Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-20

office quadrangle for the casualty lists.
The amended police order issued two
days ago providing for additional pre-
cautions to insure the darkening of
London has already had it's effect. AL
direction, as was noted by the airship
that has flown on several nights over
the metropolis, some Unexpectedly
weak spots were discovered, particu-
larly in regard to the Thames and its
bridges. Therefore. a further decided
darkening of the capital is to be noted,
nearly all the lamps on certain bridges.
and especially those near large railway
systems, being extinguished, while the
great clock tower at Westminster gives
no light, and tells the passing of time
only by the chimes of Big Ben: To
those who do not know the more close
ly packed working class districts of
inner London the statement mat the
AGGREGATION of flares in street markets
or elsewhere is prohibited will be
little puzzling.
In the Inner Suburbs.
The Londoner of the inner suburbs.
however, is well acquainted. both by
sight and smell, with busy roads. hav-
ing their curbstones lined with stalls
bearing all kinds of perishable produce
and lighted up at night by the murky
flare Of thousand fambeaux. The ma
jority Of these lights are OF the old
naphtha swinging-lamp pattern, which
most folk think have been relegated
to country fairs, and 1t can be we'll I'M
derstood how striking the regular lines
Of these must look from the sky. The
special need for the additional precau-
ton is that as the time for the equi-
noctial gales passes away the chance
for hostile airship or aeroplane to
make a sudden and rapid dash on the
capital again becomes apparent, and
the authorities responsible for her
safety intend to take no chances.
cessive ' alarm us is felt With regard to the
promised visit OF. the Zeppelins The
announcement that policies have been
issued at Lloyd's against the risk OF
damage to life and property from pos
sible raids by German aircraft VIII, no
doubt, send cold shiver down the
backs of some timid souls, and II, per-
chance, the news of 1t should reach
Berlin it may furnish the anonymous
individual who instructs the world
through the medium of the German
wireless service with material for some
cheap jibes at the decadent Londoner.
But when one looks at the rates &C
copied it appears that there is not so
much cause for alarm after all.
Rate Of Insurance.
You can insure your house against
damage for 3s Sd per cent, and your
own life for Is Sd per cent. Under
writer's at Lloyds are notorious for
their prescience. 1t Is the best pos
sible check on the accuracy of a proph-
ct If he is put under a financial pen.
atty in case he happens to be wrong.
1t should put new heart into many
Londoner to know that gentlemen so
skilled in the science of weighing up
chances as the underwriters at Lloyds
should estimate as so remote any dep
relations on the part OF the kaiser's
aircraft.
The worst feature Of the war, as far
as the non-combatant is concerned, up
to the present, Is perhaps the official
censorship, which works in a most I'M
intelligent fashion. The newspapers
are filled with all sorts of extravagant
matter as long as the animus of 1t is
directed against the enemy, but the
news of the protracted and extensive
battle that has been going on in France
for nearly four weeks is most scanty
and unsatisfactory. Recent restric-
lions put upon the press forbid the
pers hardly know what to print. Every
thing has to pass the strictest censor
ship ever known. incoming messages
being submitted to two distinct and
leisurely bureaus.
Some of the papers are reduced to
mere yituperation and are quite vehe-
ment in condemnation of ordinary Ger
man acts of war which have no suspi-
cion of unfairness from any standpoint.
rasr Emden n IN the indian ne oesan 10
accepted by the British man in the
fault, but our newest halfpenny paper.
the Daily Call, owned and sponsored by
the standard, heads a paragraph about
a nephew of the kaiser being on board
the Emden as follows: German pirate
kaiser's swashbuckling nephew"
es of ycso
daily features. The humiliation of the
Germans constantly Is reported, but al
most complete silence about the battle
in France.
Lack Of Real News.
There is no doubt of the temper of
the allies. nor of their final victory, be-
cause they have the means and will
have the men; but it is a little pitiful
to those of us who wish Britain we'll
and are anxious to render such assist
ance as we can to see the exhibition
the British press. in its servile atti-
tude toward the censors, is making of
itself. Most extravagant and improb-
able stories find place in it's columns.
and all this or most OF this, is for want
of real news.
The censors hold up the cables to
America in surprising fashion, excludo
ing even official news that has been
printed in the London press. Even the
kings speech proroguing parliament
was held up after it had been filed. and
was not allowed to be cabled until the
next day: and much of the German
news which American correspondents
collect at great trouble and expense ia
not allowed to be cabled at all This
| is regarded as bad policy, for while the
censorship justly concerns itself with
news pertaining to the movements Of
the allies which might possibly be of
use to the enemy: 1t does not seem pos
sible that enemy's news can be harm.
full. England thus lays herself omen To
the charge of willfully suppressinS
news because it is not favorable to her
arms.
1t is being represented to the authori-
ties that this sort of thing is not caicu
lated to encourage sympathy in Amer
i lea, for America, as we understand il
here. though neutral officially, is very
much in favor of the allies and the