The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-03
WAR CENSORING AND THE CUES
TION OF NEWS MONOPOLY.
A striking Lesson From tho Present Sit
uation I'm Europe.

Cisins or art literature and science, Win
profoundly learned but at times obscure
articles on tho weltpolitik and with
items of local interest But tho news
which they gave as to the momentous par
leys then In progress was meagre In the
extreme and little reference was made to
the extent to which England had gone
In attempting to preserve the status quo
pending further conferences with a view
to mediation.
doubt to-day whether the learned sci
entists, like Dr. Haeckel. who are now
filing briefs In support OF Germany at
the bar OF public opinion ever real the
British White Book or indeed ever had
the opportunity to read II. for after the
war commenced the German press was
vigorously censored as n matter OF mill
tary necessity, and before Germanys VI
timatum to Russia and France only the
most meagre details of the peace parleys
were given by the German press. Indeed
the Russian Minister at Berlin com
planned that Servias conciliatory reply
10 the Austrian ultimatum was largely
suppressed by tho censored German
press.
THIS was In striking contrast TO the
press OF France and England. especially
the latter. Not only was Sir Edward
Grey's speech published AZ length In the
London papers. but the speeches OF the
thirty Members OF Parliament who had
vigorously opposed the war were pub
! lshcd In their entirety In the leading
London newspapers.
In place Of these vital communications
! upon which the moral issues OF the war
essentially depend. the people Of Germany
| hal li.'ie before them beyond the alleged
| mobilization OF tho Russian army, the
mythical invasion OF Germany by France
| .u advance OF a declaration OF war, and
/ the ridiculous story that a French aviator
!
/ bomb IN the vicinity OF Nuremberg.
! To an American II Is amazing that the
| press Of the most Intellectual nation In the
/ world IL and has always been more pro-
vnclal than the press Of any country Of
| which have any knowledge. II ono read
none but German newspapers he would
/ reach the conclusion that not only had
Germany "a place in the sum-" but that 1t
was the only place in the sun. for there
Is an entire failure to treat the news OF
/ the world in cosmopolitan spirit such rs
/ animates the press of England and "
I the United States.
II this be true the situation in Germany
/ .s not unlike tt1t which prevailed ~
/ Paris In 1901. when tho people heard
! chiefly the stories of French victories and
were aStounded wnen the news ~ Sedan
! was broken to them. The reaction was
/ the more terrible. and II Is not impossible
! that the Commune may have been due
! not only To- the rottennes Of the Imperial
! Government which chiefly caused TIE
| great d6bAcle. but to some degree 20 the
! fury Of "a people finding Itself grossly de-
. celVod as to the truth
While there is ample justification for
/ ,ne suppression OF news rs military
! necessity after war has begun, yet IL
/ seems clear that. when the policy 90 war
! ia sim open for determination, the people
! are entitled, upou the highest grounds ~
| rolcy and morality to the truth and
| tho whole truth. and the evil consequences
! ~ any other course present forcoful
! i'usiration OF tho great truth Tor which
| TuE Sun cuntendcd IN its controversy
! with tho Associated Press. namely that
a monopoly W the news whereby a self
| governing people can he deceived. Is
most preiudicial 20 its highest interests
, What more forceful demonstration 81
! THE SUS's contention
"Our constitutional system is based
| upon the freedom of the press, and to
this end the great organs ~ public opin-
! ton should hc given every facility To
/ present an Of the news. and monopoly
| which seeks 20 shape ard mould the news
into one standard form is a
peculiarly Objectionable monopoly?
II tho German people had been con-
] suited aS To the issue OF war or peace, and
Ind known all the facts, including tho
correspondence SGT forth in tho British
| White Book il II prohabe that that
tcllecual and noble minded OF nations.
would have consented to the lmmcasurtb'c
/ horrors OF this greatest Of all wars 10
settle tho extremely narrow issue which
has 30 suddenly divided the rulers of
Europe?
Tn, mighty issue Of war and peace
turned upon the simple question that while
Germany ana Austria We're quite willing
to continue further peace parleys they
were not willing that Austria should dosi''
during such pArlCyS from its INVASION or
Scrvin. and il was thus gravely con-
tended that during the weeks or months
necessary for such u European confer
euce Austria should have the right pra"-
tcally TO settle the issues by crushing
Scrvid.
refuse to believe that as intelligent,
peace loving and noble minded "A people
as the Germans would ever have gone
to war with France. Russia and England
II they had known that the only con-
tingcncy that stood between them and
possible peace was that Austria should
exercise a little patience and not destroy
tho status quo. So too II the German
people had been consulted as to whether
Germany should violate its solemn
pledge to respect the neutrality OF Rel
GUM, especially II AN invasion of Bel
GUM involved an Inevitable war with
England. is Il probable that they would
have justified this action OF their mill
| tarN rulers, or WhlCn IL Is OlIIlCull 10
say whether It is a greater crime or a
| greater blunder2
The present European conflict will not
hc IN vain II II shall hereafter he pro-
vided by the nations Of Europe that no
! aggressive war shall he commenced by
any nation without the consent az the
pCople thereof Indeed an advance to-
ward the abolition OF war, N far more
value than all the peace societies, would
be made II by constitutional provision
or otherwise IL were provided that no ma
ton could when unassalled, initiate war
without first submitting the policy OF such
war to a referendum
It Is the plain people, 10 use Lnooln's
phrase, who do the fighting and suffer
the consequences, The Crown Prince and
: the other ''princelngs," as Won Moltko
: once contemptuously called Thorn. may he
ornamental, but the actual fighting In the
trenches IL that OF men who are never
conaulted as 10 the policy OF war unit.
the die Is cast beyond recall.
Can It he doubted that II the narrow
ISSUE which preceded the present conflict
as 10 whether Austria should desist In ~
military operations against ScrVia unit
70 further attempts at mediation or arhitra
r ton could be made had been submitted
to the peoples OF Germany and Austria
p they would have decided by large ma