The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-11-22
WAR correspondent
HAS A HARD TASK
Conditions Now Very Different
From Those in the Days Of
''BulI Run" Russell.

LONDON, November "A war cor.
respondent of today who desires to do
good work has harder task than the
correspondent of forty years ago In
deed, unless lie is an exceptional and
lucky man, he may not get to the front
at all. Ernest Gelobter, one of the
many special correspondents of Lon
don papers who have been sent to the
Balkans, sends rather pessimistic let
ter. Mr. Gelobter was assigned to go
to the front with the Servians, and
ne writes from Belgrade that so tar
he is still stuck there Similar walls
are being received from others of the
ninety or so English correspondents
who have been sent to Sofia and the
score sent to Greece. Only little Mon
tenegro seems at all generous to the
newspaper representatives, and even
she lays down all sorts of rules and
regulations unheard of in the days of
"Bull Run" Russell and Archibald
Forbes.
The truth, of course, is that the game
has been overplayed. 1t was all right
in the old days Tor half dozen we'll
known men, usually personal friends of
many of the officers, to accompany an
army in war time, but now, when some
of the great papers send half dozen
men each to do descriptive work. be-
sides, in many cases, photographers, the
presence of so many correspondents be-
comes not only source OF annoyance
to a commanding officer, but often a
source of embarrassment.
Mr.. Gelobter frankly admits this.
"Modern Generals" he says, "disap-
prove of civilians casually sauntering
along the firing line or sending prema-
ture details of a plan of campaign.
The result is that the Servians-and,
from what l have heard while in Wen
ma the other combatant States-are
taking good care to have strict super
! vision over the correspondents.
1.-The censorship is most strict; ev-
| trything written is eXamined: and pic.
lures are now censored An enterpris.
| ing youth who had been hired by a
cinematograph firm to snap the war
was heartbroken when he was told that
| his films would have to be submitted to
the authorities or destroyed.
Correspondents who wish to 90 to
the front have to make formal written
application to the military authorities
Then we have photograph taken for
identification purposes. If we are lucky
we get permit with photograph at
tached) and rather gorgeously colored
band to put around our arm. Up to
the time of writing no one has been
allowed to 60 forward.
A dispatch from Trieste to The Daily
Mirror tells of the unfortunate expert.
ence of couple of correspondents. 1t
seems that Musati, the Italian author
who is in custody at Podgoritza, is not
the only correspondent of journals 9th.
er than English who has upset the Mon.
tenegrins. Baron Binder of the Wen,
ma Neue Freie Presse is also getting
himself disliked for his pro-Turkish
views. His offense was going out to
the firing line last Thursday and criti.
cizing everything and everybody. He
has lived in Podgoritza for some
months.
The same paper yesterday printed an
amusing article on the immense mum
bers of would-be correspondents who
on such an occasion as this, present
themselves at the newspaper offices and
calmly apply for positions that the
most experienced journalists hesitate
to accept, knowing the difficulties OF
the work and the linguistic and other
! ability required. Zone of the most
singular features in connection with 6
war when it breaks OUT" says The
Mirror, sis the number of amateur
journalists and wouldbe war CORE
spondents it Immediately lets loose up
on the defenseless newspaper Office
They come from all parts-North, Soutl
| Df M
position; and their ignorance of mat
ters military is only equaled by thei
utter ineXperience of journalism ant
the world.
''For some amazing reason, eacl
seems to think that he is specially quai
fled to send through brilliant war mes
sages. Nor can they be shaken in thi
belief. They may have failed to max
even an ordinary success in any othe
walk of life, but they are positive tina
they would be entirely and conspicr
ously successful as war correspondents
A Invariably they have never ha
even the most remote journalistic eX
perience, they cannot speak any othe
Language but English, they do not kno,
what press telegraph is, or how t
word graphic skeleton message, an
they emphatically know nothing what
ever about the Balkans. Yet they ar
burning with beautiful inspired d.
sire to do the extremely difficult wor
of war correspondent.
"The very latest caller was youn
man who volunteered the following il
formation:
!" My Father he said, ingenious
ly, used to write for the papers. II
: was great friend of Buffalo Bill, an
/ used to go behind the scenes and tai
with the cowboys. "