New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-17
The Censori,7g of JoHre
Blu Stevenson II. Ecdns

,.oro surnlied with mimeograph copies OF INC
orshoIs morning specch--tha, IS, transia-
80, 7, was a very smooth translation ana
On the face it pretended to be accurate. j"
caroe from the official publicity bureau OF inc
Department of State.
The most vital and definite parts OF Johre
statement had been carefully expurgated' ou'
there we're none Of the interesting niue
asterisks indicating excision. complaints
,ronn,Iv poured into the state Department.
advertising publicity bureau, but the only re-
sponsc was that the bureau bad transmi''eu
accurately what had been handed TO IT, Later
came n request that nothing be printed as
coming from Marshal Joffre save that when
rurported to be his complete speech ana
which bore the official approval OF the Amer
lean State Department. Upon this request
tho Washington correspondents, who arc par
ticuIarly punctilious upon matters of conf
dence, acted according to their various con-
sciences. The report sent out by The Asso-
ciated Press probably was the most complete.
It was plain what had happened, but at best
it was impossible to do anything like justice
TO the great French general or to the story.
What the General staff Eliminated
Next morning the State Department abb
solved itself 1t issued formal denial that
Marshal Joffre's remarks had been altered,
cxpurgated or censored in any way except
by the mission. The newspaper men in Wash
ington accepted that denial at face value. No
one had any doubts when it became known
who had done the smooth translatine. 1t was
the Joint effort Of Colonel Cosby, represent
ing the General staff. and ". Hovelaque, who
was seeking in every possible way not to stub
his toe on any American corns.
The eliminated portions Of Jofre's address
expressed convictions utterly contrary to the
views of the General Staff. 1t does not want
to send small units to France, it does not want
Americans trained within sound of the guns,
and, above all, it does not want a Roosevelt
division. There never has been any secret
about that The General Staff will tell you
so. 1t is sincere about it, too.
The narrative ought not to be concluded
without reference TO an interview which many
of the correspondents had next morning with
a representative of the French mission. lie
1OTmalIy-NeTy FORMALLY -acCepIeu Aull re-
sponsibility" for the garbled version of
Jorre's address. 1t had not been o. KID in
advance by the head Of the mission, and it
was considered too definite" in parts 10 be
strictly polite. 1t was not for General Joffre
to give military advice to the American Cen
eral Staff.
BY this time some of the most perspica-
oious of Washington officials are willing to
admit that the American people have gained
two sharp Impressions from the incident:
/. That Marshal Joffre has advised that
American troops be sent as quickly as posi-
BILE abroad to receive in France the important
part of their modern military education.
2. That an attempt was made TO suppress
something that ought not to have been sup
pressed.
3. That censorship, especially censorship
which tries to suppress something already
published, is stupid.