Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-06
but Japan gained her pur-

|
were received, though they were not
permitted to see or report anything of
value. Correspondents were, however
Tree to leave as they pleased. and after
lish what they pleased Many false re-
ports OF movements, etc, were sent
| from neutral cities by correspondents
who had never been at the front
Policy of Great Britain's Censor.
In the present European conflict all
nations engaged have instituted a rig
orous censorship. Great Britain's ex-
perience must be of greater interest to
US, as conditions there are more nearly
similar to our own.
Great Britain appears at first to have
mad two distinct organizations dealing
with censorship: First, the press
bureau. from which is given out such
news as the government desires to
publish. and to which articles and dis
patches to London newspapers are sub
mitted' for confirmation, permission to
publish without confirmation. or sup
preston; second, the cable censors who
pass on all cables filed, whether
private, business or journalistic. There
is. in addition, censorship of mail to
hostile countries.
In addition to the main press bureau.
there has been established in the for
eign Office a publicity bureau for the
purpose of issuing information
favorable to the allies
There also exists in the admiralty a
censorship of wireless.
This censorship has its authority In
the general act giving to the naval and
military officials the legal right to take
such steps as might be necessary Tor
the defense of the realm
For tho neriod nrecediney the cieC1ara-
ton of war and for several days there
after (until August 11 there was no
official or organized press bureau. How
ever the proprietors and editors of the
great newspapers, Irrespective Of class
or party, all combined to take no notice
of questions which the admiralty or
war office did not want referred to.
Later the cable censorship became in
corporated in the press bureau. and all
press kilograms were censored at the
government central telegraph once.
Cablegrams from abroad were sent by
pneumatic tube to the central office,
and after a censor's action sent to the
addressee. kilograms and cablegrams
filed at any office were sent to the CEN
trail office, and after a censor's action
placed on the government lines or de-
livered to the company operating the
cable All press representatives were
registered, and any bulletin given out
by the press bureau was simultaneous,
ly dictated to all. None could use IL III
l.
made about September l, 1914, much
criticism had been expressed OF the
methods employed, particularly thae
some censors permitted dispatches 10
pass which other censors prohibited.
No correspondents were allowed at the
front. Daily communicates or bulletins
were issued from army headquarters,
and these have been supplemented by
weekly descriptions given out as writ
ten by an eyewitness
Dardanelles Expedition Kept Secret.
1t is understood that when the OAR
dhelles expedition was planned
the active heads of the great papers
were called to the war Office and In
formed that but one correspondent
would be permitted with the expedi-
ton. The newspapers were to decide
on this man, and he would be in honor
bound to send nothing but what was
passed by the censor. Ashmead Bart
lett was chosen for this purpose.
The censorship has caused much crit
icism and discomfort in England the
government has been interpellated In
parliament, and the press, particularly
the Northcliffe papers. publish violent
editorial comment.
due to the inexperience of the censors
and to the lack of system: this seems
now to be partly remedied
1t was claimed, not without reason,
that recruiting was impeded; later,
when more accurate statements OF the
losses in Flanders were permitted to be
published, recruiting was greatly slim
ulated.
In France, at the outbreak of the
war the government took advantage
of the parliamentary act of 1850. which
specifies that the military governme nt:
shall have the right to suppress news
papers for disobedience of instructions
given concerning the publication of
military information. At the call of
mobilization. shortly before war was
declared. the ministry in power COM
menced the organization of bureau
of press censorship.
In a session of August the chamber
of deputies, passed a special act de-
scribing the military censorship to be
esta blished for the duration of the
present war. but generally limiting the
power of the censor to military and
diplomatic information. political mat
tiers being excluded.
France, as in other nations. first per-
mitted no correspondents at the front;
later certain well vouched for neWs-
paper men have been taken on person.
ally conducted tours. The army issues
daily communiques, supplemented by
periodical eyewitness stories, which
are carefully worded and which, of
course, contain nothing of value to the
enemy.
German Control of Press.
Germany, as in all matters of prep
aration, was forehanded in her laws,
and it was only necessary to issue the
necessary decree or orders prohibiting
the publication of military informa-
ton. While guarding the publication
of useful military information, she has
used the press to her advantage by
permitting carefully conducted tours
to the front of accredited newspaper
men, especially neutral correspondents.
and nermitting them to publish inter-