The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-05-03
Rules Governing War correspondents
In Times Of HostiIitles az Out
lined BY the New York
Post.
MUST FOLLOW RULES
Compelled to Wear Clothes OF the
Regulation olive Drab With
White Arm Band and
Letter &C.

| The deluge Of sensationalism and
deliberate fabrications which the
lurid press poured over the country
before and after the liberation OF
Cuba spurred the war department to
more clearly dsfine the status and
supervise the operation Of correspon-
dents with the army and navy in time
to the front, besides regularly accreds
tied correspond ents, flock of news
paper Adventures responsible to no
body, and a nuisance to ofhcers and
men. One commanding general was
slapped in the face by "coTrespon-
dent who did not approve Of his
method OF conducting the campaign.
Another Journalist" OF the scream
class used the seat of war as a back
ground for his rescue" Of heroine
from a papier mache Spanish dun
geon as an exclusive bit OF haroics
for his paper. Such happenings will
not be possible In Mexico should the
censorship rules now in force be put
to the test OF war. The rules wer.
drafted jointly by war department.
officials and newspaper publishers,
and are summarized by the New York
Post, as follows:
Every correspondent must be an
ef1cient, reputable working member
of his profession, vouched for by his
paper, and that voucher must be back
ed by bond for $4,000, which will
be forfeit If the respondent vio-
lates the rules OF the censor or mis-
behaves in any other way. After that
preliminary the correspondent must
take the military oath Of loyalty. and
then he will get his pass, which en-
titles him to all the privileges Of an
officer Of the army, including trans
portatfon, tentage, rattons, medical
care and the use Of horse.
lation olive-drab OF the army officer's
uniform and wear a white arm band
with a red letter tC' to Indicate his
status at glance to every man in
the army. Furthermore. he must
carry q pass signed by the secretary
VI !" al anu tu0 -uSAd Oh
the army in the field and also bear
ing his own signature and photograph.
Although the censorship is pri-
marily intended to stop untrue or
dangerous and unapproved matter
from going to the press, 1t will be in
force, If need be, against every pri-
vate letter, every Photographic plate
or film sent from within the lines OF
the army.
THE correspondent may carry
small hand camera, but no profession
al photographers or men with motion.
picture machines will be allowed
within the lines. Official photogra-
pher belonging to the army will do
the big picture taking, ana copies of
their work will be sold No cods
words, no words or groups Of words
double meaning. will be
allowed in any letter or dispatch,
for the press or an indiyi- |
dual. Should such words be found |
BY the army officer acting as censor
he will suppress the communication /
altogether, no matter how harmless
and innocent 1t may be, or let the
would-be sender rewrite It. So II any
1ome-sick young lovers or middle
aged dads find themselves following
he United States flag into the Next
IAN country, let them be prepared to
orego the usual indulgence Of such
n the use Of code words OF the heart