The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-22
WAR SCRIBES
GOVERNED BY
STRINGENT CODE
Must Provide Heavy Bonds for
Good Conduct, and Put
Up Cash
MILITARY OATH OF
LOYALTY REQUIRED
Commissioned Officer of Army
To Act AS Censor of
Dispatches

intense interest manifested by the
public in all matters pertaining TO
military operations, It viii be sur
prising to most people TO learn OF the
stringent rifles laid ae~H BY the gnX=
eminent IN the matter OF the way
newspaper correspondents are re-
ouired TO handle war news. The cur
rent issue OF the Army and Naval
Journal gives the following:
Not long after the Spanish-Ameri'
+. can war consideration was given by
the military authorities at Washing
ton 10 the question OF regulating the
activities OF newspaper correspon-
dents in future wars SO that they
would not publish reports OF move
ments that might convey information
10 the enemy AS result or broad
study OF the entire subject the war
department has prepared set OF
rules for governing correspondents
with the army In the field. The
newspaper man desiring to be a cor
respondent with the army must de-
posited a certified check for $1,000,
against which he may draw for sub
sistence supplies at the commissary
or for any part OF his equipment, such
as blankets, tents, saddles, brides,
clothes and similar available articles.
lie must also provide bond IN the
sum OF $2,000-fo his good conduct,
which In the case OF forfeiture may
be transferred TO any charity the sec
rotary OF war may designate. The
correspondent will also take mill
tary oath OF loyalty In the usual form.
He must agree TO abide by all the
regulations =. down for his guild
ance. Only correspondent from
a newspaper will be permitted to ac-
company the same field army Men
who have adventure rather than &C.
tual service as active journalists In
mind will not be received
Foreign correspondents must show
that they have seen service in the
field with an army, and must present
credentials from high officers OF the
army with which they have been in
the field, and letters la each case
from their respective diplomatic rep
resentatives in the United States. No
photographers for the press will be
allowed with the army There will be
an official army photographer, whose
films will be sent 10 Washington
promptly and prints Will be furnished
10 the press at slight cost. Moving
picture men will also be barred. Reg
nlar correspondents will be allowed TO
carry small hand-film cameras. but
their films must In all cases be
censored, the films being sent TO
Washington to be developed and
passed upon
II is proposed to have commits
sioner officer OF the army act as
censor In Washington and another 10
act as censor with the army in the
Held. All letters and dispatches must
be submitted to the censor at the field
headquarters OF each army and re-
ceive the stamp OF approval. The
regulations forbid that the cores
pondent may send the names of regi.
ments or commanders, the disposition
OF troops, the state OF the army $
transport, the number OF sick the
extent OF losses in any engagement,
or any other matter which the censor
may reject. The commanding general
may, however, relax the administra-
ton Of the regulations when military
necessity does not require such strict
ness. The correspondent on being
duly licensed has the status OF COM
missioned officer so far as privileges
are concerned. His pass gives him
transportation over all military rail
ways, and he Is entitled TO draw ra-
tons and is allowed tentage. A cook
for the correspondents mess Is sup
piled The army wires are open TO
his use when not occupied by official
dispatches Every correspondent
must wear olive drab gray Tor the
field, with a white arm band two and
a half inches wide, bearing the letter
c in red on the left arm. His messen-
ger, II he has one, must also wear
olive drab, and band with the let
ter NJ in red.
Once started as a war correspon-
dent no one may leave the army with
out the permission OF the war depart
ment. II dispatches are distorted In
the Office of publication or language
or expressions are used conveying a
hidden meaning which would tend TO
mislead or deceive. the censor such
an act will be held to be a violation
of the regulations punishable by for
fixture OF privileges and the bond
filed with the war department. Cor
respondents are 10 be subject TO all
medical regulations OF the army. No
officer or enlisted man in the army
will be permitted TO act as correspon-
dent for any publication without the
consent OF the secretary OF war and
the majority or war correspondents
attached TO the army with which such
an officer or enlisted man may be
serving No censor may write any
thing for publication about the war
while he is acting as censor.