Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-04-10
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS-: !:
NO CENSORSHIP SHOULD EN-
TEND BEYOND MILITARY
AND NAVAL NEWS OF
VALUE TO THE EN-
ENVY.


ENVY.
(From the New York American of
April 9.)
There is not a more courageous
and truly patriotic newspaper in the
country than is the Chicago Tribune.
AT times we differ from its views,
but we never question its ability or
its sincerity-nor does any one else
who knows what force for public
good this really great journal is
We reprint the following extract
from the Tribune's editorial columns
with all possible endorsement:
so far as the Tribune is con
cerned, it welcomes a sensible
censorship. But, law or no law,
il the embalmed beef scandal is
repeated in this war in which
we are about to engage; if ty-
phoid camps are erected again,
and If men willing to sacrifice
themselves for cause are sacri-
feed without cause, the facts
will be told, and the responsible
editors win accept the penalty"
Well spoken-well and bravely, as
an American newspaper should
speak! The Hearst papers will not
lag behind the Chicago Tribune in
eourageously doing their duty to the
country. We earnestly call the at
tention OF you members of Congress
to this matter of censorship. The
espionage bill which its sponsors did
not dare to submit to vote of the
last House viii be urged upon you
in a short time.
IL is bill which you should never
permit to become law until you have
pruned it OF vicious features-and
that not because newspapers object
ia it, but because it is q bill danger
Gus to the country and its welfare.
Gentlemen of the Congress, we
men who have intimate knowledge
of the inside workings of newspapers
ought to know better than any enc
else what effect the practical sub
iugation of the English, French, Ger
man, Austrian, Italian and Russian
press to censorships, and the abso
lutte control of all avenues Of public
information in this country and in
the British Empire by the British
censorship, has had upon this war.
And we assure you, of certain
knowledge, that this suppression OF
free publication and this persistent
Justification Of news, distortion of
news and concealment of news mas
prolonged the war in Europe since
year ago last October, when peace
was very near, and is the sole cause
of our having finally been compelled
to draw the sword.
AS an example of the effectiveness
of this censorship, we need only re-
mind you that the London censor
ship absolutely concealed the news
of the Russian Revolution-the
greatest single event in human his
tory-from the people of England
and the people of America for nearly
a week, and released the news then
nly because American newspaper
men in Germany were able to use the
wireless to forward reports coming
to Berlin by way of Sweden
If it had not been for the wireless
stations, we would not have known
word about Russia's revolution yet,
nor would the English people have
1nown a word about it had it suited
the London censorship to conceal the
news, as it did conceal it while it
could.
Now, if world-shaking revolution
among a giant people can be hid, do
you not see how easy it is for this
same censorship to hide the true mill
itary and economic and political
situations in Europe today from their
own peoples and from us, and to
force upon any people, neutral or
belligerent, whatever false impress
sion suits the censorship to 60 abb
road?
That is exactly what has happened
to us, and just what the censorship
has done in America during the past
two years and eight months.
The most prodigious lying in the
world has completely deceived the
peoples of England, France, Ger
many, Austria, Italy and America.
When this war is over, and the
peoples at last discover how they
nave been deceived and deluded and
n1amed to furious passion and dead
ly hatred and awful slaughter by this
huge conspiracy Of organized lying
and concealment of real facts, a roar
Of universal execration will go up,
and the men who have given their
pens and talents TO tnlS sinister
work, miscalled patriotic propagan-
da, will be fortunate If outraged peo-
pies do not hang them as fast as they
are caught.
We charge the prolongation of this
horrible massacre and destruction of
Europe directly upon censorship and
propaganda, and time will amply
prove how true is the indictment
And H. is certainly true that if this
war had not been prolonged until the
fears, passions and hatreds excited
by these devilish instruments of CEN
sorship and propaganda had made
Germans and every other people in
Europe madmen, we would not now
be preparing to go to war
Now, gentlemen OF the Congress.
you should not permit your people to
be put under the despotic control Of
any such evil agencies and powers.
Aside from the censorship and con-
troll of purely military and naval
movements, there is no possible ex-
cuse for denying the American peo-
pie the fullest and most accurate
news Of what is occurring in the
pnupt1.1y and in tha World