TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-11-03
INTERNATIONAL
FREE PRESS.
By Walter Williams in The
Public.

- NNH &ANNAE &@ 1I14 49, @ENL
Of public opinion which gives
it support. The most elaborate
and nicely adjusted international
machinery breaks down sooner
or later, except it has for mo-
tive power an informed and
sympathetic public sentiment.
A League of Honor is impos-
sible of continuance save it is
based upon common knowledge
as well as common ideas. Meth
err individuals nor nations will
walk long a path in amity to-
gether except they agree-and
agreement has understanding for
prerequisite.
Peace is more nearly safe in
a democratic than in an auto
cratic world. Democracy is less
liable than autocracy-or bureau
crazy to be militaristic
fundamental in a democracy is
freedom Of speech, written and
spoken. There can be no genuine
and continued democracy save
with freedom Of the press. 1t
still remains true as when ut
tered by Macaulay that there
are but two kinds of govern
ment in the world, government
by public opinion and govern
ment by the sword. Because
the people hate war and love
peace, wars will be increasingly
infrequent when the voice OF
the people, organized public
opinion, becomes in actually the
controlling factor in the desti-
MES Of all nations. Through 4
free press is, in modern times,
the chief, though Of course not
the only, method Of expression
Of public opinion.
In one sense this hideous war
was made by the worlds press.
Ii the journalism of Europe had
been for a century free to pu-
blish the news uncolorcd by
government influence or dicta-
ton, if it had been free to dis
cuss in public the Vaccinations
Of secret diplomacy, this fright
full strife would not have come.
Certainly national antagonisms
were increased and racial hat
reds embittered by the interna.
tional news served out from Of
fetal or semi-oihcial sources,
by the Wolff Agency in Ger
many, Reuters in England, the
Hayas in France, the Cores
pondenz Wilhelm in Austria,
the Stefanie in Italy, the Mi
nistry Of the Telegraph-frank-
Iy ofhcial-in Russia, the Kok
sal in Japan and others in other
lands. The international news
thus circulated was seldom the
actual truth-it was what the
government wished the people
Of their own nations and the
governments and people of
other nations to think was the
truth. Many others than Bis
marck manipulated the editorials
and the news dispatches. Nor
has the tribe disappeared from
earth. War took place in the
open because--thanks to an en-
shaved and complacent press
the preparations therefor were
carried on in secret. Censor
ship was an accessory before the
colossal crime of war if it was
not a principal in bringing it
about.
To remove the constant recur-
ring danger Of strife between
nations there is needed a ma
tional and international free
press. Suspicion and jealousy
and national antagonism are
largely founded upon ignorance.
1t is what we do not know IN
our neighbor nation that we
fear. Ii is what he does not
understand regarding US that
causes distrust and dislike. If
the people of one nation knew
the hopes, aspirations, life inter-
ests Of other nations, were free
to learn from a tree press, many
present causes of strife would
never exist. The friendship be-
tween Canada and the United
States, a friendship that made
unnecessary forts or armed
guards upon boundary lines,
has resulted in large meas
ure from an exchange Of
the peoples thoughts, knowl-
edge by each nation OF
the public opinion which de-
termined the policies Of the
other nation. This has been
possible because OF a press cir
culating free on both sides Of
the border. Controlled or sub
sidized news-agencies used TO