Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-05
NEWS AND THE cENsoR.

NEWS AND THE CENSOR.
In long and involved statement to
the press of the United States, George
Creel, chairman Of the governments
committee on public information, out
lines the censorship which he pro-
poses to establish If the censorship
section Of the espionage bill becomes
law and which apparently he has es-
tablished without waiting for legisla-
| ton.
A careful reading of Mr.. Creel's an
nouncement cannot but bring the con-
clusion that, if he is concealing none
of the facts regarding his intentions,
he and his superiors in the admins
tration have stirred up lot of need
less agitation.
Mr. Creel gives prominence to this
sentence:
\ The only news which we wish
I to keep from the authorities at
| Berlin is the kind which ould be
| of tangible help to them in their
military operations.
That is exactly what the American
newspapers desire, and they desire 1t
Just as heartily, Just as SINGER sly and
| periodically as does Mr.. Creel. They
have been proving this fact for
months. Their voluntary censorship
has been and is most careful, Tor they
are in the war to win.
Mr. Creel divides news into three
groups, as follows:
1. Matters which obviously
must not be mentioned in print.
This includes the locality of war
ships and mine fields. location
and description Of coast and har-
Dor defenses or photographs CIV
ing clues on these matters; date
and port of sailing Of merchant
ships, and similar topics.
g. Matters of doubtful ma
ture. which should not be given
publicity until submitted to and
passed by the committee
3. Matters which do not az
feet the conduct Of the war.
These, according to Mr.. Creel,
do not concern the committee
and are governed only by the
peace time laws of libel. defama-
ton of character, ETC."
Any adult mind can grasp the fact
that such information as is listed in
the first category should not be pub
lished Newspapers in America have
published no such Information since
America became factor in the war,
and much of it had been withheld vol
unfairly for months before this coun-
try became a party to the war and
before Mr. Creel and his committee
came into existence.
It is in the opportunity for confu-
sion of the information covered by
the second and third groupings that
the danger lies, and the press Of
America Is justified in protesting
against the enforcepent OF Mr.. Creels
rules as indicated here.
Matters which affect the conduct
of the war; and information which
would be Of tangible help to the enc
my" are widely different in their pos
sible meanings and construction. II
Mr.. Creel and his committee are sin
cere in the first statement Of their de-
sires, they can do no better than to
leave the newspapers of the country
unhampered by the necessity for the
preliminary scrutinizing and delay Of
information.
The newspapers discharge duty to
the public and are held to "strict ac-
countability" This is true of Ameri-
ca to an extent which cannot be re-
allied In European countries. This
condition has existed SO long that, II
the newspapers were compelled to
curtail the volume of their informa-
ton at such time as this, the weight
Of the public's dfspleasure would fall,
not on the press, but on the govern
ment.
This is very good time for officials
in Washington to keep before them the
fact that the success OF their plans for
carrying on the war depends on the
confidence they inspire in the minds
Of the public The public depends on
the newspapers for information, and is
accustomed to receiving that informa-
ton at first hand, with minimum of
Official inspiration and official censor
ship.
The newspaper which would print
improper information at this time
would be punished by its reading pub
lie. Every editor and every reporter
knows this II patriotism were not a
sufficient reason for voluntary censor
ship, this rule of necessity would be.
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