Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-07
EVENING Chat


In all of my experience ! have
! never known as rigid application of
censorship on war news as we are
experiencing in the great war now in
| progress in Europe" said man ex-
perienced in newspaper work and a
wide traveller while here a few days
ago. Il recall. distinctly the days of
the Civil War because i was young
man then and IL was from twenty-four
TO thirty-siX hours before we got au-
| thentic Information from the lighting
zone and 1t was within a few hundred
miles of us much of the time. We did
not know until after midnight of the
day of Lees surrender that he had
given up, but when we got il il was
straight. The Franco-Prussian war
was marked by prompt enough dis
Semination. but the news came from
French sources, not from German, just
the reverse of the present. We knew
of Sedan in interior towns of Penn
sylvania as soon as we knew of Lees
surrender. l recall, too, the rapidity
with which we got news from the war
in Turkey in the late seventies, but
that was probably due to the splendid
English correspondents in the field and
TO the fact that London was not as
vitality interested in the war as she is
to-day. In later days do you remem-
ber that it was not until twelve hours
after the Spanish fleet had been de-
stroyed that Washington turned loose
official announcement of the success
of our navy and that. too. in the face
OF the TACT that the streets were full of
rumors in the afternoon that there
had been a battle? Then, too, re-
member how we got news on the night
of May l that it had been "a sad but
glorious day for Spain" long before
we received official announcement
from Washington that Dewey had per-
q fn1 In, hfe
case the censorship is put on as a mat
ter of protection to the warning ma
tions, but the trouble is that IL is so
complete that a very important object
of censorship is defeated-preparati
of the people for news of an official
character. This war has been pro-
ductive of everything except news, and
YOU have to dilute what comes about
so per cent. To meet the demand for
news the news associations have to
take reports which are brought by
soldiers, refugees or residents, and
that is unconsciously colored and of
such nature that in ordinary times
1t would never be used without being
closely followed up. Hence the stories
of one day are denied the next. But
most official announcements are just
as bad"
One of the most notable things about
> success IN the race Tor
the Tri-State pennant is that the per
cent. of the club IS over 200, a record
that Is unique in the country. Search
OF the standing of the leading leagues
OF the eastern part of the United
states does not show any club with so
high rating. The peerless Athletics
lead the American aggregate with a
percentage considerably below that
held by Harrisburg and 1t is doubtful
II any of the western leagues or any
OF the bush leagues" can show a
victorious team with such a high per-
centage as has been won by Cockill's
men.
"Ah. Some immigrants? asked
man of one of the Union Station force
the other day as he saw some for
eisners fiocking around.
Once. They're movers" replied
the railroad man.
What are they?"
"Oh. They are people who would
like to go back because work Is slack
in this country. but who do not want
to return because they will he put into
uniform and sent to charge a ma.
chine gun. So they move from place
TO place hunting work. I'll bet that
band has been in every steel town
between Bethlehem and Gary" said
the railroad man.
Unless the county commissioners and
the interested township authorities
avail themselves of the contract sent
to them for approval by the State
Highway Department for Improvement
OF the Union Deposit road. this county
may lose a share of State money set
apart for construction of highways on
the State aid plan. 1t is stated at the
Capitol that the funds necessary to
construct the States so per cent. share
of the highway will revert to the State
Treasury and the county be deprived
of their use unless the contract is
signed. This is due to the fact that
money not used or requisitioned within
a certain period goes back to the gem
eral funds automatically and some
other county will get the benefit
good story is being told about a
man who applied to be registered last
week and who became insensed when
asked his politics. He had answered
the other questions put to him bv the
registrars, but bucked when asked his
politics. He did not know of that
refuge of the man who does not want
to tell which goes by the name of
Nonpartisan and his gorge rose.
1T S none of your business what I
am" he retorted.
Wen, there's place here for it,"
said one of the officials who knew the
voter as an ardent reformer.
Don't care" replied the voter.
Say 'nonpartisan',' prompted
friend.
"Nonpartisan? Nothing. Put me
down as Nonvoting," said the dis
gusted one.