The Washington herald., 1917-03-03
Army and Navy News
Rest service caIsnn fs cir.

vigorous protest OF the proposed |
shackling Of the nerican press as a mill
tary measure IL voiced by the Army ana !
Navy Register. one Of the leading serv- 1
ice publications, in an editorial In It's
latest issue. |
Nothing could be more unwIse. and |
the same time more of a menace, than
the proposal to enact legislation that
shall permit not only censorship, but
control Of the press In this country In
time of war, or when war Is imminent
presumably" says the Register. 'It Is
a mistake to propose any such drastic.
not TO say revolutionary, proceeding as
that which authorizes the President to
issue a proclamation prohibiting the pub
Iicstion OF all news referring to the arm
ed forces of the government or the means
and measures that may be contemplated
for defense Of the country. except when
such pubIicat ton shall have been duly
authorized. and permitting the President
to issue such regulations as may be nee
essary to render such prohibition enec-
tive
such statute, conveying general au-
thority of this character. might lead to
the extremity Of regulation and prohibi-
tion that would be disastrous in the end.
despite the advantages which are expect
ed to accrue from the policy and prac-
tice. Congress now is asked to take the
step in the direction described without
waiting for the declaration OF war. in
order to avoid the Confusion and dis
satisfaction which might be experienced
II the Censorship and control should
have to be set up after the declaration OF
war.
"Of course. there must be some system
adopted by the military-naval authorities
to suppress news in time of war; there
must be a censorship or surveillance OF
articles pertaining in any way to the con-
duct OF campaigns, the condition Of the
forces, the plans Of the strategists, and
so on. No reputable and patriotic news
paper will object TO this regulation of its
functions. 1t is probable that in time OF
war. when the fate of the country is in
the balance. there would be no trouble i'm
keeping from the public-which would
also be keeping from the enemy-infor-
nation that should not be divulged, in
formation which, II divulged. would be
harmful. or perhaps even fatal, to our
national interests.
There should be no great difficulty in
successfully appealing TO newspaper pub
fishers, editors. and reporters TO refrain
from that sort of publicity that would ac-
complish such fearful damage. But aside
from this possibility Of appeal without
the aid OF legislation restriction and reg
ulation. II is well. OF course. to have
authority TO establish and exercise a CEN
sorship to which might very safely be
intrusted the publicity phase of the con-
duct Of the war
1T is doubtful II an official censorship
can go much further. ard II would be
unwise IL IL were attempted TO have Il
go further than that. although such an
expansion of the application OF censor
ship appears to be favored, IL not urged
in the memorandum OF the general stan
OF the War Department on this subject"
Improvement in the work which uni
versities and colleges may do in promot-
ing scientific preparedness with special
reference to the possibilities of develop
ment in the research work by the Shelf
field Scientific School is suggested in
letter to the Yale Daily News from
Rear Admiral John r. Edwards L. s
n. retired
"As the work Of the army is prima riIy
in the field and that OF the navy anoat."
he says. 1T is only practicable for these
executive departments OF the government
TO conduct a limited amount OF expert
mental technical research work and in
vestigation. although along a few GER
tain distinct military lines. no other
agencies possess the facilities ard re-
sources to do such work well as can
be done by our military and naval cx-
perts
There are fields OF technical investi-
CATION. however. that intimately relate
to military and naval efficiency, which
should be covered by the educational in
stitutions OF the country In fact. il
would not only subserve naval and mill
tary. but likewise the general industrial
interests of the country II each Of the
leading scientific institutions would con-
centrate work and experiment upon those
special engineering features wherein dis
tinct advance is essential to military ef-
fiCienCy If not to national safety.
They should help to sClve many of the
problems OF that concern the efficiency
Of the fleet. II each Of the leading col
leges would conduct scientific investiGa-
tion of the military and industrial ma
ture along some distinct lire. it could
he expected within a decade that engi-
neering efficiency in the navy would be
greatly promoted"
Rear Admiral Edwards then suggests
that Yale. for instance. might study the
value Of nickel in the production Of high
grade forgings and castings or the inn
portance OF increased combustion cham
Der volume for furnaces burning oil eN-