecy, IL Is not dihcult to imagine
what an cutlery would be raised against
L In most other countries-in coun-
tries in which the people have been
accustomed TO a fuller knowledge OF
public Affairs. The cry would be raised
hat the life OF the Fatherland was
hanging In the balance. and yet the
sovereign people We're not permitted
know what was going on.
II would be a strong government
indeed in a popularity governed coun.
.ry, that could stand against such
Perhaps the correspondents
nay come to realize that the solution I
II the problem and the determination
II their future are in their own hands. 2
II they will d%iscreetly restrain them. I
from playing. even i~nvoluntarily q
parts OF spies and marplots. and
onhhe themselves scrupulously to
eporting accomplished facts, they will
robably find the gates OF opportunity ,
ull open TO them ana their services =
D the reading public will assuredy =.
OF be impaired, Unless they can and ,
'ill thus restrain themselves. their ,
utlook for the future will probably F,
row increasingly dun and una,trac. =
We. g