Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-28
By 1t. Col. JOIN Buchan

written Tor the united Press
London, June 30-(By mail)--Every
specialist is, at first, wary of publicity,
Sooner or later his opinion on the sub
iect changes. He learns that he cannot
do what he wants to do unless the pub
lie understands.
This is true of specialists whose work
may be termed only semi-public, such
as men in medical or other science; it
is doubly true OF the specialists in the
science of warfare, the heads of our
armies and navies. In the British army
and navy the distrust of publicity has
always existed, but in recent years this
distrust has been broken down. Now,
perhaps, the relations between the men
who fight and their day to day histor-
ians probably is more cordial in the
British army and navy than in any 9th
er.
At the opening of the war Great Bri-
tain was without a press censorship or
ganization, or, certainly, anything ap-
preaching that of Germany. With cur
| traditions of free speech and free press
| it was to be expected that we should
handle the matter awkwardly. The ex-
peetati0n was realized At the begin
ming the matter was handled mechanic
ally; rules had to be made and applied
and sometimes the strict application of
rules led to incidents irritating to the
press and harmful to the government.
Despite occasional mishaps and the
fact that most of the thought given to
publicity had to do with ways Of sup
pressing it, the British army furnished
the world with more details of its ac
tivities than did the other armies; vast
ly more than the German army did. For
one thing exceedingly full dispatches
were given to the press. General French
even mentioned the fighting units by
name-a thing that has since been dis
continued for good military reasons.
Complete casualty lists were published
Immediately, though th=s has not yet
been done by the French army or the
Russian.
But the underlying distrust Of cor
respondents had not abated; it remain
cd at the high. point reached in the
Russo Japanese war. To meet the OBJ
vions need of reporting to the people
on the war 5 occurrences the plan of
the Russo ,Japanese war was tried, that
of the official eye witness. = This plan
broke down in short time.
IN thc SpilHS OI IOlc a tuulBiclc
change took place. First, correspondents
were allowed at the front; a press cha
teau was established and press officers
detailed to assist the newspapermen.
The correspondents, however were al
lowed to relate only what they could
see for themselves and that WASH t as
much as it might have been.
A wear later found the correspond
ents thoroughly established in the con-
fidenee of the army and their position
entirely changed. 1t had been discover
ed that far from doing harm they were
doing great COED. Before the battle of
the Somme they had "dug themselves
in" beyond the possibility of dislodg-
ing theri--if any military man had so
desired. They were told everything,
they saw captured documents, they
were taken to the best positions for
observation and allowed the greatest
latitude in their writing.
The correspondents may write prac-
tically anything that is not of value to
the enemy. The result Of the changed |
attitude toward news is that the fight |
ing fronts have the following channels !
of publicity:
First-Gen. Haig s dispatches, sur
passing those of any other commander
for detail of information contained.
Second-Two daily communiques.
Third-The British newspaper cor
respondents, all distinguished men in
their profession and the representatives |
of the United ress and the Associated |
Press, stationed at the press chateau
of the allied and neu-
trail press also have chateau
On other fronts of the British armies
the same general plan is carried out on
a less extensive scale. With regard to
the l1eet, largely because of physical
reasons, the communiques and official
have to furnish most of the
news, though many visits have been ar
ranged for newspaper representatives.
This growth of an appreciation of
publicity was not confined TO the ar
my and navy. The need began to be un-
ierstood in other governmental branch
rs and men were detailed to handle the
work. As part of the present prime min
ster 5 overhauling of the government, h
4 director was created for the business
and publicity. The decision
rs to what can be published about the
fights lies ultimately in the hands of
he war office and the admiralty. but '
Just as it is the business of the treas ,