Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-14
Spreading the Doctrine

How journalism met the test of self-con-
troll while the Germans were steadily ad-
vancing on Paris is described in the follow
ing words:
"Our enemies counted too manifestly on
the political quarrels of France and on her
eXctability, and thereby they indicated to
us the importance of union and self con-
troll. That self-control, and constancy of
soul amid the changing fortunes of the war;
were put to a severe test in the month of
August. When will any one be able to write
the history of those thirty days-of those
fierce attacks in the passes of the Vosges
and of that atrocious invasion of Belgium,
which was like an arrest of civilization by
savages?
"Of all those tremendous events there
came to our knowledge only scattered ep-
sodes accurately told, to be sure, but Civ
ing idea of the vast development that the
war had suddenly undergone. The commu-
niques told us the truth as NJ. Messemy had
promised, but they did not tell us the whole
truth. The public felt it, but had to accept
as the newspapers did the stern discipline
to which it was subjected. ! am convinced
today that it salutary, and that it was
due to that discipline that the people were
able to endure, without utter disorganIza-
tion, the terrible news of the last week of
the Germans were at the gates of Amens
after defeating the English army.
"Those days of August gave the press an
opportunity to spread through the length
and breadth of the land the few essential
ideas which FORM as 1t were, the body of
doctrine of the war for the use of civilians
These ideas were:
81. That the war would be a long one.
%. That victory was certain, simply by
the process of attrition, If we could keep our
army intact and hold out pending the mo-
bilzation OF all our forces and those of our
Allies.
"3. That consequently everything in the
military as we'll the civil administration
must be so ordered as to assure the maxi
mum of resistance
"Such were the ideas with which 1t was
all the more necessary to saturate the pub
lie mind because we were approaching one
of the most tragic crises of the war-that
series of movements which brought the
enemy within five leagues of Paris, and
forced the commander in chief to advise the
Government to leave the capital"
Weeks later the tremendous battle Of the
Marne was fought
"The press was able to adapt it's role to the
new conditions; it had to fix the certainty of
victory, and the powerful reasons for expect
ing IL, nrmly IN PUBIC opinion. These rea-
sons were no longer vague as at, first, and
the press had now the necessary elements to
dilate upon them; the imposing and heroic
figures Of our generals appeared before all
eyes There was an end to the sort of
anonymity Of the early days of the cam
paign; now We had soul-stirring orders OF
the day, signed by Joffre, Foch, Franchet
d Esperey, and in due course by other gen
erals who came to the front day by day
names unknown yesterday-whieh 1t Is al
most useless TO enumerate so intimately are
they interviewer today with our very life.
THE war OF 1914 will prove to have been
its supreme test. Far from having foun-
dered it has taken on an incompatible air
OF dignity. 1t has bathed itself anew in
its true well-spring and 1t has seen Of what
II was capable when It was defending the
cause of the Fatherland.
cts role during the war Will have been
the glorious prelude 20 it's role after the war.
when the country win have to be reeonsti-
tuted and France set back upon the true
course of her history"