Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-10

mon and other statements which in the
national interest should have been cir
culated widespread were held up. and
how many inexplicable acts were COM
mitted in the earlier days OF the war
is we'll known. All matter which
comes or goes by cable and telegraph
10 at the mercy of the censors. who
can delay its transmission or Kill It
without assigning any reason or af-
fording any Information either to re-
cipient or sender
Compulsory and Voluntary.
The censorship is partly compulsory
and partly voluntary. That part which
is compulsory comes within the scope
of the defense of the realm act. which
contains a provision imposing penalties
on any one who circulates statements
likely to cause disaffection or likely to
interfere with the success of the coun-
trys forces or those of our allies by
land or sea, or to prejudice our rela-
tons with foreign powers, or to spread
reports and make statements intended
or likely to prejudice the recruiting.
Of any police force.
This clause has been enforced against
many individuals and some newspapers.
but on no consistent policy. Small
newspapers with little circulation and
no influence have been punished. while
powerful newspapers have been allowed
to commit the same kind OF offenses with
impunity. The NorthclifYe press. for in
stance. during 1915 and the greater part
OF 1916 continually published matter.
which deprecated British effort and
which was calculated to cause misunder-
standings between Britain and her allies.
to prejudice our relations with foreign
countries and to bring comfort to the
enemy. No prosecution. however. fol-
lowed.
The same press attacked one minister
after another and held them up to ridi-
Guile, representing Grey as being little
better than traitor and attacking Bal
four at the admiralty, and when he went
to the foreign Office. as man utterly un-
fitted to take charge OF any department or
to play any part in political life. The
Northcliffe press, no doubt was Animal
ed by the most patriotic of motives. but
its methods were unfortunate, and the
mischief which 1t caused in the home
country has not yet been overtaken by the
propaganda work which endeavored to
counteract 1t.
So much for the compulsory side OF
censorship. The general censorship of
articles and all domestic news collected
or matter coming by mail and some
times by telephone Is not compulsory.
matter to the press bureau for censor
ship. 1t Is not under any obligation
to do SO. but IL II publishes any article
or news which Is considered by the
naval or military authorities or any
government department to be in con-
travention Of the defense Of the realm
act 1t can be proceeded against.
Some Action Punitive.
Sometimes the action of the authori-
ties is purely of a punitive kind. This
was so in the case of the Nation. The
military authorities objected to its
military articles. but by the time they
I'D
ton in foreign countries the situation
and the tone of the paper had entirely
changed. In any case the action Of the
censorship was not justified. and the
only effect of Its prohibition was to
prevent tho sending abroad Of copies
Of the Nation which then contained
very useful articles in the interest OF
the allies and in support of America
action.
There is another class Of article or news
matter which is on the border line Of the
censorship. 1t may be outside the pro-
visions of the act. but at the same time
1t is matter which from a public policy
point of view it is undesirable to print
One class Of newspapers will submit such
matter to the censorship and have it
killed or severely curtailed: on the other
hand. another newspaper win not submit
the news or article before publication
Complaint to the press bureau II one
newspaper published what another is pre-
the stereotyped reply that the offending
newspaper did not submit the matter to
the press bureau and has been promptly
dealt with. but. as the paper has had the
news, such punishment Is lightly borne
The result Of this system is that newspa-
pers which are most sorupulous are pun
ished and newspapers which take a risk
and defy the spirit OF the law benefit.
Editorial Articles Excluded.
Editorial articles are excluded from
both compulsory and voluntary censor
ship. Asquith whom prime minister
stated he could have no interference
with the free expressin OF opinion, and
no doubt the authorities thought edi-
torial articles would consist entirely
of opinions. Some newspapers, how
ever, soon utilized their editorial arti-
cles as a means of communicating news
reprtmanded for defeating the intention
Of the authorities in this way but no
very drastic action has been taken.
In any kind Of censorship there are
sure to be many vagaries No two men
will put the same Interpretation on
piece Of news, and. while there are no
doubt hundreds of censors each one APP
plies his own standard to the newspaper
copy which he reads. This naturally
leads to numerous complaints on the
listing circumstances inequalities of
treatment are inevitable
ur;rinp from experience OF the British
.stam should like to say that any sys-
tenn Of censorship adopted .l. in the United
STATES would naturally depend on the IA.
AGENTS for communicating news. In Eng
land such opportunities are obviously
,,,nr. numerous than in the United States
n ny nsws can be conveyed by neutrals
passing from ENGLAND TO neutral coun-
enemy countries within few days OF
publication.
80 the United States should either
adont a universal system OF compulsion
or rely on voluntary censorship: The
naval and military authorities will nat
mrsily withhold from publication all
matters which. in their opinion. are
likely to be detrimental to the national
interest or to the interests of allied
countries. There should be a number
Of rules and regulations laid down. with
the power OF a legislative act behind
tho nAwRDaner1 thu