The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-25
London Papers Resent Sup
preston Of Audaclous' Loss.
GERMAN TAUNTS ANNOYING.

fishes an editorial renewing the attack
on the British press censorship. with
particular reference to the secrecy en-
Joined on the British press regarding
"a certain naval mishap now nearly
month DID," the particulars of which
have appeared in American and Other
papers.
1--WE should like to speak plainly on
this subject" says the Morning Post
yet the Tower may await us If we do
The British press is, in fact, forbidden
to mention a mishap to the British
navy Of which the press of the who'll
world Is speaking The German press
has for some time been in full posses
sion Of the facts, which they gathered
from America, and are gloating over
them, not so much because they relate
to a material loss. but because theiI
suppression in England seems to them
to offer evidence that the British ma
ton is in a state of panic and Is not
TO be trusted with the truth.
THUS. for example. the Kolnische
Zeitung says: The British government
did not dare to communicate this Sc.
rious loss to the nation because 1t fear
ed universal excitement A very low
estimate is thus placed by its own gov
eminent on the nerves and character
Of the English people. which gives one
cause to think
1--WE are bound to say that for once
we agree with German newspaper
1t does give one cause to think. There
is involved a mishap of considerable
material dimensions. no doubt, but
nothing to cause anything more than
national sigh Of regret, and 1t Is
treated by the government as If it were
some appalling catastrophe, so dark
that merely to read about 1t would
throw the nation into a state of frenzy.
1t is ridiculous, but 1t is also humiliat
ing. We say plainly that 1t is an In
suit not only to the British press. but
to the British nation"
The Morning Post attributes the
blame for concealment to Winston
Spencer Churchill. and again demands
that the control of the admiralty be
left in the hands of experts.
Taunts Annoy the Times.
The Times says In an editorial on
the same subject:
"The government have received and
still enjoy the full confidence of the
nation. irrespective of party, but they
are not rewarding adequately the trust
reposed in them. On Tuesday we drew
attention to the fact that a piece Of
news with which the whole world out.
side Of these islands is acquainted was
still being concealed. At first there
were excellent reasons for concealing
1t, but these reasons no longer obtain
Members of any club which receives
American newspapers may read 1t, and
even see pictures of the - ,deletiou
by CENSOR. The entire German press
has known Of it for many days, and
we have numerous German newspa
pers in our possession in which 1t il
discussed with exaggerated exultation
I'VE have no sympathy whatever
with the efforts made in other quar-.
tiers to base general attack on the
admiralty policy upon this isolated in
cident We believe that In all essen,
tial matters the royal navy is in skill.
ed and competent hands. We are. how
ever. very much concerned about the
taunts now being leveled at the Brit
ish government by the press of Ger
many and America.
1T Is being said-and we are unable
TO answer the charge-that our gov
eminent is afraid to trust the British
public and will not tell them the truth
The government has placed the press
Of this country In an exceedingly diff
ticult position. We receive hundreds
Of letters asking us whether there is
any foundation for various stories
which more often than not are fables
Up to certain point we are always
able in reply to rely upon the assur
ance Of the government that II would
deal with the country frankly. At
present we cannot make this reply and
the results are deplorable.
Would Drop the Topic.
las decision originally necessary
has been foolishly maintained far too
long. why not say so candidy and let
US all drop this unwelcome TOPPER"
The Daily Telegraph says in an edi
torial,
"A misfortune not, happily. Involving
loss OF life is said to have occurred
some weeks ago. and complaint has
been made that the public has been
kept in ignorance. II is reported thai
full accounts have appeared In Amer
can newspapers and that the news has
even been published In the German
press Are we sure that the enemy
does know not merely something OF
the incident but everythlngf We must
Re convinced on this matter before we
can criticise the Withholding OF any
particular item of news"
The certain naval mishap" referred
to by the Morning Post is undoubtedly
the loss Of the battleship Audacious.
which was sunk OF Tough Swiftly in
Ireland on Oct 81.