Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-08-13

ENGLAND RAISES
SECRECY VEIL
ON WAR MOVES

Correspondence of the Associated Press
London, July 26.-By lifting the
veil Of secrecy to an extent hitherto
unheard Of in the present war and
allowing the British public to get
clearer view of what is going on at
the front, the war office has made a
tremendously popular move. This
revolution in departmental methods
started with the Angl0-French often
sive. It's effect on the people has been
magical.
The British public is now being fed
generously on what it was deprived of
for nearly two years, namely personal
doings Of the soldiers. And they like
it. Incidentally, added Importance is
attached to the new order Of things
simply because the British govern
ment is not easily convinced of the
wisdom Of departing from old Gus
toms. Its about the most revolution
airy occurrence since the war began.
To begin with the public realizes
that there is still much that must be
hidden from them, but they are very
grateful for the concessions made. The
people realize further that this war
must be largely an anonymous war,
and that it is inadvisable to describe,
except after a long interval the deeds
of particular regiments or divisions.
But in other respects the veil has
been lifted and the British public has
been permitted to read many moving
stories which present the war to those
who stay at home in truer light than
ever before
Generally speaking these are the
sources of information which are now
available to the public. First and fore
most there are the dispatches from
the British COMMUNICATIVE chief, Cen
eral Sir Douglas Haig, who, as rule,
sends from the general headquarters
in France, two bulletins each day sum-
marizing in military language the
gains, or losses, which the armies I'M
der his command have experienced
during the day and night. These are
occasionally supplemented by mes
sages which, coming from the ac-
credited war correspondents at head
quarters, may be regarded assent
official.
Palmer Represents A. P.
Reverting to the improved arrange
ments for keeping the public informed
on what is going on, the Daily Chron-
icle compliments the war office and
says of the newspaper correspondents:
"There are now five representatives
of British newspapers attached to the
general headquarters, and Frederick |
Palmer of the American Associated |
Press is privileged to join this select
band. They are housed in a chateau
somewhere behind the firing line-at |
their own expense let it be said-and |
from this newspaper nerve center they |
are free to come and go almost as they |
like.
"Consonant with military exigencies
they are practically allowed free |
hand. As it is obviously the duty of
newspaper correspondent to pre-
serve whole skin, this freedom is
tempered by discretion, but they must !
take many risks, and in these days of |
long range artillery they are bound to |
spend most of their days as we'll as
their nights under fire"
The expansion with regard to the
pictorial side of the war is not less re-
markable than the development of the |
literary side One supplements the
other. Some remarkable photographs |
have come from France since the re-
cent offensive began. Many Of them
have perhaps done as much as the
written description of events to stir
the imagination.
Then there is the moving picture
operator who has his place, not only
behind the lines, but often at the fight
ing front. Many films which even
now are of absorbing interest, and
which in days to come will be of his
torical value, have been taken Like
everything else they have to pass the
censor before they can be given to the
world but unlike the written word
buried under the official blue pencil,
these temporarily suppressed sections
may be revived hereafter when the
war is a sad memory.
Kountze Memorial church at
Omaha, Neb.. is said to be the largest