New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-29
Our Cap-and-Bells Censor


touch with actualitios? Certainly there
seems to be something in this perilous
Office which goes TO a mans brains and
makes him the easy victim Of his own
faulty.
Mr.. George Creeps latest PRONUNCIATION
is a case in point. He has just issued
new series Of voluntary" censorship reg
ulations and declared them in effect from
Yesterday. They are voluntary" regula-
tons only in the sense that they have no
warrant of law behind them. The news
papers have not volunteered TO respect
them. Nor could they consent to respect
all of them without at the same time sub
hitting TO a dictatorship more fantastic
and oppressive than exists in any other
nation now at war. Even in Turkey, we
fancy, newspapers may still do what Mr..
Creel wants TO prohibit American news
papers from doing.
Congress has not yet approved the press
gag section which the Administration has
been seeking 10 write into the espionage
act. That is fortunate. For Mr.. CreePs
astonishing notions about the scope and
purposes of a censorship leave no doubt as
TO the folly of committing into his hands
power TO suppress news and to muzzie
newspaper discussion for the rest of the
war.
The advocates of censorship have been
profuse in their assurances that no limi-
tation was TO be put on the discussion OF
the Administrations acts and policies.
The Gard amendment, which the House
adopted, contained that pledge. Nearly
every other one Of the twenty-nine amend
ments submitted to Congress by the Ad-
administrations agents also contained 1t.
Yet il was plain that these assurances were
not sincere. The conferrees on the espion-
age bin have within the last few days
thrown aside the mask and are now trying
TO force on the two houses a censorship
scheme which would stihe genuine freedom
of comment on any acts or policies of the
Administration which the latter wished
TO withhold from comment.
Mr.. Creel shows US with amazing frank
ness what he expects TO do. He announces
that the government will consider as a
Service TO the enemy" any newspaper
discussion Of differences of opinion be-
tween the Allies and difficulties with neu-
trail nations" Discussion of peace terms
is also banned, as is any discussion "like-
ly to prove offensive to any of the Allies or
TO neutrals.'
This is schoolmastering with a ven
geance. Even the subjects Of the Kaiser,
the docile victims of an autocracy which
we are going TO try to eliminate in order
ito make the world safe for democracy"
are permitted TO discuss terms of peace.
The German newspapers have been dis
cussing little else for the last eighteen
months. They have also been allowed to
discuss differences of opinion between
their government and neutral govern
ments." The Lusitania massacre was the
outcome Of such a difference of opinion.
Germany's submarine policy was the cause
Of our break with the imperial govern
ment. II has been the cause of Ger
many's constant difficulties with other neu
trails. Yet the government at Berlin,
lacking a George Creel among its entou-
rage, has never ventured 10 forbid discus
sion by the German press of its clash with
the United States or with the rest of the
neutral world on the issue of high sea
hlockades and indiscriminate submarine
warfare.
There has been the freest discussion in
Great Britain and France Of terms Of
peace and differences of opinion with neu-
trail governments. II another Mr.. George
Creel had been armed with the censor's
shears and backing pot the British press
could never have published word Of COM
ment on the vigorous protests which the
United States made against the Orders in
Council cutting of neutral trade with Ger
many and with the neutral nations ada
cent to Germany. The British govern
ment is fairly democratic. But, having no
genius Of Mr.. George Creels quality in its
employment, it never was enabled TO real
iss what could and should be done by a
thoroughly democratic censorship.
American newspapers must not discuss
peace terms! Not even the question of the
restoration of Belgium, or Northern
France, or Alsace-Lorraine? We must not
think Of the things which it will be neces-
sary to do in order 10 safeguard the peace
Of the world against future German vio-4
lence. We are TO 90 through the war
muxzled and mum, forbidden 10 formulate
in words the purposes for which we are
ighting. No, no; that would be "a service
to the enemy"
Secretary Lansing applied the Logan
Law land rightly to the Socialist dele
Gates who wanted TO 60 to Stockholm and