Semi-weekly herald., 1917-07-30

German army did. General Frencf
even mentioned the fighting units by
names--a thing that has since beer
discontinued for good military rea.
sons. Complete casualty lists were
published Immediately, though this
has not yet been done by the French
army or the Russian.
But the underlying distrust of cor
respondents had not abated; it re-
NAMED at the high point reached in
the Russo-Japanese war. To meet
the obvious need of reporting TO the
people on the wars occurrences the
Of the Russo-Japanese war was tried,
that of the "Official Eye Witness"
This plan broke down in short time.
In the spring of 1915 a complete
change took place. First, correspon-
dents were allowed at the front; a
press chateau was established and
press officers detailed to assist the
newspaper men. The correspondents,
however, were allowed to relate only
what they could see for themselves
and that wasn't as much as it might
have been.
A year later found the correspon-
dents thoroughly established in the
confidence of the army and their po-
sition entirely changed. 1t had been
discovered that far from doing harm
they were doing great good. Before
The battle of the Somme they had
dug themselves in beyond the possi-
bility of dislodging them-if any mil
tary man had so desired. They were
told everything, they saw captured
documents, they were taken to the
best positions for observation and al
lowed the greatest latitude in their
writing.
The correspondents may write prac-
tieally anything that is not of value
to the enemy. The result of the
changed attitude toward news is that
the fighting fronts have the follow
irg channels of publicity:
First-Gen. Haig's dispatches, sur
passing those of any other comman-
.ler4snr detail of information con-
aimed.
Second-Two daily communiques.
Third-The British newspaper cor
respondents, all distinguished men in
their profession and the representa-
tives of the United Press and the
Associated Press, stationed at the
Press Chateau. Representatives of
The allied and neutral press also have
a chateau.
Fourth-Special articles by we'll
known writer's, such as II. G. Wells
and Arnold Bennett, and by repre-
sentatives of individual newspapers
permitted periodically to visit the
front.
On other fronts of the British ar
mics the same general plan is carri-
ed out on less extensive scale. With
regard to the fleet, largely because
Of physical reasons, the communiques
and official dispatches have to furnish
most of the news, though many vis-
its have been arranged for newspaper
representatives.
This growth of an appreciation of
publicity was not confined to the army
and navy. The need began to be un-
derstood in other governmental
branches and men were detailed to
handle the work. As part of the pres
ent Prime Minister'S overhauling of
the government, a Director was Gre
ated for the business of propagan-
da and publicity. The decision as to
what can be published about the
fights lies ultimately in the hands of
the War Office and the Admiralty,
but just as it is the business of the
Treasury to watch all other depart
ments to make sure that interesting
information of value to the Allied
cause is issued without delay.
In the fog of great war the pop
ular mind is often apt to lose its sense
Of proportion and forget the main
issue, 1t is the business of the De-
partment of Information to try, as far
as possible, to keep before the mind
the essential questions of the war
and the true position of affairs.
1t is very difficult for the lay mind
% grasp the principles on which army
and navy authorities exercise censor
ship. It must be remembered that
the success of their operations and
the lives of their soldiers often de-
pend on these things. Only men en-
gagged in such work day by day can
say exactly what kinds of informa-
ton may be of use to the enemy. Take
the matter of mentioning the smaller