New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-01


Department was an cNpurgated version.
r. did not contain the most vital parts
of Marshal JofFre's message 70 the
American people. SO much has been
sad and printed about what Joffre said
that it is now no violation of agree
ments 20 state that the part eliminated
was an urgent recommendation for the
immediate dispatch Of American troops
to France. there 70 be intensively
trained "within sound Of the guns"
Units as small IA "A division or even
smaller were urged
Mission Censored Statement
This morning the French mission,
after the State Department had pro
tested in many quarters that it had
had nothing TO do with mangling the
marshals statement. but that it had
merely transmitted it TO the newspaper
bureaus here, formally assumed full
responsibility for the change. But it
is generally understood that the French
mission would not have emasculated
the statement of Marshal Joffre if it
had not been for the protest from a
representative of the War Department.
The General Staff Of the army is yio-
lently opposed to sending any American
troops abroad until more than 100000
mon are under arms and partially
trained here. /. is opposed to the
Roosevelt division. " sees the prob
lem as a military problem. entirely dI-
vorced from moral effect, sentiment or
psychology.
But the present censorship. entirely
voluntary in its nature. may be as
nothing 10 what the future censorship
will be if the so-called espionage bill,
in which the news collecting organiza-
tions of the country are bracketed with
German spies, becomes law. II was
conceded to-day in both wings OF the
Capitol that the espionage bill IN some
thing very like its present form IS
almost sure to pass. The now notorious
Subsection of Section has been
changed TO some extent. but 1t takes
a very friendly eye to admit any
modification or softenings.
The Senate has added the word
reasonable 20 one of the provisions.
the admitted effect of which IS TO give
onnortunity TO throw cases into the
courts. 49, -.
On the House side Minority Leader
Mann to-day tried to have eliminated
rho words (Which in his judgment" in
the clause giving the President power
20 prohibit the publication OF news
which in his judgment IS OF such a
character that il is. or might be, use
full 10 the enemy.
Why Then Have the Law!
The President himself in letter 20
Mr.. Arthur Brisbane says that, while
he il for the proposed espionage bill,
be does not intend to apply its pro
y;sions TO patriotic newspapers when
aesume 10 criticise his acts or policies
or those of his administration. But
onnonents Of the most drastic censor
ebin regulation ever proposed IN the
history of the United States are ASK
inc why then have the law II II IS
not TO be used
CabIe and wireless censorship, as
all neWspaper readers know, has eN-
Sod since the beginning of the war
Rut the cable censorship has been con-
fred 10 the European side. Before
,bo United States broke oil diplomatic
,atetions with Germany there was
a censorship over the Sayvlle wire
Ice However. much news, some
If il unmastakably German propag-
anda. was permitted TO come through
Since the declaration Of war SaT-
Vile has been silent. Il is generally
Known that the wireless has picked up
oyervthing which has been sent out of
Germany by the old familiar Overseas
News Agency, but nobody here IS the
II is understood By the newspaper
correspondents who have talked with
George Creel, President Wilson's So. o.
Tcial censor and director OF news,
wbose powers are not yet clearly de-
Sned. that a cable, telegraph and tele'
nhone censorship soon viii be pro-
rlaimed That will mean that cable
messages shall be censored on botn
.ides of the Atlantic. There is eXpecta-
tion in some quarters that incoming
cabies from London will not be cen
sored on this side, as that plainly
would be work Of supererogahon.
The telephone and telegraph censor
ship for the present, Mr CreeL says says
Cable censorship. Of course, Will affect
Central and South America.