New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06

nara G1dWt an lHNtllCNNAdA aNAObhe
with one predominant ambition; an
ambition to say not true thing but a
new thing: something which nobody
has said before him and nobody will
say after him. Add to that a gift of
rhetoric, a passion for publicity, a
curious illusion that his opinion on
any public matter is of value; and a
delight in finding himself taken seri-
ously. That will account for his pres
ent petition to the President of the
United States. The Nation publishes
this essay; and again one can only
ask why? No notice is taken of it
elsewhere; which is the best answer
Of all.
The Press Bureaus Defence.
From the two most unpopular men in
England we have now had explanations
and apologies in the House of Com
mons. Mr.. McKenna, in speech
which The Times calls acrid, has set
forth his views about spies and his
policy with reference to spies. Sir
Stanley Buckmaster has defended his
doings as Press Censor. Neither of
them satisfied the House. Neither will
satisfy the public.
Sir Stanley Buckmaster's defence
lies III StHltHCts III ll4t
or suppression of news he keeps his
eyes fixed upon the soldier in the
trenches and the sailors at sea. II is
telling sentence, but it does not touch
the point. IL amounts only to an asser-
tion of good faith which nobody, so far
as | know except one correspondent of
one New York paper, has impeached.
II all depends on whether his eyes are,
for the purposes of the censorship,
good eyes, and whether he makes a
good use of them. Neither can be
called good. Sir Stanley does not un-
derstand news nor the effect of news
on the public. Nor does he understand
war What, then, are his qualifications
as censor? Able and honorable lawyer,
as he is. he has not those which are
essential
He talks of interfering with the con-
duct of a newspaper, and to the news
paper as such his attitude seems hos
tile. That of itself would condemn him.
His business is to cooperate with the
papers. They are among the govern
ing forces Of the country. 1t is the
country whose interests he is bound TO
consider. That is what the papers con-
slider. If he is in doubt, he suppresses.
But what of doubt based upon and
springing from want of acquaintance
with war, with news, and with the pub
lie? The ideal censor would be jour
nalist and an officer rolled into one.
Next to that, the two separately. Worst
of all is a man trained TO look at events,
at evidence, at everything, from be-
meath wig.
The Home Secretary and the Spies.
On Mr.. McKenna no time need be
wasted Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. Bonar
Law both told him he had failed to
grasp the spy problem which 1t his
strange duty to deal with. lie has
shifted and shuffled: neither Of prin-
ciples nor of facts has he an intelligent
comprehension. Take the Lody case:
The one spy who has been adequately
dealt with. He was unanimously con-
demned by a strong court-martial over
which Major General Lord Cheylesmore
presided; justly sentenced to be shot,
and shot he was in the Tower Of Lon
don last Friday morning, November o.
The papers were not allowed TO publish
the fact that he had been shot till last
Wednesday Why? Nobody can say
why. The knowledge of his fate would
OF once have put the fear of God into
other spies and faith into the hearts
of this people. But Mr.. McKenna is
understood to have said that he dreaded
lest the knowledge should induce the
Germans to shoot some Englishman in
Germany. He must know that the
Germans for the last three months have
been shooting spies, or alleged spies, at
sight; often without trial and without
evidence.
Lody was shot in the rife gallery Of
the Tower He faced death serenely.
At the last moment he said to Lord
Athlumney, the Provost Marshal;
"Will you shake hands with a spy"
mo" said Lord Athlumney, mot with
a SPY, but with q brave man." and he
gave him his hand. U. w. ,.