Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-21
WORK OF THE BRITISH
CENSORS is DESCRIBED

CONTINUED from first page.)
notihcation that the government would
under certain conditions permit the
transmission Of some messages las an
act OF grace"
Il sometimes wonder" lac went on.
whether it is realized that. instead of
regarding every instance OF a stopped
cable as an act of wrong, you ought,
by the letter of the law, to recognize
every passed cable as IAN act Of grace
The number Of messages which
we stop, delay or otherwise deal with
~ negligible compared with those we
PASS right away.
=; In quoting the governments notiii-
cation. ] was dealing only with rights.
in Interpreting the notification in
practice we do not. ! assure you. say,
when Il message is put up To us: Here
- an American message: come. let us
NliI 1t; we have the right What we
actually say I" ourselves is; Let us
see If this cannot lie passed as il,
lands And If it cannot: Let US see
now little need he taken out"
Sir Edward explained that the CEN
''"Iship tx governed by the defense Of
the realm act, by the regulations made
uhder IT by order in council. and by
instructions "Xp,anatory in detail.
which are issued from time 10 time
u" the press bureau and by various
departments Of state
The object OF the censorship which
the British government in poses. said
Sir Edward, is twofold: first. 10 pre-
vent the British press, and til. cables
over which Great Britain has control,
from being used 10 disseminate mill
'arE ana naval Information likely to
damage the cause OF the cnteutc AL
lies or To he Of use To the central
powers; and. second. to prevent the
British press and cables from ivlng
other assistance" Ia the enemy.
We have had TO turn down q good
many stories for naval and military
reasons he SAID. and there has been
nr'h criticism Of the government Dand
81 the bureau, when is It's agcnt for
N" restrictions imposed in the matter
of raids. But surely il is not desirable
10 present the enemy with iuforma-
ton AS to his route. as 10 the exact
places where he hit and where he
missed, and SO forth
SoMt: INFORM ALTON THAT
NIGHT HAVE ENDANGERED LIVES
Si' Edward recalled one American
story which Il censor had refused
The writer" he said. had, in heed
!cssness. given Information which. II
I reached the enemy. might have On
i"mrercd many lives.
What about your second cafcvory 80
ih' correspondent asked. What sort
~ things do YOU censor ON the ground
that. otherwise than hy disclosing mill
. tary Information, they Civ" assistance
ITO your enemy
We are engaged in q life ana death
~s'ruIrl" with 4 very powerful and a
4 very rcsourccful foe" answered Sir
Edward. Imagine tn. following case.
which we wI! call Hypothetical: sup
pose You found tina; your cables were
being used TO send reports which. when
not absolutely untrue. We're intended
10 magr!fy German victories; to preach
tic doctrine OF German all-powcrful-
ness; 10 deprcctatc this country and her
allies. and 10 40 everything possible
ia influence Germans throughout the
W"rld and ncutrals wherever they may
D" found, Ia sEmpathi2c with Germany
1ud her allies. I" push her propaganda.
advance her cause. Witty England and
pur allies, and to stir up hatred agains,
DF IN every corner Of the globe where
Il seems possible 10 cmbarrass US.
suppose you found this 10 he going on.
what would you do
Sly Edward referred to the very
'tiE' measure OF iItt'ltiIl cNtsIleN 70
American and other correspondents. and
asked:
why is your American enterprise.
which is ant To carry everything be-
fore IT. unable 10 tell rs more Of what
goes on IN Germany? Many Of the
American ~pc's ana news ageu-
-ics have very cn]tcrprising co%rrcspon-
dents in Berlin why, wonder, do
they tell US so little about what goes
on III IN. HcichstaG ami generally
about political discussions"
~" not forget Sir Edward con-
,iudcd. that, while OH one side this
pnicc Is destructive. on the other II is
The means az supplying !" the press
Of this country and to neutral agencies
and correspondents Il great deal of in
formation which has not only a public
interest. hut a commercial value. !
think il can he said that every naval
and military event OF Importance which
has been reported in tn" last twcntv
month"; has zone to the press through
his office. and, though in criticiziuE us
>, may he convenient TO forget that
fact. Il, still rcmains a fact. The only
credit We claim is that we issue all
news with strict importantly ana with
ont delay. and We hin it is doubtful
whether tho press would receive it so
regularly or 50 quickly If there We're
$40 press bureau"