New Britain herald., 1915-12-29

Congressmen or whoever fell within thelf path. But the one saving grace has been this. They never went after anyone until that particular per son did something contrary to the law and practices of democratic government. And the newspapers are always careful how the attack is made, for ever over them hangs the 1 law of libel. The Captain complains 1 that he was framed by the Providence paper, that lot of lies were printed about him. His very going out of this ] country proves there must have been l made by the paper he attacks. And, l if there was no truth there, how will he answer, if he does answer, the following wireless dispatch which the night:-
 Your farewell statement to the
 American people in so far as it re-
 iates to the Providence Journal is a wilful and deliberate false hood. Has the Providence Jour- 1lal created a hysterical suspicion concerning the destruction of Ameri- can factories, the murder of Ameri- can Workmen, or the daily plots against the peace and "afety of this government and it's citizens, almost all of which acts have been fathercd and financed from your own office? Every word Of what the Journal has published with regard to your per- sonal connection with these plots has been true and nobody knows it bet ter than yourself.'
 The message reverts to it's charges that Captain Boy-Ed wrote the warn ing to American citizens not to take passage on the Lusitania; to attempts it asserts he made to embroil the United States with Great Britain with false affidavits regarding shipments of supplies to naval vessels and to the so-called "Huerta plot.' The news paper declares also that an attempt was made to "bribe it into silence" by "the offer of large sum of money for the formation of a press bureau" The message ends with this declara- tion.-
 You know well the reason why the United States government refused to permit you to remain any longer in this country. These reasons were not rased on hysterical rumors' printed by the Providence Journal. Your attempt this morning to make the American people believe such a rid iculous falsehood is your farewell in- suit to a government and a press that have treated you with unexampl- ed patience in the face of evidence which, had it not been for the pro- tection given you by your official standing, would have long ago placed you behind prison bars.''
 Strong language that, and a news paper must be pretty sure of it's ground before it can so batantly defy a man backed by a government so strong as Germany. Either Captain Bcy-Ed is right, or the Providence Journal is right. Which? While the press of this country enjoys the free dom of writing without being cen- sored it is not exempt from being haled into court upon the publica- tion of malicious falsehood Cap- tain Boy-Ed, and his associates have that recourse. When a diplomatic representative of friendly govern n1ent goes so far as to violate all the hospitality extended to him he can expect to be insulted by the press of this country, if that is the way he figures it. And, for that reason, it may be very good thing that the newspapers are free to speak openly on questions which diplomats cannot very we'll handle.