Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-17
BRITISH PRESS NOT
YET PERMITTED TO
MENTION DISASTER

GORE sQondenCe OF the Associated Press
London, Dec. 16,--The British press CEN
sorate has not yet permitted the British
newspapers to make any mention Of the
loss of the battesnip AudaciOus The
facts that the Audacious was put ont of
commission by a mine. or by a German
submarine, on the northern coast of
Ireland on October q and that the White
Star steamer Olympic took off her crew
arr Well known in all English news
paper offices however and are a matter
of common report among the public
The policy of the admiralty In declin-
| ing to have any statement made In Eng
land is dictated by the view. that in the
absence of official confirmation the Ger
mans may think that the report Is an
other canard which has gained general
,redence like the widely spread and firm
~ believed story of the passage of a
| Russian army through Great Britain to
France. American newspapers containing
he story have been sold ON the news
stands Of the London hotels and offered
ON Fleet street by the newsboys, This
has made the London papers chafe under
what some Of them consider the un-
necessary rirOrs Of their censorship The
Daily News and Leader, one Of the
strongest party organs of the present
government, published pointed protest
recently A censorship is wholly new
experience for English newspapers. They
have quickly adjusted themselves to the
possibilities OF defying It in the spirit
while observing 1t in the letter The
Daily News and Leader did not mention
the Audacious. but it said, and every
one understood its meaning
"Rumors of an event of very great i'm
portance to the British public have been
circulating for very long time past now
| in this country. Very full accounts OF the
event in question have now been published
! in the Swedish, the Dutch, the American
and finally the German papers. There is
scarcely an important public In the world
! that Ia to say which has not now received
| a full report of the alleged occurrence, ex-
| cept that one which Is most directly az
| fected by it,
THE truth or falsehood of the reports
is matter on which judgment may and
! indeed -for the moment must be suspend
ed 1t is Ineligible that the authorities
may have good reasons for delaying the
publ cation of news, Favorable or other
wise, rmtil time when in their judgment
, ITS publication Will he most cfectv" or
least preiudicia to the public interests.
| The sincere study and understanding OF
national psychology may be Of important
| assistance In n struggle such as that we
are now Waging. But it IS surely pSY-
| Geological blundrr OF the first order to
conceal from the British public news
which. GOOD on bad, is the common
property of their neighhors.
The Times dwells edltorially upon the
same matter, saying;
our office is Uttered with German
newspapers containing news we are f"r'
| hidden to publish. We have also many
! American newspapers containing 'he
! same news. which was further sent broad
east IN the German wireless MESSAGES
Tho present position therefore, Is that the
whole world is acquainted with news TINS
country Is not permitted to know; ana the
ridiculous feature of the situation IL tnat
very large numbers of individuals In these
iAiAna~ know II GniiA well"