Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-24

German news agency wus prohibited
from holding amy intercourse with the
English. French or Russian organiZn-
tions. simultaneously. like commerce
was interdtcted In the other countries.
The virtues of impartial news gather
ing ut once ceased TO be quoted at par.
everywhere in Ill of the warning lands,
the biblical rule that he that is not
with me is against me- became the
controlling view. Government tclc-
grams were obviously very important,
and there was no time to consider any
where amy OF the promised speed in
sending our dispatches. Finally. CEN
sorships We're imposed. This WAS quite
always necessary in time Of war. But
II is desirable. from every point OF
view. that they he intelligent.
EUROPEAN CENSORSHIP
NINEtlJtLEB FOR STU PIDITY
am sorry to say that for Grass
stupidity some OF the European CEN
sorinS has never been eaualed unless
IL was in the days OF our Civil War
wen. like dotish management has
characterized much Of the censorship
abroad and has Increased our dir1icul-
',es. Mark YOU. we fully recognize the
proprietE and need of a military CEN
sorship and have no thought Of OBJ
Jec'inS TO H. but when the business is
put III the nands OF people. who alike
because OF their ccnSurable habits or
their lack Of ordinary elementary edu-
cation. arc often IN no condition To
exercise amy discriminating Judgment.
we do protest
Nevertheless | fool th.t ,yn how.
Jared pretty we'll in the business OF
sepor'hs sh!S war. We have made
uisti'ict progress in teaching the bel
iiSerentS that We hold no brief fo, any
one OF them. and while each would
.nueh fathcr have us plead his cause.
ana ought not TO 10 50. And our men
am Slad 10 say. are everywhere re-
spected ana accorded as large privilege
as. perhaps, in the light OF the tension
Oh the hour. could be reasonably asked
DurinS TINS wa We have more men
ana more offices in Europe than amy
other ewS-Gatherinp organization ever
htn' ana are cApendin" even greater
sums Last week. for example nc re-
ceireu the speech in the ReichstaS or
chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollweg and
me German Haralong note not only
y: wireless. but also by the costly cable
route through Holland and England to
New York in tolls alone the cost to
the Associated Press OF such matter
vas over 81 word. Yet this all goes
TO YOU IN your penny paper.
When the Austro Hungarian gov
ernment prepared reply 10 the .Ameri-
can note or the sinking of the Ancona
the reply was relayed by Associated
Press men from Vienna 10 Berlin. from
Berlin to The Hague from The Hague
10 London and from London to New
ORR. and delivered. in spite Of the
censorships. to virtually every news
paper reader in the Cnited states ti1ir-
tN-siX hours before i WAS decided in
the State Department II Washington.
Yesterdays London Times COM
piained that the version OF Cernany's
Baralons correspondence published In
London was incomplete. although neu-
tray countries received the full Ger
man report. and added:
Some idea ~ the Importance at
tached by the German government to
the correspondence may he CLEANED
from the fact that tho whole dispatch
Was sent direct from Berlin by wire
less 70 New York. where it was trans
nitted exact TO 1000 leading American
through the Associated
Press
There i much Misunderstanding
IN the public mind respecting the limI-
tations which. we believe. with dis
'inct p-opriety have been imposed
upon the Associated Press.
Also. many people are unable 10 dis
between Associated Press dis
patches and special kilograms for which
We have 10 responsibility. and yet for
which we frequently receive unde-
served blame.
There are certain things which
II should do. ami others which
i; mus; not DO. I, should report the
important events Of the nay rs fairly
and 'ruthfuii% and impair Ia.,y as is
possible :cr human beings Ia do"