The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-21
cat COST OF THE WAR TO THE PRESS IN QUEST FOR N

the cable companies are profiting from the
war, but they are not Press messages
have been multiplied, but commercial mes
sages-and they pay the better-have been
almost stopped.
Che-Foo is practically the only port open
to the correspondents from which messages
may be sent by cable without first being
submitted to a censor. From Che-Foo to
New York the cable rate for press messages
Is AZ cents word The same rate is is. charged r.
from Shanghai and also from Tien-Tsin
From Port Arthur via the Pacific cable the
rate is S1.O2 word. From Toxic 1T costs
81 cents word TO send a press message to
New York. From Chemulpo and Nladivo-
sent to the New York newspapers must be
paid for in advance at the full rate.
DISHEARTENING OUTLOOK.
1t was with conditions of this kind con-
fronting them that the news agencies and
such individual papers intended cover
ing the field were confronted when they
sent their correspondents TO the seat of
war. Arrangements for an effective serv-
ice were made with the greatest difficulty
and at great expense. In general way the
Associated Press is the largest news gath
in the world. Brought into existence
about the time of the civil strife in this
country, it has developed it's system and
resources wonderfully during the last ten
years. Having the confidence of the gov
ernments in Toxic and St. Petersburg, the
Associated Press long ago was in position
TO know that nothing short of a miracle
could prevent an outbreak of hostilities be-
tween Russia and Japan. Acting on. the
information in its possession, the ASSOci-
ated Press placed well-trained correspond
ents along the line of the probable conflict,
giving to them instructions to await devel-
opments but after blow had been struck
10 spare neither exertiOn nor expense in
sending the news to this country. At the
outbreak of hostilities between Russia and
Japan this organization had nine veteran
war correspondents near the scene of con-
fiict; representatives of the Associated
Press who were in Toxic Manila and Pc
king. Resident correspondents were estabL
lished in almost every city of even slight
Importance in that part of the worio.
Believing that even so great story as the
one to be written about the conflict between
the armies of the Car and the Mikado
should be handled as any other newspaper
assignment, the Associated Press sent to
the East three of its correspondents who
became veterans in the war between Spain
and the United States and who took post
graduate courses in the Philippines and in
China at the time of the Boxer uprising.
When the news of the naval engagement off
Port Arthur became known it came as no
surprise to the men who were on guard for
the Associated Press. In Japan the cor
respondents were we'll aware of the fact
that actual hostilities were imminent many
days before the rupture of the diplomatic
relations between Russia and Japan.
COULDN'T TELL THE NEWS.
Mr.. Egan, correspondent of the Aeso-
ciated Press in Toxic, received his infor-
nation from the Governor that a startling
attack upon Russia was being prepared.
Yet Mr.. Egan was unable 20 inform his
employers of that fact because of a three
days embargo upon all press dispatches.
laid by order of the Mikado. AS a matter
of fact, the first intimation that the Asso-
ciated Press received of the actual out
break of hostilities came in the form of a
code word from Mr.. Egan announcing that
his press dispatches were being held up by
the censor. Mr.. Egan received the conf
dences of the high officials with whom he
associated. "A pact OF secrecy was made,
and as the newspaper man soon demon
strated that he could be trusted little was
kept from him. Yet of the news of the sit
uation only the most barren details were
permitted to reach New York.
The Associated Press, with the permission
OF the japanese government, sent two meI
with the expedition which first landed in
Korea Ihey are now accompanying the
troops in the campaign in the hermit king
DOM Unfortunately, the correspondents
are so far from Geographic facilities that
the results OF their efforts have not yet
appeared.
Other correspondents have been sent by
the Associated Press with the Russian force
which started from Port Arthur for the
Yalu river Still other news gatherers have
travelled down through Siberia with the
Cossacks, who are now forming somewhere
near the boundary of Korea, ready for the
great battle that is to come. But from none
OF these has come a complete and lntelll-
sent story of what is happening.
.One condition which makes il extremely
difficult for all correspondents to operate
with success in ASIA as they did in Cuba
and in South Africa during the Boer war.
is the fact that the Japanese government
has demanded that all the dispatches des-
tined for points beyond Toxic must be filed
translated
Japanese.
This necessitates the sending of japanese
translators with each correspondent. and
naturally retardS the work of getting out
the news. Ii is fortunate, however that
the japanese newspapers are becoming as
enterprising in their way as are the news
service of the Associated Press and are
assisting materially in getting ii into shape
TO be cabled 10 Europe and America. The
material is there, and in due sason it may
| If it is difficult to get the news through
| the Japanese lines il is even more diff
| cult for the correspondents to penetrate
| the Russian lines with their dispatches
| Russia now, as it always has DONE main
tains the most rigid censorship known in
| the world.
| From the interior of Manchuria and ko-
| rea, where the land campaign is now ma
| turing its early stages and where terrific
conflicts may occur any day, there is 6
single telegraph line struggling across the
| country and operated by the Great North
ern Telegraph Company. This telegraph line
| leads into ST. Petersburg, and it carries al
| OF the news that is of purely Russian or
| igin Ii is through the courtesy of the Rus
sian government that the of this tele
| graph line may be had by the press at
| time when IL is not being used Tor govern
| ment business. That time is yet to arrive.
| AT ST. PETERSBURG.
Recognizing that perhaps the most i'm
| portant news point in all the world dur
| ing the war between Russia and japan il
TO be st. Petersburg. the Associated Pres
has detailed its Washington correspondent
Howard Thompson, TO that city. Early il