The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-07-19
BY EDWARD MARSHALL

dicate, me-
London, June 2s-America inevitably
must learn the advantages n disad-H
vantages of press censorship.
This article will have been censored
before you. the reader, see it. 1t even
will have censord by those very
dreadful persons, the chiefs of the
British press bureau, the most awful
censors of them all.
II as 1 write it in London it con-
tains anything which might be of ad-i
vantage to the enemy. it. will be re-.
vfsed with or without my consent be-
Tore you, h reader, see it. 1t will not
be ouched if it merely contains vio-
lent criticisms of the directors of the
press bureau or any of their many
subordinates o. of the British govern
ment; but, it it in any way reflects on
the honor, the courage, the intelligence
OF any of Br1tain's allies it will suffer
sadly before it goes to you.
n Englishman is the only man.
save the enemy, whom the British
censor will permit a newspaper writer
to abuse; and if I should try to say
vicious things which I probably
couldn't prove about Germany, / would
be warned that ! was writing foolishly.
II i make promises in one newspaper.
article Of others which it was even
probable that I could not carry out in
the future, | would be warned that I
was doing something likely to injure
my reputation. With whom? The
British government? No: with the
public for which / was writing.
have been lighting the British CEN
sorshlp for a Yea n a half and it
ha been of infinite use to me. The
only recent trouble. the British censor.
snip has caused me occurred recently
when ! prepared an announcement of
some articles to be sent over to
America. In this announcement I
promised certain stories about ubma-
r31eS, articles of a special nature.
Inc proof of the announcement went
to the censor, not from me, but from
the printer. and this item was crossed
out. out. \ teierhonic inquiry, ELECTED
the fact that the censor had not obs,
1ected to the item, out felt that I would
be disappointed when it actually came
to getting the material from which to,
write the articles I had announced. and
he did not wish me to make myself look
silly In the eyes of Americans. That
the matter already had been carefully
provided for he did not chance to know.
When this was explained, the n
nou1cerneI1t was passed for circulation
in America.
My experience with the British press
censor has been not tremulous or hos
tile. but very friendly, although, to use
an Americanism / frequently have
roasted Britain viciously.
BY It's pr%oraptness, its consideration,
Alo lGapIulllSSS the censorship GcOnti1l-
ually has amazed me. 1t never has
hafnpered me in any, way. That which
/ have known that I would not be per-
United to write OF has been that which
at first as q friendly neutral and now
as of the allies / could not wish to
write about.
Nobody Loves a Censor.
The curious thing about the CEN
sorship,' said Sir Frank sswettenram,
. who is codirector with Sir Edward
Cook of the British press bureau.
Which is the rewspaped censorship,
foreign and domestic, lis that no one
outside OF it understands it in the Ieast.
Now that our own country has en-
tered the war and must establish one,
perhaps the necessities and usefulness.
Craftsmanship in war time may be
made clearer to Americans, and the in
convenience to which it may give rise
may be more readily excused by them
IT / tell something OF our ouw exper-
fence in sEngland.
The press censorship is as neces-
sary to the defense Of a fighting ma
ton as are its coastal fortresses. 1t
is no reflection upon the good inten-
tions or the intelligence of q nations
press. AS a rule the British press has
not opposed our own censorship but
has c~ooperated with it.
And I am glad. at the very. start
of our talk. to pay a little tribute to
the representatives of the American
newspepermen, without a single excep-
ton, have been reasonable and help
full. We had some difficulty with one
group OF American publications. but
fault lay with their home offfSte, not
with their British representatives.
AS it exists today the British cen
sorship is a gigantic enterprise. 1t has
three. branches. The letter, and parcel
post censorship is an enormous affair,
employing an immense number of peo-
Mia nn611 NY r, q ~ Cnunyol rel hlJi1din cyp ~ "a n,
its work has been justified both by the.
information gained and the deterrent
effect it a had on the correspondence
of spies.
TT is far more picturesque than the
work which we do here in the press
bureau. In the postal censorship ex-
perts in chemistry and languages. in
tricks of sign writing and many other
dubious asibtereuges have worked out
remarkable mysteries of secret inks,
Obscure dialects Ind ciphers and have.
been the detectives who have found
the clues leading to many pretty con-
tests between enemy wits and ours.
We believe that ours usually have won
The British letter censorship is one of
the most efficient institutions in the
world today.
"The third censorship is that oper-
Rted at the central telegraph office,
where all private n commercial ca-:
bles are scrutiriized.
Ihe censorship OF private leLterS and
general postal matters and that OF pri-
vnte and commercial ca~blegraH1s is un-
der war fficescontroi;fsth the press CEN
sorship is a part OF the war time duty
of the home office, which as / UNDER
stand the American government ma
chine corresponds with your depart
uaent of the interior.
Powers Of the Censorship.
sIinrnaiiately after the outbreak OF
war the British government issued a
proclamation taking over h whole
cable and telegraph systems n in-
forming the public with tassyiew to
igramssand radios in pIairs language. J
English or French, subject to eansor-
shin by the British government. would