Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
REQUEST MADE THAT
NEWS DE WITHHELD

WASHINGTON. July 2s.LAt $40
o'clock this morning. Ave hours after
its receipt. the Associated Press re-
ceived from the committee on public
information a request to kill the dis
patch from a European port ANNOUNCE
ing the safe arrival Of another con-
tingent of American troops.
The Associated Press saw no reason
for killing the dispatch, inasmuch as
1t disclosed no military information OF
q character to betray the location or
description OF the troops. and. further
more. because the dispatch had been
passed through the official censorship
in Europe.
The chief censor OF the War De-
partment told a representative of the
Associated Press he was SURPRISED that
the dispatch had been passed, by the
csngae abroad. because hesxAnpakaaSan
understanding had been reached with
The Allied. governments asSf6PNhat
character OF news respecting American
military forces was to be transmitted
freely to tho United States.
The Associated Press, too. has been
given to understand that such an ar
rangement had been made.
Furthermore, the Associated Press
has before 1t 40 request from any re-
sponsible official TO submit news Of
such a character. passed by the censor.
to officials In Washington before be-
Ing distributed to it's members.
PERMITS PRESS CABLES
TO GO TO ADDRESSES
On the other hand. the Secretary of
War on July S, in a statement to edi-
tors. permitted press cables from
France to go directly to addresses
without reference to Washington, with
the stipulation that certain classes OF
information must not be contained in
them. No such prohibited information
is contained in the dispatch to-day.
Since July S. no request has been
made Of the Associated Press to with.
hold or submit dispatches from abroad
prior to publication. 80.
On July 3 the Secretary of War, by
Official order. arbitrarily took posses
sion of all cable dispatches to news
papers and press associations relating
to American troops abroad, and on
July A n July 8 dispatches from
France addressed to the Associated
Press in New York were diverted to
the War Department without notice,
and later delivered to the WASHINGTON
bureau with. on one occasion. a request
for deletion, which was complied with.
On III 4 Secretary Baker, in New
York. said to the Associated Press:
The present arrangement is only a
temporary one. and will be maintained
only so long as 1t is necessary to per-
feet a woodworking plan to handle
this matter without imperiling the
lives of American citizens"
On July s. In an official statement,
Secretary Baker announced:
THE emergency having passed, the
War Department states that press
cables from France are again per-
mftted to &c directly to addresses
without reference to Washington.
These precautions, however, must con-
tinue to be observed"
Then followed an outline of military
Information which must not be dis
closed. To-day's dispatch in no way
conflicts with that order.
The Associated Press had no fur
ther communication from the govern
ment on the subject until to-day.
RELIEVED ARRANGEMENT
MADE WITH CENSORS
1t was generally supposed in Wash
ington. and the belief has been shared
by many officials. including the army
censor, and presumably the Secretary
OF War, that an arrangement had been
perfected with the censors abroad.
To-day's events are the first indication
that such is not the case.
The Washington bureau did not
know, and does not now know. whether
the troops referred to landed In Eng
land or France. The Associated Press
always has stood ready to cooperate
with he government. observing any
request in the national interest.
This committee on public information
to-day asked that all dispatches relat-
ing to troop movements be referred to
1t for wise. but declined to say whether
a representative could be reached
throughout the night to pass upon In
quirles.
SLIPS to Black Mountain, Montrcat, RidSe-
crest. N. G., and RotHrn, Land Of tho
August I q, 10. 4 and IT. Yetnrn limit