New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-14

/ sidered by the conservative element to
be very yellow. Reading it an Ameri-
can finds il hard to agree with that
opinion. II seems about as mild as the
average American newspaper. But all
tn t is matter of taste and custom, |
suppose. He also conducts THE Lon
don Times" the venerable Thunderer.
There is no parallel in America for
Northcliffe, because no American editor
has ever occupied so great a segment
of his profession. He has kind OF
curious combination of the British
mind and the American mind, II | may
put il so. He has all the stability OF
the Briton, his capacity for playing the
long game, and he has also that swift
ness OF attack on a problem which is
the greatest practical virtue of the
American and which is rare among the
British. And he is crazy like fox.
No one needs be told that one of the
curiosities of this war has been the
British censorship. Kitchener was
from the first in favor of suppresslng
all news which had 10 do with the war.
But Kitchener himself could scarcely
do that in a democracy where the press
has been so powerful as in England.
Moreover, the government needed the
press. 1t is all very we'll to gag the
newspapers in conscript coultry like
France The conditions are different.
France, when the war began, simply
ordered every one into the ranks, and
proceeded from that England invited
every one into the ranks, and of course
not every one accepted the invitation.
France said, Go" England said,
"Please come" And in order to get
Britons into the ranks il was necessary
to keep the country enthusiastic about
the war-to show the public the neces-
sity for volunteering and to inform
them about the glorious deeds Of arms
performed by the army. The censor
ship never saw this. It suppressed in
formation helpful to the enemy, which
was all well and good; but it also sup
pressed every day volumes Of matter
of no use to the enemy and of distinct
use 10 the recruiting. Not until March
wa. a single correspondent allowed
near the British army. The battle OF
Ypres occurred in October and Novem-
Der. II was one of the most glorious
feats of arms in the history of the
island people. But the British public
was not informed concerning that
battle until the 4th Of the following
March.
Exposing the Shell Shortage.
Now Northcliffe, like most Of the
other British editors, had been chatting
nightly under the censorship. He, like
all the rest, proceeded to try 10 wriggle
loose. II was rather amusing to see
the concessions that the War Office had
TO make as the British editors went on
with their quiet campaign for the free
don OF the press. In various fashions
a few reporters reached the lines.
Doubtless they all found that French
had been speaking the truth. There
were not enough high explosive shells.
But it was left for one OF Northclites
men to Spring the story
On Sunday, May 3, Colonel Repplng-
ton. military correspondent of The
London Times" was at general head
quarters. And that day brought a
tragic examplar Of Briton's lack. The
great drive Of the Germans, which
began the second battle of Ypres, was
over. They had broken the allied lines
by means Of their sudden introduction
OF gas into warfare; the British had
/, en- forced 10 readjust their line
which meant giving ground. The proper
time had come for a counter attack.
Into the allied line projects the strong
German position Of La Bassee; The
right Of that position is held by the
French troops, the left by the British.
II was determined 10 attack simu Ia
neouSly on both sides Of this position
in the hope of cutting it off and rem,
dering it untenable. The French had
determined 20 attack, and the British
had practically no choice but to attack
also, since by such atta-k they pre-
vented the Germans from sending re-
Inducements against the French.
The French screened their attack by
a terrible fire of high explosive shells
They levelled the barbed wire entangle-