Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-18
New Chief of Press Bureau
Tells Newspaper Men He
Will Be easy on Copy"
MERELY WANTS TO LOCK
ANY ERRONEOUS REPORTS
British Critics Will Write Nothing
in Dispatches Not Put There
by the Authors.

Great Britain has no intention of
censoring news dispatches from the
war fields of Europe save to eliminate
such information as might be of ma
terial aid to the enemy, and to pre-
vent wide publicity of erroneous infor-
nation, according to an authorized
statement given out last night at the
British embassy.
Details of the discussion of censor
ship at a meeting in London Friday be-
tween American press representatives
and Sir Stanley Buckmaster the new
director of the British press bureau,
were given in statement as follows:
"Sir Stanley Buckmaster, the newly
appointed director of the press bureau.
has received several American Journal
lists lately October is he received
American correspondents in London in
body, and made statement to them
as to the lines on which censorship is
to be conducted under his direction.
Will Interfere Little.
HE pointed out that it was his OBJ
ject to interfere as little as possible
with any matter telegraphed by Amer
lean correspondents. and that as gen.
era1 rule no restrictions would be
placed except in the case of informa-
ton which might be useful to the en-
envy from a military point of view.
He declared emphatically that it was
not his policy to prevent news sent by
American correspondents in Germany
from getting to America. Naturally,
however, it was impossible to lay,
down an absolutely hard-and-fast rule.
and there must, of course, be eXcep-
lions, as, for instance, in the case of
falsehoods emanating from Germany
about England's allies. Should the CEN
sor pass such falsehoods, responsibility
for their circulation might attach to
the British government in the minds
of those operating with it in the pres
ent war. and this, of course. could not
and should not be permitted.
Have Frank Discussion.
1.-The censor discussed in a frank and
friendly spirit various points which in
dividual correspondents raised. and ex-
pressed his willingness thoroughly to
any complaint brought to
his notice and to act promptly and just
ly thereon. He also entered into the
question of the causes of delay. and
explained the further steps which he
intends to take to remedy them.
~ may add he concluded. that
cable censors have received general
instructions to show every consldera-
ton to ca Diagrams of American cor
and to pass them as
general rule. except when they give
prohibited information solely with re-
gard to military operations of the al
lies, or with regard to naval operations
or naval matters or when they criti-
else our allies, their fleets or armies
in such way as to give good cause
for offense-which, as I have already
explained, could not be tolerated for
the obvious reason / have given
Will Write Nothing.
LONDON, October T. Sir Stanley
director of the official press
bureau, during a conference yester-
day with American newspaper men, as
sured them that the British censors
would write nothing. in dispatches
which was not put there by the au-
thors of the messages. He said that
extracts from London papers which al
ready had been censored could be
ca bled.
Official reports from Germany will be
permitted to go through to America
unless they seem to reflect
unfairly and untruthfully on the allies
other than England. This stand is
taken on the ground Of fairness to
the brothers in arms of the British.
The press bureau Is willing, said Sir
Stanley, to permit the readers of Amer
lean newspapers to have the same
basis for opinion as the readers of the
London papers.